Just hanging out in the big city...

Hanging out in the city today, trying to learn a few things. Like how to get local money and how to feed myself.

Here's something I should have probably thought about sooner. Seems like ATMs are the best way to get cash while traveling. I don't use mine for that at home. So when I went to put my card into the machine today, I realized that I had no idea what the PIN number was. Crap. I used to have it written in secret code somewhere in my wallet or... Heck. I dug through a few scaps I carry, hoping I hadn't left whatever it was at home when I trying to pack light. Three tries at the machine, trying to match something to the code, then finally hit it.

Bang! I was a thousandaire! Yes, for just $150, I was the proud owner of something like 80,000 Chilean Pesos. Worth about $150.

My next trick was to buy food. Juggling numbers, stange bills, and leaden Spanish, I managed to get some food, too. Cool. Maybe I can survive in this country.

I also put my bike together. All is good. Took a ride around town this evening and up the steep Cerro San Cristobal, which is one of several huge hills rising from the otherwise flat plain stretching between the Andes and the costal range. San Cristobal's slopes are a wooded park with a winding road going up it. Lots of overlooks and picnic areas. Some food stalls at the top at the base of a giant statue of a saint. I got to the top after watching the sun set on the way up. Lights of the huge city starting to glow below. Lots of other riders up there. Seems like the place to go on a bike at the end of the day.

I got in a pack of other riders heading down into the darkening city and onto the busy city streets. Apparently you keep to the left side of the one-way streets here. Makes sense, in that the right side is always thick with buses, and drivers can see you better when you're out the driver's side window. In any case, it felt weird, but worked. Though I will balk when I have to do it without my outriders.

Earlier in the day I had fun walking around town looking at everything and at people. While most folks have dark hair, there's lots of variety. Lots of couples sitting on the plentiful benches in the parks and kissing passionately. Cool. Busy and bustling, and drivers watch for people. Crosswalks have lights, though the locals jaywalk. I use a technique I've used elsewhere: I stand by an old woman or feeble man, and only go if they go.

Local crafts booths feature everything from lapis lazuli jewelry, alpaca wool hats, copper plates, and lots of leather, from native-style tooled wrist bands to totally punk rock boots. (Is that odd, or is it just me?)

Weather is warm enough for shorts, though most people are city-dressed in long pants. Men wear dress pants and shirts with ties for business, and jeans and t-shirts or soccer shirts for casual. Women specialize in wearing clothes that are tight, and most of them look good in clothes that are tight. Don't think I haven't noticed, and they don't seem to mind.

I had a slow start today per travel recovery. Didn't get very far through my list. Tomorrow I hope to get finished up and get a ticket south for the next day. I also have to figure out how to get a few pics in here if it's possible.

--Greg