Chile-2
O Chile e um pais FINO e COMPRIDO…de Norte a Sul sao 4.200km e a media da largura do pais e de 200km. Assim continuamos nossa rota para o sul com destino a Santiago – para tenta encontrar um vidro para report na janela do
caroneiro.
Pernoitamos num Posto de combustiveis e normalmente procuramos um local onde ficam os caminhoneiros por ser mais seguro. Na manha seguinte, antes de sairmos Daniel fazia a inspecao externa no motorhome e conversava com um dos motoristas
de uma caminhao de frete quando este veio com uma mao cheia de tomates, pois era a carga que ele levava, e pediu uma sacola para colocar mais alguns…tomates e “pimientos” frescos.Seguindo a Zona Costera del Desierto continuamos passando
por varias pequenas cidades mineiras e numa delas – Canton Taltal – passamos por um Santuario a N.Sra.de Lurdes, no qual as pessoas depositam homenagens e lembrancas de seus entes queridos, e tambem pedem Sua protecao. Havia neste mesmo local um
monument dos moradores da cidade homenageando a empresa Salitrera Chile-Alemania que acabou sendo fechada. Tambem deixamos nossa mensagem e pedimos que a protecao da Santa para o resto do nosso percurso. No Santuario existe a sewguinte mensagem: “Dale
agua a mi oasis, que te dare agua de vida.”
Em Taltal retornamos para a Ruta 5 – que e o seguimento da Panamericana e passamos por Chanaral, Caldera, Copiapo, Puerto Viejo, entre outras, ate chegarmos na cidade de Vallenar onde pernoitamos.
De Vallenar seguimos na Ruta 5 evoltamos a passer pela costa em La Serena – que e praia – e onde existem muitas pomares de uvas para o Pisco Chileno – alias Chile e Peru possuem uma “contenda” quanto a este assunto pois cada um
diz que a origem do Pisco e de seu pais…Nos, como apreciadores do Pisco, tantoo tradicional como o sour, gostamos dos dois – tanto Peruano quanto Chileno. Tambem ha muitos pomares com oliveiras e venda de “aceitunas e aceite de oliva”.
Passamos po Coquimbo e alguns parques eolicos. Seguimos ate Los Villos onde pernoitamos numa Estacion de Servicio COPEC. Aqui no Chile a muitas Estacoes COPEC possuem lojas de conveniencia com restaurant, lanchonete, mini-market e internet…muito
bom. Nesta que paramos era ao lado do Oceano e havia uma fazendola com Guanacos – que por aqui sao muito comuns, principalmente ao sul do Chile e Argentina.
Daqui seguimos para a capital Santiago, mas antes adquirimos o passé diario de
Pedagio pois as autopistas em Santiago sao pedagiadas e nao existem cancelas, e tudo automatizado. Chegando no centro de Santiago procuramos a Rua 10 de julho que e replete de “desarmadores” e casas de “repuesrtos” para automoveis…mas
nao tivemos sorte…nao encontramos o vidro para o motorhome.
Aqui neste ponto, em Santiago, completamos o recorrido pois daqui ate o extremo sul – Terra do Fogo – Chilena e Argentina e Isla Grande de Chiloe – ja haviamos
percorrido anteriormente em duas ocasioes com o motorhome ai do Brasil. Assim que nos EUA ja estivemos no ponto mais ao Norte – International Falls em Minnessota, na divisa com o Canada – eno ponto extremos sul – Key West – na
Florida. Dai cruzamos a America Cenral, depois seguimos na America do Sul e estamos programando para o proximo ano irmos ate o Alaska, a partir dos EUA.
Chile 2-English
Chile is a SKINNY and LONG country – it runs from North
to South for about 2,600 miles and the average width is a mere 125 miles. So we went on our route towards South to reach its capita city Santiago and try to find the window glass for the RV.
We stayed overnight at a gas station and we normally look
for a place where the truckers stop as these areas are safer. The next morning, while Daniel performed the external inspection of the RV before leaving, he was talking to a truck driver who was hauling tomatoes from Santiago to Arica. The driver asked if we
wanted some tomatoes and Daniel said “yes” and he gave him a handful of nice tomatoes. Then he asked Daniel to bring a plastic bag and he filled the bag fresh tomatoes and “pimientos” … Continuing at the Zona Costera del Desierto
we went through several small mining towns and at one of them called Canton Taltal there was a Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lurdes – where the people deposit homages to their dear ones who have passed away and ask for Her protection. In this same spot there
was a remembrance monument from the town people for the mining company Chile y Alemania which was closed many years ago. We also left our message and asked for Her protection in the remaining of our trip. There is a message stating : “Dale agua a mi
oasis y te dare agua de vida”…”Give water to my oasis and I will give you the water of life…”
At Taltal we returned to Ruta 5 which is the Panamericana and passed through Chanaral, Caldera, Copiapo, Puerto Viejo,
among others, until we reached Vallenar where we stayed overnight. From here we continued on Ruta 5 and returned to the coast passing through La Serena, where there is a nice beach area, and here there are many grape farms used for the Chilean
Pisco. By the way, Peru and Chile have a dispute regarding in which country Pisco was “invented”…We like Pisco – both the traditional and the Pisco Sour, so we don’t care which country has the rights…we will enjoy it the
same – Chilean and Peruvian Pisco.We went through Coquimbo and some Eolic windmills. Followed to Los Villos where we stayed overnight at a COPEC gas station . Here in Chile several COPEC gas stations have restaurants, services, mini market, and even
internet access. This one specifically was by the Ocean and there was a small ranch with some “guanacos” – similar to “llamas” – which are very common here in Chile and in the Patagonia in Argentina.
After that
we went towards the Capital Santiago but before we needed to purchase the toll pass since all expressways I Santiago are run with automated toll system.Upon our arrival in Santiago we looked for Avenida 10 de Julio where most used car parts and dealers are
located. But we didn’t have any luck in finding the glass for the RV window.
At this point in Santiago we completed our round since from here to the South – Tierra del Fuego in Chile and in Argentina – and Isla Grande de Chiloe (the
southernmost point in Continental Chile) we have already travelled in two different occasions with our Brazilian RV. This is to say that in the US we have been to the northernmost point – International Falls – MN – at border with Canada;
and have been to the southernmost point – Key West – FL. Then we crossed Central America, followed by South America and we are planning a trip to Alaska next year but then from the USA.