May Day with nothing to do but walk and eat

It is Mayday, the day of the workers, today and I woke to very loud aggressive but nice music and now someone on a loud speaker so I guess there is a demonstration nearby. I thought that it might have been a close to home day today given my weariness of hanging out around demonstrations. Once is enough and I don’t want to go there again.

But I got myself organised and headed off; I could hear the noise but there were no real signs of life, just a few locals scurrying off to do whatever they were doing. But as I approached the main intersection of my street I saw that one side of the main road was closed off and there was a huge TV screen sitting on a large stage. Looking back down the street I could see a march approaching.  

My metro station was behind the cordon so I set off to walk to the next one. The main street was a very wide one with a grass verge running down the middle so they had barricaded each side of the lanes heading in my direction, so I could either walk within the barricade or cross over and walk along outside it. I would have to walk against the direction of the march so I crossed over and walked outside just to be safer. 

All good, I managed to grab a few pics through the cordon but felt quite safe where I was. The march was a protest against social injustice, a situation common in many countries at the moment. Here where the average wage is around USD500 per month, and living conditions for the majority are very very basic you can understand why. Despite the severity of the situation the march was light hearted with street performers and musicians. People were handing out leaflets and the odd person was calling on a loud speaker.

I followed the main street until the partial barriers disappeared which meant to continue walking in the same direction I would have to go into the path of the marchers (coming in the other direction); something that was not likely to happen, so I detoured and walked around through the back streets. It took quite a bit to get around the back of the march but once I realised I had walked far enough to be able to cross to the other side of the main street without hitting the march I turned up to where I wanted to go.

The first wave of marchers had passed and the main road was now filled with cleaners, some toting palm frond brooms, others with leaf blowers collecting the hundreds of leaflets that had been discarded. Behind them followed the rubbish trucks and the the water trucks hosing down the street.  

That was beyond impressive but quite ironic that one of the groups of people, who are undoubtedly poorly paid, were now having the clean up behind the people who were protesting for their benefit.

I managed to get totally clear of the marchers and cleaners before the next wave of protesters came through but I had no reason to go back in that direction so just carried on, wandering aimlessly.

Even though I was quite a way from the march there were still cops everywhere, in threes; two guys and a girl. They looked pretty relaxed in their khakis but all have a hand gun in their holster and I wouldn’t mess with them. Paddy wagons were parked all over the place, waiting, waiting. At one stage a motorbike policeman zoomed down the street with lights flashing. He returned a few minutes later with a pile of road cones. I guess it was important.

My wandering took me back to the plaza with the palm trees we had walked through yesterday and I stoped at a cafe. The locals (or at least Spanish speakers) were served first but eventually my order was taken. After 15 minutes the others had all started on what they had ordered, the waiter nowhere to be seen, a bit like my espresso so I picked up my things and walked off. Sorry mate but you can stick my espresso. I no longer want it.

Eventually I arrived at the central market which was quite possibly the busiest and sleaziest market I have ever come across. So much so I didn’t even venture in and did not for a moment feel safe so quickly walked off in the other direction. I would have loved to have found the fish market again as a piece of fresh fish would really make my day.

I continued on a long walk to Patio Bellavista the area close to where our tour finished yesterday and as I entered the plaza there right in front of me was a seafood restaurant, as though it knew I wanted seafood. I had a big decision to make as to what type of fish I would have; there were about 10 types to choose from including Conger Eel. Grilled Sea Bass with Chilean Salad at Puerto Bellavista ended up being my choice.

To go with my meal I ordered a chilean sav blanc. There is a very limited choice of wines by the single glass and most people buy a bottle, which in a place like this is not cheap. This is a very touristy area (but almost all Spanish speakers) but the prices here are cheaper than in my neighbourhood, which is a bit weird as my neighbourhood is in the middle of the student hangouts. 

To start I am bought some guac and salsa with fresh bread (not often it is still pliable). Oh yummmm; the soft bread smothered with the guac and then piled with the salsa was heaven in a mouthful. More please......

It was interesting hearing about farmed salmon and trout from our guide yesterday and being told not to order it. A similar story to what I had read recently about farmed fish in NZ where the fish are fed all sorts of rubbish so that they grow quicker and are therefore more profitable. So much for sustainable fishing. 

The sun came out, the air warmed up and the smog dissipated with the Andes clearly visible in the background.

My meal arrived and ohhhhhh! Divinely fresh fish, grilled to perfection, soft, juicy and falling apart all set off with a simple salad of peeled and quartered tomatoes, sliced red onion and parsley. Who said you need anything more? Light, fresh and flavoursome. Oh and did I say huge? With a large stemmed glass of divine sav blanc and an espresso, all up just shy of $50 and worth every cent. Great I wont need dinner tonight.

Lunch over I set off for home but decided to check out the place I am staying at next. Fractionally further out of town to where I am now but not too far so it was worth checking out beforehand. I ended up going the long way round as I wasn’t sure at which end of the street I needed to be but in the process walked through the most divine suburb, rows and rows of beautifully maintained colourful houses that were picture perfect.

I eventually found the hotel and then I realised why I had immediately booked it when it came up on the booking site. The cutest boutique place ever. Can’t wait to get there.  

Once I leave my current hotel in two days time I have decided to go to the port city of Valparaiso for a few days and do some day bus trips around the area, and maybe imbibe in a few vinos at the local vineyards. I’m not sure there will be much to do but its time to just sit and loll so a rest will be welcomed. Most the hotels are booked up but horror of horrors I have booked a chain hotel, the Ibis, wrong on many levels and Dobbo will be swearing at me, but oh well it had to be done.

The sun has gone down and it is getting cooler again. Time to rug up and put the woolies on before I venture out. Through my window I can see the sky starting to redden and in the distance the vague outline of the Andes. Its stunning and quite amazing to think that I am at the base of the Andes. Wow!

After lunch I thought I would not need dinner.  Once again my stomach ruled my brain and I ended up going out again for a superb gnocci napoletana with a hot crunchy crust, gooey inside baguette and a ton of butter.  Of my goodness how good has my stomach been treated today.  I can feel those kilos piling on so just as well I am doing all this walking.