6th Nov. 2016
Today we leave Valparaiso behind us and it is back on a bus trip. We are heading to Talca which is four hours south of Santiago and the most southernmost point on this trip in Chile. It was 24 days ago that we entered Chile by train, crossing from Tacna in Peru. The direct route from Tacna to Talca is some 2,350 km, mainly along the Pan American Highway and would take 26 hours non stop driving. We however have done many more kilometres with our zigzag route. Four years ago we travelled from Punta Arenas in Patagonia up to Santiago mainly by bus, so we now feel we have given Chile a fair tour.
We arrive in Talca mid afternoon, enough time for a stroll to the Plaza de Armas to see the sights of town. Talca turns out to be a long, thin town and the road from our hotel to the centre is lined with shops, mainly selling clothing, and the pavements are also full of stalls selling everything else. Certainly a working city and not frequented by many tourists. It is a convenient stopping off point for visiting the surrounding scenery and maybe one or two wineries.
The main square is full of locals enjoying the sunshine as well as a rapping session in the ornate bandstand. The centrepiece fountain is not really worthy of a photo. We do however learn that one of our old friends, Bernardo O’Higgins an ex President of Chile, signed the Chilean Independence declaration here in 1818, but I cannot find out exactly where. There is also reference of said Mr O’Higgins being baptised in the cathedral.
The cathedral looks quite modern and apparently it was significantly destroyed in the 1928 earthquake, so needed much restoration work. The inside is quite plain. Talca was also badly affected by the earthquake of 2010 and some buildings in the town centre are still showing damage. It makes us think of Kaikoura in New Zealand, which suffered in an earthquake a few days ago and the pictures we have seen. We remember visiting there four years ago and travelled back though there by train, so the pictures of the destroyed track are also quite moving. Our thoughts go out to all those affected by the quake.
On a lighter note, it will soon be Christmas, according to all the displays which are now appearing in the shops and shopping malls. It always seems odd to me to have Christmas when it is hot and sunny. Having said that I am not looking forward to the cold weather back home now less than three weeks away.