It may be no fault of Santiago's. It may actually an awesome place. I budgeted four days here, primarily to sample the nearby wine country. Instead I have run into a bureaucratic nightmare of Kafkaesque proportions, that has not really enabled me to enjoy the city at all. On top of that, I got robbed two nights ago, of $350. Had been warned. Everybody warned me. My reasoning demurred, figuring: "I'm 6'2" and 210 lbs, can defend myself, have lots of locks on my backpack, they will pick on somebody else." Not so. They don't care about locks. The cabbies tell me they will just take a box cutter of razor knife, cut a vulnerable part of the backpack from behind, and reach in to get what they want. Or cuts your straps and take it all. Or distract you from the front, while an accomplice picks your pocket fromt the rear. I suspect it is something akin to the latter, that occurred with me. My Dad told me about a similar experience, where he was assaulted in Moscow and relieved of his wallet. My situation was perhaps worse (at least for the ego). I was conned. That actually hurts a little worse, I think. It doesn't make you want to mix with others for long, however.
I have described the first two days here in the last post. Next two, were spent primarily getting my Brazilian visa. I stood in that Consulate for four days in a row! They normally take six days to issue a visa. Told them I won't be here for six days. Or any city, for that matter, until I actually get to Rio for Carnivale in March -- "The World's Biggest Party." They said I would have to return. Told them instead I have at least 12 flight legs already set up, and none of them return me to Santiago, as I am visiting all 13 countries on this continent. They say: "Well, aren't you staying at any of the other countries? Perhaps you should pick it up there." And I tell them I am only going to one other location in Chile, and that is Easter Island, where there is no embassy or consulate. And I won't be staying long in Lima, or any other city. They tell me that is a problem. Start to walk me to the door. I refuse to leave. I tell them that their embassy in Washington, D.C. advised me I could get a visa for Brazil at another country en route, on an expedited basis. They tell me it is impossible. Then I virtually shout out "Well, you ... uh ... (it was something remotely close to 'folks') lied to me, and now I have a ticket to Rio, and no way to get in, because your personnel are not on the same page. You need to make good on this." And I refused to budge. They came back 15 minutes later, acting annoyed and officious, demanded a long list of documents, and sent me out after others (including different sized passport photos, an itinerary for my flight out of Brazil, copy of passport, plus copies of several credit cards). Then the money. Price was now doubled. "Bring the documents back tomorrow," I am told. Along with $200, but they are ambiguous about the timing of the money. Price of the visa has now doubled. I decide not to risk this bit of grace with further challenge. That afternoon, seeking passport photos in a familiar area (Plaza De Las Armas), I run into Ana and Alicia again -- the two students who must make the rounds there, selling their poetry. They help expedite some of the documents I need, which helps. But by the time we take leave of each other, they have called it a 'tour' now and want a generous contribution to cover their time and lost fundraising opportunity. I get the distinct impression, upon leaving, that this town -- or at least major parts of it -- consists primarily of stages for Grifter University. This is confirmed later on, when my money is stolen, right after visiting a cash machine. Many ways to do it, but they make it a fine art here in Santiago. Shadowing tourists, be they big or small, soccer goalie or diminuitive American students, everybody needs cash here as a foreigner and ultimately we are all easy marks.
So yesterday morning, Wednesday (Feb 2nd) I go to the Brazilian Consulate to deliver my documents. They help, retrieving a document available only via my computeron its Outlook feature. This was the itinerary and ticket showing I had a way out of Brazil. Could not have done this without the excellent online help of my awesome travel agent, Cindy Brunotte of Captain's Travel in Seattle [cindy@captainstravel.com ]. She is simply amazing. South America, is a document hell. Everything is "hurry up and wait," but also "I need that in quadruplicate." Finally get that taken care of. All requirments in. Then they ask for money. I tell them they said I could deliver that the final day, when I actually pick up the visa. They say "No. NOW." I explain I was robbed, had taken a decent size cash advance the night before to have cash to pay them, and the banks only let you do that once a day up to certain amounts. I wouldn't be able to deliver the $200 until the morning. They indicate they don't care. I ask them what time they close, promise a solution, and run out. The one credit card -- and I have five on this trip -- which has a PIN # is the one just utilized the previous night. 24 hour rule is still in effect. Debit card didn't work. It works with some banks, not others. Banks close here early. And so it goes, around and around and around ... yet finally found one that worked, got $200, delivered it to the Consulate, and went home to the hostel cashless to sulk. Which is to say, spend 12 hours on the computer, until 3 this morning, finding and booking hostels for future stops. Big problem was Rio. It is a month until Carnivale, and yet everything is already gone (they are expecting half a million for this party), or pricing bumped up fivefold so even the raunchiest hostel is getting over $100 daily rate to stay there. I don't have a solution yet, but know I won't be paying that.
One other example, and then some good news. Getting a phone. They have you by the sack here. If you bring in your own US phone, you'll get incredible roaming charges, even if your phone is continent compatible and is a 4-band model. And that is rare. If you buy a phone, you have to have a new SIM card for each country. You heard that right! EACH country. It costs about $10 to $15 for this, per country. Except you have to make a service stop for each new dominion at a designated dealer in each new country, to get this done. There is an extra charge for that. Or you can rent a phone. And the first time you do it, requires something like a 30 day delay. But you must go to the airport for this. And it only works inside the country of origin without incurring massive roaming charges. So a lot of travelers without long-term stay plans, simply do without a phone. Had I had one, I'd have been able to call my bank, without looking for an international calling center for three days.
So finally the good news. Today, Thursday the 3rd, I mail back to the US half the contents of my large suitcase. Cold weather gear from the Antarctic portion of the journey, I no longer need. Extra shirts, a few trinkets, etc. The cavern it creates in my checkable luggage, is encouraging. Now I can put the computer case, inside the big bag, and carry only the small backpack. Oops, better not, considering all I've learned so far about this place. Okay, I'll be satisfied with traveling lighter. Next, I pick up my expensive Brazilian visa (4th day in a row now I've been to that, my Santiago "home away from home"). Without a hitch! Can this be possible? Spend the last of my cash-- now down to about a quarter -- taking a taxi to the Bolivian embassy. Explain I am flying there tonight, have no visa, and to save time, indicate in advance THEIR EMBASSY spokesman earlier in the US said I could land in Bolivia, get the visa on the spot, and move on. To save time, I also indicate I am not leaving without a visa. I firmly plant myself in a chair. Now by way of contrasts, within five minutes I am seated with a top officer of the Bolivian staff. He looks at my papers, my new passport sized photo, confirms I can land tonight in La Paz, and handle all necessary items right at the airport. Incredulous, I am gone within another five minutes.
Drunk with success, I go to a nearby cash machine. It is a multi-mile ride back to the hostel, and I don't even have taxi fare. I calculate enough for the taxi, lunch, taxi later on to the airport, and a little extra. For a coke or two (it remains very hot here). You don't want extra money in changing countries, because they hit you hard on the exchange rates. So you try to calculate how much you need, and save $5 to $10 for the airport. Fingers crossed, I jab the card in, and ... it works ! You never know when this will be so, or not so. To add to the string, venture is made to a nearby international calling center. Am able to (I think, hope, and pray) finally straighten out problems with the Bank of America card, get a long distance PIN # for another bank card in my possession, and my support crew at the UPS store where I get my mail open up all bank documents until they find PIN numbers for yet another credit card. It costs me over $20 for the calls. But now I have working numbers for the debit card, and three credit cards, to be able to draw cash whenever I want and need (Fingers crossed and three Hail Marys and several novennas to boot...).
This is the first time I have EVER been in a city, spent all my time on admin duties, and never seen one single tourist or historical point of interest. It is also the very first time, I haven't even pulled the camera out of the bag and taken at least SOME photo of a point of local interest. In both senses, I am terribly disappointed. But thus situated, and now fully armed financially, I think I am really going to like it in La Paz! Will first have to get the 12,000 foot + altitude to agree with me. We will know in the morning.
Next: La Paz, Lake Titicaca, and "The Road of Death"
I have described the first two days here in the last post. Next two, were spent primarily getting my Brazilian visa. I stood in that Consulate for four days in a row! They normally take six days to issue a visa. Told them I won't be here for six days. Or any city, for that matter, until I actually get to Rio for Carnivale in March -- "The World's Biggest Party." They said I would have to return. Told them instead I have at least 12 flight legs already set up, and none of them return me to Santiago, as I am visiting all 13 countries on this continent. They say: "Well, aren't you staying at any of the other countries? Perhaps you should pick it up there." And I tell them I am only going to one other location in Chile, and that is Easter Island, where there is no embassy or consulate. And I won't be staying long in Lima, or any other city. They tell me that is a problem. Start to walk me to the door. I refuse to leave. I tell them that their embassy in Washington, D.C. advised me I could get a visa for Brazil at another country en route, on an expedited basis. They tell me it is impossible. Then I virtually shout out "Well, you ... uh ... (it was something remotely close to 'folks') lied to me, and now I have a ticket to Rio, and no way to get in, because your personnel are not on the same page. You need to make good on this." And I refused to budge. They came back 15 minutes later, acting annoyed and officious, demanded a long list of documents, and sent me out after others (including different sized passport photos, an itinerary for my flight out of Brazil, copy of passport, plus copies of several credit cards). Then the money. Price was now doubled. "Bring the documents back tomorrow," I am told. Along with $200, but they are ambiguous about the timing of the money. Price of the visa has now doubled. I decide not to risk this bit of grace with further challenge. That afternoon, seeking passport photos in a familiar area (Plaza De Las Armas), I run into Ana and Alicia again -- the two students who must make the rounds there, selling their poetry. They help expedite some of the documents I need, which helps. But by the time we take leave of each other, they have called it a 'tour' now and want a generous contribution to cover their time and lost fundraising opportunity. I get the distinct impression, upon leaving, that this town -- or at least major parts of it -- consists primarily of stages for Grifter University. This is confirmed later on, when my money is stolen, right after visiting a cash machine. Many ways to do it, but they make it a fine art here in Santiago. Shadowing tourists, be they big or small, soccer goalie or diminuitive American students, everybody needs cash here as a foreigner and ultimately we are all easy marks.
So yesterday morning, Wednesday (Feb 2nd) I go to the Brazilian Consulate to deliver my documents. They help, retrieving a document available only via my computeron its Outlook feature. This was the itinerary and ticket showing I had a way out of Brazil. Could not have done this without the excellent online help of my awesome travel agent, Cindy Brunotte of Captain's Travel in Seattle [cindy@captainstravel.com ]. She is simply amazing. South America, is a document hell. Everything is "hurry up and wait," but also "I need that in quadruplicate." Finally get that taken care of. All requirments in. Then they ask for money. I tell them they said I could deliver that the final day, when I actually pick up the visa. They say "No. NOW." I explain I was robbed, had taken a decent size cash advance the night before to have cash to pay them, and the banks only let you do that once a day up to certain amounts. I wouldn't be able to deliver the $200 until the morning. They indicate they don't care. I ask them what time they close, promise a solution, and run out. The one credit card -- and I have five on this trip -- which has a PIN # is the one just utilized the previous night. 24 hour rule is still in effect. Debit card didn't work. It works with some banks, not others. Banks close here early. And so it goes, around and around and around ... yet finally found one that worked, got $200, delivered it to the Consulate, and went home to the hostel cashless to sulk. Which is to say, spend 12 hours on the computer, until 3 this morning, finding and booking hostels for future stops. Big problem was Rio. It is a month until Carnivale, and yet everything is already gone (they are expecting half a million for this party), or pricing bumped up fivefold so even the raunchiest hostel is getting over $100 daily rate to stay there. I don't have a solution yet, but know I won't be paying that.
One other example, and then some good news. Getting a phone. They have you by the sack here. If you bring in your own US phone, you'll get incredible roaming charges, even if your phone is continent compatible and is a 4-band model. And that is rare. If you buy a phone, you have to have a new SIM card for each country. You heard that right! EACH country. It costs about $10 to $15 for this, per country. Except you have to make a service stop for each new dominion at a designated dealer in each new country, to get this done. There is an extra charge for that. Or you can rent a phone. And the first time you do it, requires something like a 30 day delay. But you must go to the airport for this. And it only works inside the country of origin without incurring massive roaming charges. So a lot of travelers without long-term stay plans, simply do without a phone. Had I had one, I'd have been able to call my bank, without looking for an international calling center for three days.
So finally the good news. Today, Thursday the 3rd, I mail back to the US half the contents of my large suitcase. Cold weather gear from the Antarctic portion of the journey, I no longer need. Extra shirts, a few trinkets, etc. The cavern it creates in my checkable luggage, is encouraging. Now I can put the computer case, inside the big bag, and carry only the small backpack. Oops, better not, considering all I've learned so far about this place. Okay, I'll be satisfied with traveling lighter. Next, I pick up my expensive Brazilian visa (4th day in a row now I've been to that, my Santiago "home away from home"). Without a hitch! Can this be possible? Spend the last of my cash-- now down to about a quarter -- taking a taxi to the Bolivian embassy. Explain I am flying there tonight, have no visa, and to save time, indicate in advance THEIR EMBASSY spokesman earlier in the US said I could land in Bolivia, get the visa on the spot, and move on. To save time, I also indicate I am not leaving without a visa. I firmly plant myself in a chair. Now by way of contrasts, within five minutes I am seated with a top officer of the Bolivian staff. He looks at my papers, my new passport sized photo, confirms I can land tonight in La Paz, and handle all necessary items right at the airport. Incredulous, I am gone within another five minutes.
Drunk with success, I go to a nearby cash machine. It is a multi-mile ride back to the hostel, and I don't even have taxi fare. I calculate enough for the taxi, lunch, taxi later on to the airport, and a little extra. For a coke or two (it remains very hot here). You don't want extra money in changing countries, because they hit you hard on the exchange rates. So you try to calculate how much you need, and save $5 to $10 for the airport. Fingers crossed, I jab the card in, and ... it works ! You never know when this will be so, or not so. To add to the string, venture is made to a nearby international calling center. Am able to (I think, hope, and pray) finally straighten out problems with the Bank of America card, get a long distance PIN # for another bank card in my possession, and my support crew at the UPS store where I get my mail open up all bank documents until they find PIN numbers for yet another credit card. It costs me over $20 for the calls. But now I have working numbers for the debit card, and three credit cards, to be able to draw cash whenever I want and need (Fingers crossed and three Hail Marys and several novennas to boot...).
This is the first time I have EVER been in a city, spent all my time on admin duties, and never seen one single tourist or historical point of interest. It is also the very first time, I haven't even pulled the camera out of the bag and taken at least SOME photo of a point of local interest. In both senses, I am terribly disappointed. But thus situated, and now fully armed financially, I think I am really going to like it in La Paz! Will first have to get the 12,000 foot + altitude to agree with me. We will know in the morning.
Next: La Paz, Lake Titicaca, and "The Road of Death"
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