Well, I solved the noise problem last night, I'm pleased to say - I stuffed one of the Qantas earplugs so far into my ear I thought it might come out the other side (and it worked - silence!!). I also wore the eye shades from the same pack and took half a Zopiclone and crashed within minutes (a full day of walking probably also helped!!). Talking of walking, the trip hazards here on the sidewalks are numerous, everything from short bits of steel pipe sticking up to coils of power lines hanging down from the poles above not to mention "rabbit holes" big enough to break an ankle in! It's a miracle that I didn't see a single person trip and fall the whole time I was here. I put that down to the fact that everyone is aware of the hazards and actually watch where they put their feet (even when they're watching their phones while they walk).
I think I saw enough of the city to satisfy myself that it's a city worth spending a few days in before touring Chile proper - lots of historic buildings and interesting architecture but not unlike many cities in Latin America, probably. The most notable exhibition I visited was of the handcraft work from the archipelago of Chiloe which was isolated from the influence of mainland Chile and the Spanish influence to some extent and retained it's unique weaving and basketcraft work - absolutely intricate work done by the women with fine fibres woven into baskets and containers of every size and shape (traditionally used for gathering of shellfish and other food from the environment they live in as well as other uses). Some wonderful carving, also, including a very big fruit press with the screw (and all the other fittings) carved by hand from hardwood.
Tired of walking I caught a bus going out into the suburbs just for a look around (I managed to buy a Bip! card from an automatic dispenser at a subway station this morning - so easy) and found myself experiencing the real poverty of the city. Really dirty streets, graffiti everywhere, rubbish strewn around, dogs wandering around in search of scraps to eat - the sort of life no-one should have to endure but when you're unemployed and can't get work in a country like this you simply have to put up with. I'm guessing that alcoholism and drug addition is also a big problem here as the two seem to go hand in hand. Vodka retails for around $5.00 a 750ml bottle. The buses don't accept cash so a Bip! card is the only way to pay your fare. About fifty cents to anywhere, on the bus.
If you become "temporarily disoriented" as I did on my way back into the city you can usually rely on either finding a significant historic building and locating that on your city map and then using your compass app on your phone to head in the right general direction until you find a cross street with buses heading in the general direction you want to go or alternatively (a better way) is to find a subway station and jump on any train going in any direction and study the intuitive map on the train to see what stations you are stopping at and work out from that where you need to change to get on the right line back to your station (Santa Lucia, in my case). If all else fails, taxis are cheap and generally reliable (although they may take a longer route than necessary in order to get a bigger fare out of you).
I booked my next three nights in Valparaiso on the coast (total NZD$133.00) and I'll catch a bus from here around midday to get there an hour or so later. Until then, adios, amigos!
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