Bus and Beach via Vega (Caleta Lenga)
Today we took an exciting afternoon jaunt around the Concepcion area. This was our first adventure by city bus and I must admit I was intimidated. The buses go fast and inspire fear in pedestrians. There are a seemingly infinite number of routes (05-82) that are then modified by letters (A-Z). I have been tempted to just take a day and ride around on buses, mapping the routes with GPS. So far, I have been unable to find any kind of map or set of pamphlets that describe the routes. I guess you just learn by doing. The buses are inexpensive (typically ~410clp or $0.80) and include a transfer. The bus system is relatively unregulated private market where there are multiple companies (Costa del Sol, Las Playas, Ruta del Mar, Buses Condor, etc.) that have buses working different routes. A transfer slip allows you to change from one bus to the other, but only if you are traveling with the same company (I think). Once on the bus, you offer your fare (the kids are free!) and they can make change for you. Find a seat and hold on. Travel on city buses is rough as suspensions are sometimes lacking and the drivers charge ahead and then come to quick stops. It is easy to get used to this, but at first it was disconcerting.
We intended to travel to the Vega (a large market) but missed the stop as we did not know what we were looking for. We walked back a few blocks and took a look around. As it was during the lunch hour (12:30-15:30) the place was pretty quiet and was surprisingly clean and orderly. We had expected more of a rural, raw, outdoor affair. Instead, the shops were contained in neat and tidy stalls, selling everything from meat and eggs to electronics and musical equipment.
Having walked every isle of the Vega, we headed for the bus stop to continue our adventure. Our main purchase was a number of balls of yarn that will be crocheted into hats and such. With the help of a kind and enthusiastic man, we were able to figure that the bus we needed to get to Caleta (Cove) Lenga was the 71. With confidence, we jumped on and traveled through the towns adjacent to Concepcion (Hualpen) and then to the coast. The sand was a dark gray and there were a ton of restaurants along the coast road. Cana remarked that this reminded her a little of Front Street in Kotzebue. We walked along the beach, then over some rocks to a cliff-side road that took us to a Marine Biology Reserve run by Universidad Catholica de Concepcion. Past this the trail ran to a quarry where we were boxed in by steep cliffs on all sides. This was the end of our attempt to follow the coast around to the beaches on the west side and watch the sunset. No worries because the site was beautiful and we could see caves, fishermen and rocky coastline just as I had hoped. As is now the standard, a stray dog (always of fine breed and behavior) followed us all the way to the top of a cliffy overlook. Wells became friendly with the dog, but was a little concerned about fleas. One the way home we found a bunch of purple crabs along the coastal bluff. Land crabs! Back in town we filled our hungry bellies with sopapillas, cheese empenadas and fried fish. (Yes, that is a Tsunami warning sign in the background) Satiated, we made our way back home and rested well! Our first bus adventure!
