What about the pets? Update

Thought I'd just add something to my post from yesterday....The pets (a hundred of them or so at least..they say there are 500 more still behind) have been rescued. From the photos in the press it looked like all dogs. I'm sure we'll see this on Animal Planet or something.

Chile in Headlines: What about the pets?

So its been well over a week since Chaiten, a volcano in the far south of Chile, started bellowing ash, smoke and lava. The town, which holds the same name, has been evacuated, the last member was just recently pulled out. But recently there has been a fair amount of attention on "what will happen to Fido?" What about the pets?

The government said late this weekend that it would allow a small group to enter the restricted area to feed the animals, but hasn't authorized actually pulling the animals, estimated to be aruond 1,400 strong, out of the area.

Now my guess is that they don't want to add to the logistical nightmare they are already facing with just the people. Adding dogs to the living space, not too mention the bill, would just be more than the state had in mind.

But it does raise some interesting issues. Is a dog a member of the family? Who decides this? How can the state punish people for poorly treating animals if it doesn't care for them in times of need?

I guess the cynic in me says, if the discussion is surrounding what to do about pets, then things are going pretty well for a natural disaster. But then, what about Fido? Will he be left to just eat pigeons and lap dogs?

El Regalon

After an extremely filling meal at what might be one of the best restaurants around Santiago...Calypso, Caro and I rested in a field behind the eating area (the food is rich and the wine is strong so they have some comfy chairs and hammocks to rest in)...we were visited by a large but friendly dog.

A spot to enjoy

I felt going to the archives and pulling up something from the past.

From Termas Geometricas which is just north of Villarica. The place is stunning, with a very nice infrastructure that flows perfectly with the narrow canyon, waterfalls and massive green plants that form the nature around it. Not to mention the 17 naturally heated pools that it has. A true gem.

Although a lot has happened here in Chile over the last 9,000 years:

There is one thing that has never happened.


Pic from National Geographic (who else would have it)

Until this last week. On May 2 a Volcano in the far south -Chaitén- blew its lid. After a couple days or so of puffing smoke ash it has started to spew fire and ash, as in the photo above, mixed with lightening. Yesterday saw some of the biggest explosions yet.

The event is nothing minor, ash has reached as far as Buenos Aires and forced the evacuation of the entire area. Luckily there aren’t any major urban centers nearby. But on the news I saw a dog left behind, lying at the front door of his house with a sad face.

I was lucky enough to see a different Volcano, Llaima, erupt in January, near Temuco. But this is something much bigger, and notable, since it has been dormant so long. It makes you wonder about those four or five dormant monsters on the edge of the capital.

Catching a Taxi at the Santiago airport- what not to pay

Today El Mercurio reported that airport authorities will be darkening all of the glass around the doors where passengers enter the main terminal from the arrival area to combat “pirate” taxis that have charged up to 200,000 Chilean pesos for a ride to the city. For a bit of context, hiring one of the official airport taxi chains costs between 12,000-15,000 pesos depending on how hard you push for a bargain and where you are going.

I don’t know who these foreigners are that arrive so completely clueless as to what the going rate of a taxi ride is from the airport. Ripping off arriving visitors at the airport is a con job performed round the world. So if you are coming to Chile, save yourself the headache and just hire an official taxi or a “transfer” shuttle bus.

Although probably perfectly legal, the price inflation also applies to hotels. I went to meet someone passing through Chile at their hotel -The Sheraton- just yesterday. I took a cab from Ñuñoa and paid about 3,500 pesos. When I was leaving I asked the hotel staff how much a hotel taxi would cost to the same place: 7,000 pesos...double the price!