Antarctica: The Last Continent (2018) - Days 3 and 4
Day 3 – Saturday, November 3rd – Mexico City to Santiago de Chile
(Steve writing) Having had to wake up at 5AM the prior day, we enjoyed sleeping in a bit this morning. When we awoke, the skies were clearer and we could now see further across the valley of the city:
We headed out for breakfast to place called “Debbie & Peponne” (Campos Eliseos No. 189), about a block away in the tony Palanco district. They advertise themselves as “healthy food and bakery”, and no sooner had we been seated were we offered a selection from a cornucopia of baked goods: muffins, croissants, and such. Allan had a muffin and I had a croissant. Sorry to say, the latter was missing the delightfully flakey layers that make or breaks a good croissant. It was more akin to a Safeway-bought variety.
On the plus side, the coffee was good and the service pleasant. We also ordered egg dishes, and these were done nicely. It seems one just doesn’t order coffee here and expect drip: it’s either an Americano (espresso with hot water), or an espresso. I enjoy café con leche (coffee with milk), but I’ve been asked on more than one occasion so far if I want an espresso with milk or a coffee with milk. The difference is size, rather than flavor.
With breakfast completed, we went back to our hotel room, packed, checked-out, and put the bags into storage. We then strolled around the tree-lined neighborhood, which featured more upscale shops. We discovered that next to our hotel was the large Presidente Inter-Continental, then a modern Marriott, and then some large office building. Clearly these were developed at or near the same time.
Our goal was visit the Museo de Arte Popular because Allan had seen a poster last night that indicated an exhibition of alebrijes, those colorful Mexican spirit carved wood creations (see the Pixar movie “Coco” for exquisitely realized examples of these creatures). According to the map, the museum was just a few short blocks from where we were staying!
Or not. Seems I should have read the second line on the map where it added “tienda Palanco”. Tienda means store and Palanco the neighborhood. This was the musem store, as the museum itself was closer to the historic center of the city! Nevertheless, we went to the store, and it turned out to be a treasure-trove of amazing handicrafts and such. And in section were nothing but beautifully made alebrijesof all shapes and sizes.
Allan found a particularly large dragon creature, and it would have made an excellent addition to our home. Alas, due to its delicate nature and the fact that we have over two weeks more travel ahead, the only option was shipping it. And that would have cost US $175. So, no large dragon. But Allan did manage to find several other creatures that could be carefully wrapped and safely make the journey with us. I even bought a couple of small ones.
We had spent a fair amount of time in the store, and afterward continued our meandering through the neighborhood. There was a large sidewalk market near Parque Lincoln, and we also saw some fantastic artwork in the park. It was quite an enjoyable stroll. We later made our way along the Avenida Presidente Masaryk, lined with upscale stores and shoppers. We also strolled into the Pasaje Palanco, an interesting mix of mall and apartments.
Just then, the clouds that threatened all morning opened up, and since we were caught without umbrellas (rain wasn’t forecast until late in the day), we ended up hightailing it back to the hotel. And then we just hung out in the lobby for an hour. By the time we got into our Uber, the rain had stopped.
We made it to the airport in under a half-hour, and checked in with LATAM, our favorite Chilean-based South American carrier that we’ve flown on our other visits to South America. Today’s routing would be taking us from Mexico City to Santiago de Chile, and then to Buenos Aires.
Mexico City Airport’s Terminal 1 isn’t so much to write about. It reminded me of the worst of Heathrow and LaGuardia. Low ceilings, tired facilities, etc. etc. The newer Terminal 2, home of Aeromexico, apparently is the nice, modern one. LATAM’s Business Class lounge, which it shares with Spanish carrier Iberia, was okay. No views of the tarmac, chintzy food offerings, and such. But at least it was relatively quiet and the bar well stocked.
We had a 6:10PM boarding for our 6:55PM flight from Gate 22. Much to our surprise, there was no outbound passport check: we just had to turn in our slips from arrival, which were stapled to the boarding pass, and later retained by the airline. We boarded on-time and were once again in the familiar warmth of LATAM’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft, again in our favorite seats 2A and 2C.
While LATAM’s Business Class isn’t industry-leading (2-2-2 seating in their wide-body aircraft), each seat is fully lie-flat, and the service is excellent and warm. The pillow, blanket, and menu were already at each seat. I’ve already read that starting next year LATAM will be updating this to a more industry-standard 1-2-1 seating, which means everyone has aisle access. No need to step over your sleeping seatmate (which I had to do at least twice).
Business Class was staffed by three men: Nicolas, Sebastián, and purser Herman. Allan thought all three were gay, but with male flight attendants you just never know. But Nicolas took that photo above, and he was always joshing with us during the flight.
We pushed back a few minutes ahead of our 6:55PM departure, and after taxiing for a few minutes, took off, first to the east, and then a turn southward. As we got closer to the coast, a large thunderstorm could be seen off the left side. I watched the electrical show unfold, with some remarkable flashes that lit up the sea below. I’m sure if it was daylight we would have seen the enormous cumulonimbus clouds that were skirting. After the lightshow, the seatbelt sign was turned off and the service began.
The menu offered a mixed green salad or spinach soup, your choice of grilled tenderloin, chicken stuffed with foie gras, or a salad entrée, and then for dessert pineapple-coconut mousse, Hagen Dazs chocolate ice cream, or an assortment of cheeses. There was also an excellent selection of Chilean and Argentine wines, something this airline does quite well. Nicolas had recommended a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, a 2014 Viña Maipo, which turned out to be a good selection. (Alas, our old LATAM favorite Encierra was no longer offered.)
After ordering, Nicolas soon came back with a bowl of warmed nuts, my Cab, and Allan’s Diet Coke. Later on, the entire dinner with all courses was presented on one tray. I think due to the short flight time (7 hours, 50 minutes) and desire for people to get some sleep, this method of presentation made sense. I was a bit surprised it wasn’t done in courses like on Cathay Pacific, but that flight was five hours longer and permitted more leisurely dining.
The food quality was good as always, and Nicolas came by several times to check on us. Once the tray was whisked away, I changed out of my dress shirt into a t-shirt, lowered the seat into a bed, wrapped myself in the blanket (taking care to put the seatbelt around the outside), and went to sleep. Or what was closer to attempted sleep.
Day 4 – Sunday, November 4th – Santiago de Chile to Buenos Aires
As is typical of trans-equatorial flights, there was some turbulence part way through the journey. It didn’t make sleep any easier. Breakfast had been pre-selected prior to the dinner service, and once I was awake (before anyone else in the darkened cabin), Nicolas brought my selection, again on one tray.
The coffee was strong and the juice refreshing. Despite the menu allowing a selection of each bread, all three showed up. The omelette was plain but warm.
After the tray was cleared, I freshened myself up and changed back into my dress shirt (we always try to dress nicely when we fly international Business class). I think this is the first international flight I can recall where I never watched a movie. Between trying to get in some sleep and the two meals, there really wasn’t time. I was just happy to watch the moving map. And there we were, just off the coast of central Chile, still in the dark, with a spectacular red crescent moon in the sky to the east. Soon it was gear down, and we had the most gentle landing imaginable into Santiago’s Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport. It was about 5:30AM, a full 45-minutes ahead of schedule.
We made our farewells to the crew and headed into the modern and spacious terminal. Transit was fairly easy: just one security check, and then into the international portion of the terminal. (This was our first time transiting: in 2010 we only arrived, in 2017 we only departed). It took a while for us to find the LATAM VIP Lounge, but we did find it, and although I was concerned that we wouldn’t be allowed in because our next flight was in Coach, the friendly woman at the counter let us in. Compared to when we were last here (heading back to Los Angeles in 2017), the lounge was very empty. But the food offerings were many, with plenty of coffee and fresh juices. The antithesis of what we experienced in Mexico City.
I enjoyed a very refreshing shower while Allan chilled. Eventually we moved to the second floor of the lounge where we had great views across the tarmac as well as views of the mountains as the sun rose higher in the sky. It really felt like a privilege to enjoy that quiet, relaxed setting.
After a few hours in the lounge, we went back downstairs to the main departures floor and headed to get 19A for our flight to Buenos Aires. The LATAM Airbus A320 was already at the gate, and we eventually got into the line-up. LATAM is consistent with their boarding, with signs indicating passengers who need assistance, then Premium, then the back half of the plane (15-29), and then the front of the plane (1-14). For the most part, it keeps the confusion down.
We were seated in 7A and 7B, and believe me when I say it was very tight seating. According to SeatGuru, LATAM has 30” pitch in Coach, whereas Alaska has 32”. Allan’s knees were practically next to the seat in front of him. Luckily, the flight was scheduled for under two hours.
We pushed back on time (8:50AM), and after quite a long taxi, took off toward the south, before eventually turning left and heading east across the Andes. And the views were spectacular! Looking as far south and north as you could see, the majestic mountains were snow-covered.
Allan slept after the Andes, and I sort of dozed. The woman next to me, on the aisle, was out of it. At some point, the flight attendant came by with a coffee cake muffin (a crumbly mess of a thing to serve) and coffee and juice. It passed the time.
The Argentine countryside was green and lush, and remained so as we descended into Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza Airport. We touched down and eventually parked at the terminal on-time at 10:40AM. And that was the end of our LATAM experience for this trip.
We arrived at the same time as other flights, and the lines at immigration were quite long. It took us about a half-hour to get through it. Allan even recognized an immigration officer who processed us last year. He has a good memory that way.
When we got to baggage claim, our bags were forlornly making the rounds, but at least they were there. Alas, Allan’s bag had encountered some damage: the handle was bent and one of the corner plastic protectors was completely cracked. Luckily, the bag was still holding up. But it was disappointing.
Once through customs (which was just an x-ray of the bags), we entered the main international arrivals hall, filled with families and friends. We stopped by the ATM to get some cash and went to the taxiezeiza booth to arrange our ride into town. The cost was 935 Argentine pesos or $26.72, and since we hit the peak of the arriving crush, had to wait another half-hour for our taxi.
It was a beautiful warm, sunny day, and the drive in took about 45 minutes. We arrived at the Hotel Fiero (Solero 5826) in the Palermo-Hollywood district at about 1:00PM. This hotel was recommended by Jon Nicholson, and once again, was a great recommendation. Very friendly staff, a very comfortable room and well-appointed room, and terrific breakfasts.
Our room 201 overlooked the (sometimes noisy) street, but mainly we got to enjoy the large tree outside the Juliet balcony.
We freshened up a bit, unpacked a bit (only a two-night stay), and then headed out to explore the neighborhood. It’s sort of like New York’s Upper West Side: leafy side-streets, small businesses, clumps of restaurants, and the like. It being Sunday, it was also super quiet.
Feeling peckish, we looked at several restaurants before deciding on Oui Oui, a French bistro. Alas, after attempting to order and being told that they were out of what Allan asked for and not offering any other help, we got up and left. Oui Oui was Non Non. We were hangry and sniped at each other as we continued to search for food. We eventually settled on the Williamsburg Burger Bar (Armenia 1532), where we actually had very good hamburgers. And got our moods into a better place.
Headed back to the hotel, exploring along the way. There were certainly many, many handsome men to be seen.
We had a nap, and then met up with the rest of the crew down in the hotel’s bar. It was the first time all six of us were together (we had never met Kay before, and she turned out to be the delight that Peter promised). I had this drink that Kay was having, an Aperol Spritz. Here’s the recipe:
1. Fill the glasses generously with ice cubes.
2. First pour three parts of Prosecco (75ml) over the ice.
3. Then, pour three parts Aperol (50ml) into each glass in a circular movement.
4. Finish with a dash of soda (25ml)
5. Garnish with a slice of orange.
It was delicious and refreshing, and I’m sure I’ll have more of them as the trip progresses.
We headed toward our dinner location in two groups: Allan, Darren, and I walked, and Peter, Sarah, and Kay took a cab. We arrived first (their cab driver took the long way). The destination: Parilla Don Julio (Guatemala 4699).
(Allan writing) We have looked forward to returning to Don Julio ever since our meal here with Mike and Chuck a year and a half ago. After our brisk walk with Darren to the restaurant we arrived right on time at 8PM to find a few patrons sitting outside at tables on the busy sidewalk. The night air was warm but not overly so; a perfect night for dining al fresco. There were quite a few people milling about outside, possibly waiting to see if they might get a table, having failed to make a reservation earlier. (Reservations are almost imperative here, as it is one of the top rated steakhouses in the city).
The three of us: Darren, Steve, and myself were seated at a table just inside the door on the left, affording us a pretty good view of the interior, and also a breathtaking view of the parade of beautiful men that wandered by. To be fair, there were some beautiful women also, but we hardly noticed ;-).
The rest of our merry band showed up just a few minutes later, which was kind of silly since they took a cab and we walked. After being seated the waiter came over and passed out more menus: entrees on the left hand page (butcher cuts of beef and pork), and assorted sides and salad options on the right. Everything was à la carte. There was a bit of fuss over which Argentinian Malbec to order (Sarah wanted it to be “Good!, not cheap!”), and the rest were a bit more reserved, wanting something not too expensive. The sommelier came over and helped the group make a choice they could all live with (Livverá, an Argentine Malbec from the Valle de Uco) and from the reports everyone gave, the wine was very good indeed. I, of course, abstained.
Everyone ordered a steak… their own steak, which as it turned out may not have been the best decision. The steaks here are ENORMOUS! Even the tenderloin, which half the group opted for (Kay, Steve, and myself), was something between 12 and 16 oz., I’m sure. I managed, barely, to finish mine, but no one else did.
Everyone agreed that the beef here was some of the best they’d ever had. We ordered a few sides to share: potatoes both fried and mashed, and both quite good, and roasted asparagus. There had been freshly baked dinner rolls brought out before the meal, with an amazing chimichurri sauce as one of the three spreads. I used the chimichurri on the steak with some sea salt – divine! After we had thrown in the towel on our dinners we relented and shared desserts: flan for Darren, and chocolate mousse for Kay and Sarah, and Steve and myself. Amazingly enough, the entire dinner for the six of us, including the wine, dessert, and tip, was less than $50 apiece! An incredible dinner and an unbeatable bargain. We do love Argentina!
After dinner, Darren, Kay, Steve, and I walked back to the hotel. It was a nice chance for Steve to spend time chatting with Darren and for me to chat with Kay; a delightful woman who shares our love of adventure travel and who will make a great companion on this grand adventure ahead of us. It was nearly midnight by the time we got to sleep.
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