Santiago, day two

Saturday morning, we woke up late and I had to suck it up and call Susie and tell her I was sorry for telling them we had to get up at 8 to get going and enjoy Chile! About 11:30, we all got packed up and on our way. We stopped along the coast road to see the pelicans who hang out at a local restaurant on the beach. The guys who worked there were outside cleaning fish. They'd save the heads and guts and throw them up to the pelicans who hung around for a free meal. We talked to a guy who worked across the street who said there was a rock out off the coast just a little bit where the penguins hang out because they are protected there. He said they call them dumb birds (in Spanish) because they look so silly when they are waddling. We also stopped and took pictures of sea lions out on a rock and stopped for a guy who was selling hand pounded copper pots. Then, we headed inland to Santiago where it was sunny and 80 degrees. In Santiago, it's a lot like Eastern WA, except you can see the amazing Andes Mountains. Roads and on/off ramps are not well marked, but Paul did a great job finding our hotel just in time. The driver arrived to take Jeff and Susie to the wedding. Paul drove me back out to the airport because I had to pick up documentation that would allow us to drive the rental car into Argentina. We found our way back and I took off to go shopping and Paul went in search of dinner. I should have gone with Paul because there was NO SHOPPING anywhere around the hotel. The few stores I did find were either closed or not unique to Chile. I did find one store to buy a few things for the kids, but no authentic stores with handmade items or things not imported from China. I walked until it got dark and then I found a taxi to take me back to the hotel. Jeff and Susie got back around 4:30 in the morning.