Arriving In Chile

   After a very long flight we finally boarded the Golden Princess dock in Valparaiso the port for Santiago. We were at the Toronto Airport in plenty of time to rest before the 10 hour overnight flight. We were scheduled to leave before midnight but for some unannounced reason we sat on the plane until after 12:30 before we took off. Of course that meant that the arrival in Santiago would be about an hour late. The flight itself was good be the sleeping upright is a bit difficult to take. I managed to keep my eyes closed most of the night but Judy watched a movie and then was wide eyed. The results the next day were predictable!

Valpariso

Arriving in Chile was probably the most adventuresome of all the countries that we have traveled to. First it was the entry reciprocity fee that we knew we had to pay. The lineups were very long and slow moving. We were one of the last to get the required stamp. Next it was immigration which seemed to move at a snail's pace! Of course we also has the agricultural paperwork and finally the x ray of the luggage as we left the customs area. Each step involved a lineup and rather crowded conditions. The airport was not as modern as you might expect.

The best thing about the arrival was the way in which the Princess staff were there to help. Once we had cleared immigration, we were met by a rep and had about 4 

Our View!

different people help us on our way. We wee glad that we had taken the transfer!

The ride to the port took nearly 2 hours. Santiago is a very dry area behind the coastal mountains but as we proceeded to the port there was more greenery. We passed through the Casablanca valley home to the wine industry. Concho E Toro is the largest of the vineyards in the area. Finally at the port we checked in quickly but then needed a bus to get to the ship. The port at Valparaiso is a very old working dock area. The buildings that were used had broken windows and was probably an abandoned warehouse. Finally we arrived on the Golden at about 5 pm.

Our upgraded mini-suite is very comfortable. We were greeted with a glass of champagne and a full mini bar set up. We had 2 surprises in the room. First we we treated to a complimentary bottle of wine thanks to Penny and the CAA. We also received an invitation to the Captain's lunch. Apparently we are among the most traveled Princess passengers! That is a new thing for us. It was a quick turnaround for us but we were unpacked and to dinner by 8.

Relaxing in the Mini Suite

Our table mates seem very nice. They are from Georgia, South Carolina and California. They are well traveled but not necessarily on Princess. We both had the prime rib which was probably the best we have had!  By the time we finished dinner, we were too late for the Princess Theater opening show. We were both very tired from the overnight! By 10 we were sound asleep!