 |
| Santiago Zoo |
 |
| Santiago Zoo |
 |
| Santiago Zoo |
 |
| Santiago Zoo |
 |
| Santiago Zoo |
 |
| Santiago Zoo |
 |
| Santiago Zoo |
The next morning I woke up to find the internet back up and running in the rooms so I worked a little. There are no coffee makers in the room so I grabbed some from the lobby restaurant off of the pool before heading down to the good gym (free weights up to 22.5 kilos) and then had a steam and a sauna (separate men’s and women’s areas plus relaxation rooms. The hotel also boasts an indoor pool for the cooler months. I had the option of breakfast back in the Lounge or at the restaurant since it was included in my room rate so I chose the restaurant. The buffet was quite good with views over the pool, and it was busy, but the first thing I noticed was everyone in suits with a circular pin as well as a separate few tables consisting of flight crews from various airlines. The only other guests were a group from China of only 10 with a tour bus waiting for them outside, a couple from Germany, and two Canadian couples who were down together. The flight attendants for Copa airlines seemed disturbingly young, but maybe just relative to me! But Iberia and many other carriers all seemed to use this as their preferred property. After breakfast I got ready to head out on the trail at the base of San Cristobal Mountain right behind the hotel for the short twenty minute walk to the Zoo. Before I left I saw plenty of media setting up. I was perplexed.
The walk along the trail was wonderful with great glimpses back to the city but much faster then taking the street as I had done the previous day. Arriving at the Santiago Zoo I found it exactly as TripAdvisor comments had noted. Somewhat small, but beautifully terraced up the hillside. There is a funicular if needed but I just walked around up the various pathways. There is a definite emphasis on the penguins, with a small reptile area, plenty of birds and an impressive aviary, but also lions, tigers and yes bears oh my. The views over the city are impressive and were reminiscent of the Sydney Australia Zoo.
 |
| Colorful Buildings |
 |
| Sculpture Park |
 |
| Sculpture Park |
 |
| Sculpture Park |
 |
| River in Santiago |
After, I did a walk long the water into the business area of town and up to the large tower in the pictures. The tower sits atop the main shopping mall, which looked like Dubai or Singapore, putting US and Canadian malls to shame. Then I headed back to the hotel and laid out by the pool for a few hours before making my way back up to the lounge for a light dinner and drinks while doing work. Finally for the day headed down to the lobby, this time sitting inside with a glass of wine and worked for a few more hours before bed.
The next day was similar, I woke up, gym, sauna, breakfast and then I ran into massive security. I finally had to ask. The President of Brazil was evidently in the San Cristobal tower, hence the stern looks from the security forces and the large media presence. I got ready for my day out and sure enough cameras were rolling when I came back down with Brazilian security forces and some military personnel all occupying the lobby. In my most unthreatening Canadian way I made my way beyond the media and crowds and went out for a walk on the Sheraton side of the river heading towards the W Hotel to take a look. Right outside of the Sheraton on the river walkway is a beautiful sculpture garden. I took a few pictures before crossing back to the tall tower and the mall. The mall was busy, but the rest of the area was dead with no business on a Saturday. Only a further five minute walk and I arrived at the stunning W hotel. Reminiscent of the W in Fort Lauderdale or Miami, residences included with large balconies, and typical W lounge, lobby, and space in general. But it was quite quiet in the whole area on the weekend, with more of a Monday through Friday work crowd in that area. I looked around but could not get up to the pool which is apparently impressive. The front desk was busy and I was eager to get back to the hotel to put on workout gear and head up the mountain.
The access path to get up the mountain is just behind the hotel, and it is a mixed use road for a few cars (I think just tour buses and taxis) but mainly cyclists and runners/walkers. I had procured another Starbucks next to the W and this was still going strong, so I walked up to the top. It took just over an hour, but there are various stops for photos, beautiful parks built into the more natural mountainside, bathrooms, a Japanese garden, two beautiful outdoor swimming pools and various kiosks to purchase water, ice cream etc…
Once at the top you reach the funicular station, though a new gondola is almost completed as well. There is a church on top with a massive statue of the Virgin Mary. The views are just breathtaking. I ran down (much easier I know) and back to the hotel before another afternoon by the pool, followed by a sauna and steam, and then drinks in the 21 Lounge. It was early to bed since the hotel car was taking me to the airport at 4:30 am since I had an early flight to Lima.
 |
| W Santiago |
 |
| W Santiago |
 |
| W Santiago |
 |
| W Santiago |
 |
| Sheraton Santiago Construction |
 |
| Path up Mountain |
 |
| Vista Restaurant Up Mountain |
 |
| Halfway Up Mountain |
 |
| Halfway Up Mountain |
 |
| Almost there! |
 |
| Funicular at Top |
 |
| View to other side from Top |
 |
| Church Atop Mountain |
 |
| Statue Atop Mountain |
 |
| Statue Atop Mountain |
 |
| Top! |
 |
| Pool on Mountain |
 |
| New Cable Car (still under construction) |
 |
| Sheraton Santiago Men's Relax Area |
 |
| Sheraton Santiago Indoor Pool |
 |
| San Cristobal Lounge Offerings |
 |
| San Cristobal Lounge View |
 |
| San Cristobal Lounge View |
 |
| San Cristobal Lounge View |
 |
| San Cristobal Lounge Offerings |
 |
| San Cristobal Lounge Offerings. |
So far I had loved every city I had seen and Machu Picchu had been unbelievable. But as far as cities go I was so impressed with Santiago. The W is beautiful and trendy, but I love hiking and the Sheraton was perfect for that. Close to the Pio Nono neighborhood which I loved, and there was great shopping and the historic downtown was impressive as well. The views and mountains all around are amazing but the weather, a nice dry heat, reminded me of Palm Springs but not quite so hot and hence more livable. Typically I am an ocean person, but I think I may have fallen a little in love with Santiago de Chile!
I was out the door and arrived at the airport at 5:00 am, my Avianca flight at 7:00 am. The line was huge but I squeezed to the Business counter after having failed to use my Aeroplan (Air Canada points system) and my passport to do a kiosk check in. The agent looked at my passport, informed me Business was full and I was not on the plane. I showed her my Aeroplan Booking Confirmation. She gave me a number to call for Avianca and sent me to the pay phones. I called the number and after an hour finally got someone. I was in the meantime trying to check Kayak, Expedia, and Orbitz for alternative flights to get me to Lima that day in Coach, Business, anything but on a donkey. All options that would make it would take me back to Brazil or as far as Columbia but they were all leaving before 8:00 am and suddenly it was 6:30 am. The reception in Santiago is not great, T-Mobile informed me it was a 2G world when I landed. Eventually the Avianca agent informed me my ticket had been booked by Aeroplan, but they never finished the process and sent the money even though I had paid on my card back in December. I was screwed, and then the phone cut out. I called Aeroplan on my cell phone. The office was closed. I prefer Alaska as my default carrier and their office seems to always be open and I would hope with most carriers if you have flights and partner flights you are offering tickets on there would be an agent somewhere on the planet Earth that could help you in a crisis, not so with Aeroplan. I was both frustrated and upset. I went back to the counter to buy an Economy ticket. The answer, no, we do not sell tickets at the airport, go to an office or online. I went back online and now it was too late to book anything for that day, it was the next day only. I went back to Aeroplan’s website and found my same ticket but for the following day. It was too late to cancel my hotel in Lima and I had already wasted a trip, $38.00 US in cab fare, and an $8.00 tip on getting to the airport at 4:30 in the morning when the wedding party at the Sheraton had still been going strong in the ballroom, so I clicked book and figured when the Aeroplan people finally decided to work I would call them.
I went to my SPG app (thank you SPG for being so user friendly and easy) and re-booked at the Sheraton in Santiago. A $32.00 cab back and $5.00 tip (I was getting cheap in my frustration) and arrived at the hotel. They were surprised to see me but once i explained they had coffee brought to me, took my bags, and had me back in the same room in minutes. I had breakfast before heading out on a long walk back through the historic area and along the river to calm down a little. I also had to message the people I was supposed to be meeting for work the next day in Lima in an attempt to reschedule for the Tuesday, the day I would be flying back to the US. Not ideal but I had little choice. One of the main roads along the river is closed on Sunday to allow it to become a cycling and running training area right in the heart of Santiago. Hundreds of people were out. There were water stations, people doing back massages, I was again so impressed with this city.
Once I made it back to the hotel I called Aeroplan. It took a few minutes before the agent confirmed they had made the mistake. They had taken my reservation, sent the confirmation and my card number, but never charged my card or sent the payment to Avianca, so Avianca eventually cancelled the ticket having never been paid. I am on a flight every two weeks so I honestly did not notice if it had been charged or not and I had made three other bookings on Alaska that week and two on Aeroplan. Why this happened I do not know nor was I given a satisfactory answer. Why no one at Aeroplan caught it, but they were happy to send a booking number and confirmation, I was never told either. After thirty minutes (long distance call for me and fifteen of those spent on hold) the agent told me she had credited the points since I had not been able to take the flight (so just making things even since I had just used 27,500 for the next flight), she claimed they had never charged my card so no refund (I would have to confirm later once back in North America), and on the booking I made that day they would credit me the taxes, so basically covering the cabs not the tips or the hotel I was now paying for in Lima and not able to stay at since they had screwed this up. And of course not helping in the loss of business revenue I was possibly facing and the overall hassle and inconvenience. I asked for further compensation. I was given none.
Well, it was off to the gym for two hours to sweat that annoying episode out, then the pool, some drinks, a relaxing steam and sauna, and back to the 21 Lounge to work, write more detailed apology letters for missing my meetings the next day, and then a little more work by the pool before bed.
It is difficult to take long trips (and sometimes short ones) and to not experience problems, I had expected the strike in Machu Picchu to disrupt that part of my trip but that had not happened thankfully, this was just a flight issue but I do hate letting people down especially for work since that is how I both pay for and justify all this travel. As a Canadian I was thoroughly disappointed in Aeroplan and unfortunately by relation, Air Canada. Alaska Airlines treats their customers frequent or otherwise, much better, as do many other carriers. No airline or points program is perfect, but perhaps the fact that Aeroplan is a separate entity sold off from Air Canada years ago, makes them less concerned about customer loyalty. I would think that to be a mistake and they have certainly lost my business, I have many other options to and from Canada and abroad which I will be availing myself of in future.
Despite the Avianca/Aeroplan mess, Santiago, the Sheraton Santiago, the San Cristobal Luxury Collection Tower, and my whole experience in the city was truly wonderful. I will definitely be returning to this stunning city and the amazing people I met there and all I can say is go visit this amazing city and country!
No comments:
Post a Comment