Day 23 ~ Santiago, via Valparaiso, Chile

February 1, 2022

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Before leaving the ship for morning shore excursions, all guests must submit their Saliva Sample. Guests are reminded to carry the following when proceeding ashore:

• Stateroom ID Keycard
• Chilean Mobility Pass
• C-19 Affidavit
• PCR Test result
• Agricultural Declaration Affidavit
• Health Declaration Affidavit
• And a Partridge in a Pear Tree... 

Okay, the last bit is mine, but the rest came straight from the Viking Daily. In preparation for our first stop in Chile, we've had to submit a literal boatload of information online. The Mobility Pass was a bear to get. It involved downloading an app and uploading pictures of ourselves, our passports, and our CDC vaccination cards. Amazingly enough, mine was accepted on the first try, while the DH had to submit his info twice. Our friends Kristy & Dave had to try four times.  Viking provided the affidavits and test results for us all and there was quite a stack of administrivia for us to carry with us when we left the ship for our early excursion. We expected a full-on paperwork colonoscopy. 

To my surprise, we were waved through the terminal and onto our waiting buses with nothing but welcoming smiles. I can only surmise that Viking provided everything needed to the dozen or so official-looking men who joined the ship at the same time as the harbor pilot and it was all sorted then.  

Our bus wound through the narrow lanes of Valpariso to the main highway that runs down the whole length of this long and narrow country. It amazes me that if Chile were superimposed on the Northern Hemisphere, its southern tail would lodge in Mexico City while the northernmost Atacama Desert section would rest in northern Canada. Today our travels take us to the capitol city, Santiago (which, as you can see according to this map, is just about where my sister and her husband live in Nebraska!) 

Santiago is about 75 miles from the port in Valparaiso. The executive branch of the government is in the capitol, but the legislative is located in Valparaiso. The country is in a bit of an upheaval politically. Prior to the pandemic, they had suffered from riots, which sound a lot like the "occupy" movement we experienced in the States. Graffiti and tagging are everywhere. There is apparently a wide swing between the have's and have nots and water is at the heart of many of their issues--who controls it, who can use it, and who pays for it. Our guide seemed particularly disgruntled with the state of affairs and could not use the word "rich" to describe someone without preceding it by "filthy." 

In March, Chile will inaugurate its youngest president ever, 35 year old Gabriel Boric, a former student activist "who enjoys tattoos, socialist policies, and Taylor Swift's remake of her "Red" album." (from the December 21, 2021 LA Times). A new constitution is being drafted and will face only one referendum vote when it is finished. 

I'll let the DH's photo montage tell the rest of our day's story:   

Then in the evening, a destination performance troop called Sin Frontera came on board and delighted us with their songs, instrumental pieces and folk dances! 

(A side note to those who rely on the email version of this blog: You may not be receiving the videos and photo montages by email. Click on the title of the post and you'll be redirected to RoundTheWorldWriter, where everything should be available for you!)

Tomorrow we're staying in Valparaiso for the included Viking tour. More soon...