Disclamer: I do NOT work for the tourist department of Chile.
OK, here's the first thing every Chilean is adamant about. They want to tell you that they are not, repeat NOT Mexicans. If your frame of reference for Latin America is Mexico, forget it. Different culture, different accent, different food, different people.
This is no value judgement on Mexico, Chileans just get tired of people in the USA thinking they're Mexicans because they speak Spanish. which evidently happens a lot.
Vaya conmigo abajo de la cosa naranja
Back in Santiago now, just came back from a 900 mile driving trip south to Temuco, Villarica and Valdivia. Thought I'd do a diary on getting around in Chile.
The roads are good, as good as you find in the US. But what's more important than that, the people don't drive like assholes. You won't come around a corner on a 2 lane road and find 3 big rigs coming at you racing side by side (seen it in Mexico) or be cruising along a highway at 100 kph and suddenly encounter a dozen axle breaking potholes (Costa Rica) or be run off the road by racing tour buses (Vietnam) or be the only one to stop at stop signs (Phillippines)
This is REAL important. There's plenty of places in the world its unsafe to drive but Chile isn't one of them, no more than anywhere in the USA. They have rigid drivers license requirements, insurance required. But its kind of a national attitude to get along with people. Its not a IN YO FACE society at all, not like ours. You don't see people driving like assholes, nor hear of roadrage incidents.
its also a really safe place, most people comment on it. There's rigid gun control here, you'll never own a pistol. You can own a shotgun or bolt operated rifle for hunting but you will be licensed and the gun registered, with accompanying fees.
Crime rates are low here, especially violent crime rates. You can find bad people and places here if you look but no more than anywhere else. The thing to worry about is car break-ins and minor pilferage, again: just act prudently like anywhere else.
People respect the laws here, you can count on them stopping at stoplights and signs, generally observing common sense and courtesy---this is REAL important for pedestrians and bike riders. This is one of those civilized places where the pedestrian has the right of way---it is NOT so worldwide. these are the kind of things that make it easy and safe to get around.
They also have a rigid safety and smog check yearly on cars. You don't see junkers going down the road smoking, with the muffler half off. Cars cost a lot here and people keep them up. So cars all look and drive well.
the signage is the same as here: a red octagon is a stop sign, a yellow triangle is a yield sign, etc. Remember that the word for parking is Estacionamento. so when you see an E with a diagonal slash it means no parking. There's a lot of radar traps, so drive reasonably. Standard speed on the freeway is 120 kph, about 73 mph. You can top that by about 5 kph but 10kph is pushing it. Seat belts are required and talking on the phone while driving is illegal.
The Chileans have a national police force, there's the Carbineros de Chile and the PDI. The Carbineros are the uniformed cops, generally and the PDI is kind of like our FBI---does all the investigations and detective work. You see the Carbineros, you don't see the PDI. The cops are honest here and pretty laid back. Don't try to bribe one, you'll go to jail. The Carbineros have a sort of Forest Ranger look to them more than military, they even carry revolvers on lanyards, just like Sgt Preston of the Mounties. Many of them are women. Their motto is Siempre su Amigo---always your friend
Their public transportation system is excellent. They have really cool Metros in Santiago and Valparaiso/Vina Del Mar also. Cheap, easy clean, safe, graffitti free. Costs about $1 US to get on.
There's nothing 3d world or 3d rate at all abut Chile. Just got back from riding the Metro: on at Plaza Egana, change at Tobalaba then to Los Dominicos. Its as clean and nice as I remember it. Everybody staring into their smart phones. No bombed out, graffiti covered, Why We Can't Have Nice Things look, no mean people looking like they want to kick my ass. Just nice people dressed nicely and acting nice. This would look a lot like America if Americans dressed better, looked a lot alike and weren't obese.
They have excellent bus systems, both city and crosscountry. Pinochet's family and some of his supporters owned the bus lines and because of that the train service---once excellent--- was allowed to fall apart. There's a commuter rail service in Santiago and you can catch a train down as far as Temuco (about 500 miles) but its a poky little old local, takes forever, stopping at all stops.
What everybody uses are the long distance buses. They have express and local. These are generally excellent, comfortable,convenient and affordable. Some of the longer distance buses serve meals and there's sleeper buses. Ask for the servicio executivo
Fairly inexpensive too. A 75 mile ride to Valparaiso on an excellent bus, a semi express, cost me about $8 and took about an hour and a half. Its what most people use, for the excellent reason that its cheaper.
I'm going to Valparaiso tomorrow over night, taking the bus. I have complete use of a car and could go in that but my Chilean amigo wants to take the bus---said its cheaper, easier, no parking hassle.
Rta 5, the main N/S freeway is a toll road. You have to stop and pay toll about every 50 miles or so. Its $2200 pesos, which is about $4.00 American, so it costs you about $40 dollars just in toll to drive to Temuco. Gas is about $7/gallon so you can see why people use public transportation a lot--its cheaper.
Chile has vowed to eliminate slums and as far as I can tell they've done it. I didn't see one place I would call a slum in in our drive to Temuco and Valdivia and back. I also haven't seen any homeless people like we have, sleeping in downtown doorways or under bridges. You just don't see them. Chile has great social services, including national healthcare, with special attention to women. The only right women don't have here is to abortion---its still illegal here. I don't think their national healthcare covers birth control either.
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Hotels and Hostals are everywhere. You can make reservations online, which is usually the thing to do, but in off season what I like to do is go somewhere and find a nice place while I'm there. Just cruise around and find the place you like. Many places give a discount for foreigners in the off season. Chile is approximately 2400 miles long, North to south and averages about 100 miles wide so there's a huge weather and climate change going lengthwise. In the south n Patagonia it rains 200 inches a year---in the northern Atacama desert there's never been any recorded moisture at all. there's volcanoes and termas---public spas with hot mineral water. Rainforests and deserts. Lots to see. They LIKE foreigners, here, they have a big ecotourist industry.
along those lines, there's a reciprocal fee of about $130 for Americans to get in here. No this is not a "Revenge For Allende" fee, Chlleans pay this when they enter the USA. You only have to pay it once every 10 years---they paste the receipt into your passport. This is good for 10 years---you only have to pay it again when you come back after renewing your passport. Remember to keep the yellow slip they give you when you enter the country, you'll need it when you leave. (Its not a disaster if you lose it, only an inconvenience)
here's some things I encountered on the latest trip. I just love the artwork all over. This is a country that really has some soul.
Te veo en el camino
Just like driving down I-5
"I am only a woman in search of a smile,
with Power to smile with a smile,
with Power to kiss the smile I love the most
that is hers"
- Bird Witch
Sure hope I got that right