8.8

For years the earthquake has been expected in Chile, but when it finally happens, it is hard to believe what is actually going on or how to react to it. The last bad one was in 1985, and now it hit the middle regions of Chile again.

As the 8.8 grade earthquake on Richter scale happened, were we happily in a taxi on our way home after a night out. As we were in a moving car, and the roads of Santiago tend to be in a bad shape, we didn't pay much attention to the bumpy ride nor feel the tremors nearly as bad as the people who were inside their appartments. They must have been scared! Just when we pulled over in front our building around 3.40am in the morning did the taxi driver say that was an earthquake. All of our neighbours were out in their nighties, but remained surprisingly calm. Everybody was waiting that the electricity would come back and hoping that the tremors would be over and the water would be stopped running down the staircase on time before finding its way to the appartments.

Some brave - or foolish - ones (like us) slipped their way back upstairs to get the valuables and some money they could. After returning downstairs we just remained waiting in the hall of the building, because at least from the ground floor it is faster to storm out if the earthquake grows stronger again. The higher up, the bigger the damages, usually. However, especially the newer buildings are built on sort of rubber which enables the building to adjust to the shaking and reduces the risk of crumbling down.

Lukas' office on the 21st floor suffered enormous damages. In some buildings in Santiago the windows broke, the walls were coming off, tiles were falling down - not to mention the material damages to the property inside the appartment. Some were luckier than others. The worst damages (and the victims) took definitely place on the coast in Concepción and Valparaíso.

At times it was a cacophony of sounds - the alarms in the flats, in the buildings and police, rescue and fire department sirens kept on screaming. The news gave constant update but nothing or no one advised us how to react or behave in this situation. After the electricity came back on in the morning after two hours of darkness and the day started to become lighter, also people went back to their appartments and started literally picking up the pieces.

The not-knowing - whether you can return once to your home, whether the worst is already over, whether your friends made it or not - is bad enough. But when you add the worried relatives, the after shock as well as the after shakes, which, by the way, have been going on all day, you can be sure you are not able to sleep one eyefull. No matter how tired you are!

So many questions keep circling in your mind! How are everyone? What's happening next? What if it strikes even harder, what should I do? It's a scary thought that there is no place to go, where we would be safer. As our neighbour from Minnesota said, at least a tornado you see coming and you have enough time to react and find safe. But how do you see when an earthquake is coming?

As soon as the phone lines were working, the Finnish Embassy contacted us to see that we're fine, but we would have liked to have more information about the practical side of the incident: are the shops open? When does the water start running again? Can we use the gas stove or is it dangerous?

Would be actually interesting to follow how the animals behave in such a situation. They sense that something is going to happen, and instictively hide next to a bigger object, not under it. Many people falsely believe that they should hide under a table or bed, but this actually is much more surer way to die. Instead, they should hide next to that furniture, because if the roof falls or a cupboard bends over it, it won't be crushing you under its weight.

We are so happy that nothing more serious happened. Luckily we were able to get the Internet and phone working enough to inform home and calm down the folks. But I think I've never missed home and its secure earth this much. And I pray and hope that the people who lost someone during the quake will make through this.

Dead Chicken in Heat

A week has already passed as I returned from the vacationes in Europe back to Santiago. It was sure nice to come to full summer! The flat was nearly as we left it, except for one little thing: it stunk like a dead chicken. Lovely. The cruel Chilean electricity company had decided to cut off the electricity in our flat because of one unpaid bill (since we were travelling we naturally didn't receive the bill). The amount of the bill: 7 Euros. Of course the chicken that we had left in the freezer had been brewing in there for a month. In the winter it might have not been such an issue, but in the summer, when the outside temperature is +33 Celsius degrees and inside temperature only few degrees less, you can imagine the smell... Well, you live, you learn, right?

Dust gathers really fast in the big city so my paws are constantly black no matter how often you sweep the floors. Anyhow, after cleaning I managed to "install" curtains to the bedroom and living room with a patent mecanism that a very creative and talented friend of mine told me: double sided sticker that you are able to take off and put on again if you will. Great, it works! Thank you Jasmine. :)

The hot air of the city has also driven the urban stray dogs on holidays. There are only a few brave ones in the city to be seen. I would go too, if I could. Yesterday I came back from the beaches of Viña del Mar, and there the weather is 10 degrees cooler as in the city! With the wonderful sea breeze blowing you don't even notice the sunshine. Not that I complain after the weeks I spent in Finnish winter.

As soon as the flat is as ready as it can be I will publish some pictures. Until then, I will continue enjoying the heat of Santiago and the coolness of our rooftop pool!

Puddle of Mud and Lagoon

Even though our stay in Santiago is on pause for the Christmas, I still wanted to show you our last two weekend trips in Chile before taking off to well earned holidays. ;)

Cajón del Maipo is a very generous region with rich nature and many different kinds of activities from hiking to swimming to horseback riding - you name it, you've got it!

First Sunday
San José de Maipo is a little town to the south of Santiago, located in the Santiago Metropolitan Region in Cordillera Province. Lukas and his workmate Manfred are examining the map of the region.

The Sunday market in the main square of San José de Maipo. However, our trip continued through a rough gravel road to the final destination.

On the drive deeper to Cajón del Maipo we saw some beautiful sceneries.

The colours of the mountains include the whole colour range - red, green, blue, yellow, purple...



After a lunch at Club Alemán Andino or Deutscher Andenverein aka German Union of the Andes, we were again with full forces powering forward.



As the gates to the hike tour of the Laguna Morales were already closed, we decided to stroll around the village.

The horses were running free on the field.

The youngest one of them showed some interest in us. Or maybe I was the more eager one to get to know?!

A cute little red house differs quite a bit from the houses of Santiago...

After the hike we went to see the Baños Morales. There are three different pools - one for adults, one for children and one for athlete swimmers.

The thermal water runs down from the mountains and it is said to have healing effects.

Of course I wouldn't be a proper Finn if I didn't dip in!

The tingling feeling on the skin must mean that I am becoming healthier instantly.

On this board all the different minerals that the water contains are mentioned.


Second Sunday

On the second Sunday we decided to leave earlier to make sure that this time we will get in to the area. On the way there we got to see local goat herds at work with their assistants.

To be able to hike you have to tell your name to the "park ranger" and pay $1.500 Pesos.

Destination: Laguna Morales, 5,98km and back. At this time of the year the road until the glacier is still frozen and hence impossible to go to.

Some pretty flowers that look like womens' shoes.

The day started beautifully with sunshine but ended up in clowds.

As soon as the clowds came, the weather started to cool down.



Finally we reached our goal, las Lagunas Morales!

The frogs were in spring fever.

The friendly birds knew were food was coming from.

Happy hikers on the way to return trip.

The view of the Monumento El Morado.

Returning after 12km hike! Doesn't exactly match the hikes to a mountain made in Vorarlberg, but still good enough start for the new season.

Jingle Bell Rock in +30 Degrees

Normally, when you move into a new flat you have at least something ready from your previous flat, but when you're moving into another flat in another country, you have got to start from the scratch. We've got to consider the hoover type, the stability of cutlery, colour of sheets, not to mention the bigger purchases such as the couch, bed or TV. Oh, you can imagine doing decisions like that November has flown by!

As you may know, we were searching a while for new apartments and finally found a nice one a few blocks down in the same sector. Although our current lease goes until the end of the year, we have started to furnish the new apartment in order to have it ready by next year. The apartment is completely new and without furniture, which means that we need to get everything, even the fridge! So planning the looks of the new flat has been entertaining and fun and creative but also a bit exhausting.

The Christmas decorations in the shops increase with the speed of the growing Celsius degrees. It is definitely a weird feeling to be listening to Jingle Bells and other Christmas carols the sun burning your skin.

Santa's chair.

A giant Christmas tree of the Parque Arauco shopping centre.


As it turns out, Lukas may know Jassen like his pockets but I happen to be the Skip-Bo master of this family. As a departure gift from Sandra and Niki in August we got Skip-Bo cards, and every now and then we've been having matches. I must brag: I won five times in a row!


On Sunday we drove to the coast again to have lunch in our favourite restaurant, breathe fresh sea air, and enjoy the sun and beach!

First we excercised to bring up the appetite. Baywatch Luki was fighting the waves...

And Mermaid Joey playing arising from the foam. ;)

Even the pelicans love El Quisco, here waiting for lunch.



On the El Quisco trip I spotted a singing jail bird. ;)

The after-lunch walk took us to some cabañas, cabins, which are for rent for people who want to spent their holidays in El Quisco Lukas discovered some rusty meters. Here it shows how strong the salty sea air can be.

Salud! Zum Wohl! Kippis! Kampai!

Monticello Casino Night

Lucky Luke and I went to the casino last weekend with another couple. Casino Monticello is just outside of Santiago - not in Santiago - due to some legal reasons that prohibit Santiago from having the casino in the city.


After playing some roulette (and winning!) in the casino, we decided to try our luck at bingo. Of course, Lukas had a bingo and won $40.000 Pesos!


Oktoberfest in Malloco

On the way to Malloco with Lukas's workmate Arnoldo, his girlfriend Macarena, and Macarena's workmate Yuko, we stopped at a kiosk to have a taste of the local treat, Mote con Huesillos.

It is a sweet and refreshing dessert drink that contains wheat flakes and dried apricots.

Oktoberfest!!!

Yuko, Lukas, Arnoldo and Macarena. We had a truly national team - Japan, Austria, Chile and Finland!

My expression would let you assume that this was taken after all that beer, but nope, it was before! ;)

The day was wonderfully warm and sunny, just excellent to spend it outside sipping beer.

At the Oktoberfest typical German food, traditional songs and different sorts of beer were served by Chileans in Dirndl and Lederhose.

The first beers: Salud! Zum Wohl! Kippis! Kampai!

La Fiesta de la Cerveza attracted a lot of people.

There were also many nice stands that were selling local Chilean handcrafts.

And brought out the child in us. :)



Trying on the Oktoberfest hat. It fits!



The best beer we tasted was from New Zealand.

At some point we started to sing some beer songs: "Oktoberfest, Oktoooooooberfeeeest, Oktoooo-oooo-ooobeeeerfeeeeeeest!!!"

Lukas and Yuko having a chat.


Halloween

On Saturday night after the beer party we still joined a bunch of Finns celebrating Halloween. These were our costumes!