Heading to Santiago - and Terremoto 8.3

We had plenty of time this morning. Our bus to Santiago wasn't until 11, we knew how to get to the bus station, tickets bought yesterday. The bus ride to Santiago is only an hour, so we didn't have to spend too much time in the bus. From the bus station we already had the directions to our apartment and by experience and luck - we found it in the first go. Then we met Pablo - the concierge - he showed us the place on the eights floor. Everything was just as expected - our own place for the next few days.

We went around the block to check out the shops and cafe's, handed six kilos of laundry in to the dry cleaners, had coffee and shopped the supermarket for everything we needed for the next few days. We expect Chile to come to a halt due to the National Independence day and related parties. So a lot of shopping.

Malene was cooking for dinner and Mikkel was hanging out in the living room when the building started to move. At first slowly then more and more violently, lamps moving, cupboards and doors starting to make noise - and then panic. What to do????? Leave the building as fast as possible running down the stairs with our personal documents and the keys to the apartment. On the way down we met most of the other residents. They were standing in the doorway to their apartments looking concerned.

We made it to the street level and most of the shaking had stopped. A full three minutes had passed by. We decided to take a walk, went to the cafe where we could get wifi and saw the breaking news on BBC - earthquake in Chile. There was no panic - a few concerned people talking on their cell phones so after a while we decided to head home. Taking the advice from our friends in Valparaiso who on our city tour had told us: "Do what the locals do". And the locals - it seemed - went home.

We had dinner, and watched the news on TV for the rest of the night. Our stuff left in front of the door to the apartment - ready to leave on short notice. During the night we learned about aftershocks - we had a few. Not too much sleep though.

Live music on the local bus

Bus station in Valpo

Almost in Santiago

Stuff packed for emergencies

Ready to leave on no notice