Castro, Friday

1358 At Rapa Nui restaurant. Came in to try curanto as it says on chalk sign outside 'Hoy! Curanto'. But I asked waitress and they don't have it. Deceptive. Sod it, I tried. Having lomo con papas fritas.

Went to church but sign says visiting time was up to 12 and then from 330. Post office hours in guide book similar. Went round small but free town museum which was OK (donated 500). Wandered briefly looking for someone to sell me postcards but couldn't see anything.

Paid hotel this morning. Got up about 12 btw, snoozing heavily on alarms since 10/11, felt not stiff but struggled to get up, usual I guess alas. They made it out at 48600 but the woman gave me 400 change not 1400 from 50k. I noticed but didn't say anything as I think she might have given me a slightly good USD-CLP rate and my rough non-internet conversion led me to expect 50k, plus small print on booking says unless you pay in USD 19% VAT will be added and they didn't so didn't want to risk rocking boat over a quid.

Saw poster for free jazz at cultural centre tonight at 8, will go if I can find where the cultural centre is. I might have a hunch but not v clear and poster didn't give an address.

1430 Food pretty good and not that I am any judge but the steak was a cut above a lot of what I've had recently. Portion size was just a touch small, especially as I think this place is slightly expensive, but while annoying probably for the best in a way. I am going to have to start having chicken and rice or something like that occasionally, I can't keep eating steak & chips every day, though frankly I don't pretend to keep up with the ever-changing dietary rules enough to know why, and I am consuming insane (if only 4 a day) quantities of fruit and vegetables recently. On the other hand, health considerations aside, a touch more variety might be more enjoyable anyway. A curry would certainly go down a treat.

1449 Been loitering deliberately a bit, waitress came over and asked if wanted anything so got bill. 7900 and they suggest an additional 10% tip (which I would have done anyway). Not mega pricey but a bit more than usual.

Oh, bike trip yday cost 28k. Not too cheap or too expensive viewed in terms of my rough daily budget, and I have no idea whether that was good value or not.

1459 Doh, church open all day in summer. No matter, didn't really waste any time.

1942 Waiting to get into jazz. Place is just down road from hostel, past last night's bar (Mirasol). I did suspect as much last night but didn't want to wander off randomly and retraced my steps round the long way to get home. Not super confident about getting in but there is a sign and this is clearly right place and some other people milling around and some jazz-esque playing coming from inside which I hope is them practicing or tuning up or something. Sounds OKish though perhaps a smidge avant garde.

1947 Clearly (finally overheard someone ask) doors open at 8. Hope that doesn't mean sitting around for hours before they start, probably not.

1949 As was writing that the lurking people started to go in so joined them. In auditorium, cinema style seats, quite nice.

2302 Back at hotel, finished about 5-10 mins ago. Pretty good, four different groups on, though must admit towards end I was kind of desperate for a piss. No bar etc there, I would quite have liked a beer after but the two bars (last night's and another one) in the street I passed on way back to hotel were closed and given worries re curfew etc I wasn't inclined to go wandering over to plaza de armas (just a block away), maybe even on a Friday night everywhere here shuts at 11.

I walked over to museum of modern art after visiting church (possibly actually cathedral, quite interesting anyway), major trek and would perhaps have turned back without OsmAnd map showing nearly there (as far as I can tell from the rather un-discoverable new Google Maps app they don't allow offline maps for Chile; it wouldn't be hip to show that explicitly, you just have to notice that the already well-hidden 'make available offline' option is missing). Pretty good exhibits all the same, and like everywhere I went today free but voluntary donation sought. (Except they didn't even ask for donations at tonight's jazz.)

Got some fruit & veg on way back from MAM though that supermarket didn't have any razors either. FFS. Also realised half hour ago I have no food for bus tomorrow. Probably be OK anyway but I will see if I can buy something tomorrow morning.

0055 Had shower, been in bed a bit though been drafting email to Rab. Anyway, let's try to get some sleep.