KidmeNOdog

April 3, 2009   Kidmenodog                              ….Safe and sound aboard the Regency of the Seas.  Cabin small but ok, the weather has been great so we have been using the balcony a lot.  Just getting ready for sunset…kid…not into sunsets off to play arcade games in the teen center.  The “Teens”..seem to be comprised of sullen 14 year oldish girls that would rather be with their goth  friends and boys showing their masculine prowess on the soccer court.  Girl   sit and watch, looking board to death…boys running around with  celebratory arms in the air  each time they score a goal…I think to myself…this is then my next 4 years…luckly my kid has not found out  that being a teen means you have to be bored, sullen and melancholy hopefully never will….my kid running around screaching with joy as the waves in the pool push her off from side to side.  Chile, rather Santiago, Valparaiso and  Via Del Mar are surprisingly huge…never thought they would be so big with so many tall residential buildings and new office buildings with some very interesting architecture.  Yes, as the guide books say there are many European influences everywhere in all the old buildings.  Many are being protected and it is illegal to destroy the façade and
now  new buildings are built inside the old retaining the old front and then a square tube is inserted.  The people we met were all extremely friendly. We used a guide for both days and although not the most economical by far certainly stress free.   Ate some really good  food, perfect road side stop, on the way from Santiago to Valparaiso sort of an old gas station, served incredible empanadas a sea food, fish soup mmmmmmm just the right spice, tomato, and variety of seafood.  Kid ate steak.  Then the next day ate a local dish..called “Pil Pil Scallops”…muscles in a nice spice thick sauce…mmmmmand special crab cake.  Kid ate steak.This area is known for  big crabs that look very much like King Crabs but at the cost of $100. USD that seemed a bit over the edge.Lots of funiculars in Valapraiso, about 15 they say, lots of old houses painted in different colors. This tradition began when ship workers painted ships and were given the left over paint to paint their houses they used whatever was available. Makes for some colorful streets..  Kid all she wanted to do was pet the multitude of dogs,.  Friendly dogs and a few cats everywhere…..Kid…“Pupppppppy”     “Kittttttyyyyyy”   . I say look at view, look at houses on hills aren’t they neat……Kid “  We have houses on lots of hills at home”….“Puppppppppy”    “Kittttty”    Passing old shacks…made out of corrigated  netal and old scraps of wood,,,,me to kid “Look”…..Kid to me “looks just like my village in Russia.“    Ok as colorful and quaint and photographic poverty may be  to us who have not lived in it….it is of no interest to may kid…..I wanted to go into the more seedy sections but guides who spent a lot of time worrying about my gold necklace and camera in any event would only drive through…Interesting it would be a great place to spend a day, I guess with a body guard and a camera.Ship…interesting mix of people..yes lots of old people, my age but mostly in very good shape.  The daily mile walk around the ship has a huge crowd tromping on the uppper deck, round and round I sit and watch them round and round.  Very fit bunch…Did “Spinning” yesterday…with “uber”, yes they were German 4 “uber’ competative young fit gorgeous men and women…The leader divided us in half and said we were having a contest who could spin the fastest …They were so excited they won…lets get the picture…there was no where they were going, the bikes are bolted to the floor and there was no prize…When they won a tremendously loud cheer went up from their side……silently I was cheering even louder for myself that after 45 minutes I was still sitting on the bike.




Funicular from St Lucia in Santiago, fun ride.   Above.  Below houses in Valapraiso…not the upscale part of townWe were able to tear Eva from the Kittys long enough to meet this llamaSantiago from the hotel room.The The king crab at $100 all we could afford is a look.. Taking pictures at the local museam in Villa Del MArLunch with the tour guides in Villa Dell Mare felt like Southern  part of Italy…Ship from top of hill in Valparaiso and murals around city sponsored by Diego Rivera’s daughter.Eva in the pool at last….8:30 p.m. March 29th  “Boarding Day”