CHILLY SUNDAY

SUNDAY 5th JUNE

  Well just when I thought I'd conquered this sleepless business, I had another restless night.  I don't know what's gone wrong with my ability to drop off the moment my head hits the pillow! It hastotally deserted me at present.  I woke to a distinct lack of sunshine, instead it was cloudy all over.  I checked my e-mails and to my delight had confirmation from the two hotels that hadn't confirmed picking me up from the airport (Easter Island and Lima).  Obviously I have either Jeannette or Juan to thank for contacting them for me.  I feel a bit more confident now, especially in Lima where I arrive at midnight.  If I was left to the mercy of the local cab drivers, gawd knows what it might have cost me!  I caught up with the Test Match scores, but rain seems to have been the predominating theme.  In an effort to reduce my luggage weight I removed the relevant pages from my South American Lonely Planet book and disposed of the remainder (that must be a kilo to the good!). I have written post cards to the kids but so far have failed to find a Post Office (which I believe is Correos in Spanish).  However today was not a good day for looking as most shops were closed, as was the Bombay Restaurant that I espied in my travels.

  I decided to set off in the direction of the river today, but when I got there it was a bit of a disappointment:

There was a narrow flow on the right hand side but not a lot else, it must be the dry season!  Although when I looked out the window a few minutes ago I noticed it looked a bit wet out there, so maybe the rainy season is about to start.  Anyway noticing a bit of a drop in temperature I had donned my warm jacket a scarf and bobble hat and set off on one of my walks.  In my travels I noticed a digital display giving the temperature as 11 degrees, but later came across another one stating it was 15! I'm not too sure which one was right. Opposite the river was a building that I'm fairly sure is the main market hall in town.  Looking to the left along the river one can see the start of the mountains in the distance.

 Whilst if you look right there is a large monument commemorating something that happened in 1879, but what that was I'm not too sure.

A short walk down brought me to the square that has the cathedral down one side, that I'm fairly sure is called "Plaza de Armas".  There was a chap giving an oration of some kind in the square which kept the crowd well amused, and exchanged repartee and banter was exchanged.  I stood and watched for a while without understanding a word.  Instead I headed down towards the Government buildings thinking I could get a better shot of the building without the sun shining from behind it, and I was right!

I then turned around and started heading for home along the Bernardo O'Higgins road, spotting a nice building on the other side which was right opposite the metro station for the University, so could it be a part of that?  I spotted a chemist that was open and popped in taking Mark's advise to get some strong pain killers for the back, he suggested Tramadol.  "Tarmadol?" I enquired.  Only on prescription is I'm fairly sure what the answer was.  I indicated to my back and winced.  "Sans prescriptione?"  I asked.  The woman retired to the shelves behind her and came back with a pack of Mioflam, containing 10 tablets.  She indicated that I should only take one a day.  I nodded, "Comprendo".  Well I've just taken one, well see if it does any good.

  I cut off down one of the side street in the hope of catching a supermarket open and did so by the skin of my teeth, investing in two one litre bottles of Cristal beer.  Thus suitably armed I headed decisively for home.  My path took me past a church that was curiously trapped between two modern tower blocks in a somewhat incongruous position.

  As I'm completing this blog I can hear the rain hammering down outside and beating on the panes.  Time, I think, to retire and have a good soak and read.