Chile: 500th Latin American Sb*x in old town

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Wasn’t open at 19:30 on a Saturday night, but was this morning on my way to metro (subway) on my way to Valparaiso.

Didn’t know what a misto was, so had an americano 2000 CLP / $3 (which was slightly more than my empanada & beer combo last night at a stand up snack place) but there was no milk or cream at the condiments stand… barrista, who recognized my Blue Jays cap logo, have me a bit of whipped cream.

It’s amazing how many similar sandwich places there are on one block on the side of the Plaza de Armas historical square in old town. Like 10+.

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Chile: Old town Santiago at night, shopping cart BBQ

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One of many pedestrian streets near Plaza de Armas. Stores close early, but many restos, cafes and snack places open. Street performers, people dancing, sidewalk vendors.
It gets messy, but in the morning the garbage is gone and street cleaners are out in force.

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I had to pass on this one… Grilled meat skewers on a coal fired hibachi perched on a shopping cart. Were did the meat come from., and how long has it been unrefrigerated?

Spoiled in biz… even though old school barcalounger

Expecting even better on next Copa leg on newer 738 config with AVOD and power, and 50″ of leg room (adjustable seat with foot rest).

Good thing I ate a snack in the lounge as watched the whole movie “Spare Parts” (wow based on true story, AZ community college team beats MIT team in underwater robotics competition 3 years in a row) before lunch was served.

As wet were serving lunch, I had to run into the washroom (restroom? WC?) with my water bottle to flush my right eye with water as I had some sand from last night’s beach volleyball irritating it. Ouch. 

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Tasty, but weirdest appetizer yet: one shrimp on mashed potatoes. WTF?

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Lunch: pork witty messy couscous. Not sure what the greens were, tasted like bad seaweed :-)

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I chose the tasty (coconut) cheesecake for dessert.

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Woah, can I have some coffee with that Bailey’s? (for the record, I ordered coffee with Bailey’s)

Myanmar/Burma: Yangon airport departure

I budgeted an hour to the airport, but it was almost 70 minutes leaving my downtown hotel at 8:00 this morning.
It was K8,000/$8 as that businessman had told me in the plane on arrival, but this was the only time I paid that little.

Singapore Airlines recommends 90min prior arrival, I made it at 70 at the checkin counter, after passing through a baggage X-ray and metal detector just to get into the checkin hall.

Immigration was quick and painless upstairs, and after changing my last kyat for SGD, now I’m in the little multi-airline lounge.

They have Wi-Fi, a guy running an espresso machine (cup a cappuccino!), a self-serve fridge with water/soda/beer, and a little buffet of snacks. Including Pringles (2 flavours no less).

Hiroshima: finally have my luggage 2 days later

After getting soaked in Nagasaki today, I’m happy to have all my gear again.

Enjoying a late evening okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake (with choice of fillings) specialty of the area, in an izakaya near my fine hostel. There are smokers in here though, I forgot they allow that.
I arrived too late to head downtown (it’s Sunday, and I’m tired), and I move on to Kobe in the morning to meet a friend.

This tasty okonomiyaki has shrimp, squid and scallops (they come with pork and egg), cooked up teppanyaki style, though it contains ramen so it’s pushing the boundaries of a western pancake:

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