After the taxi/old town experience we decided to sit in the town square and people watch for a bit, it turned out to be a great couple of hours. For a start every town square needs a nutter, one that runs around and hollers incoherently at everything and everyone and we had one, and boy was he mad. There were a few ice-cream stands which was a bonus as we got a couple of magnumesque lollies for about 40p. They were a little on the sweet side but did the trick. Hell there was even a candyfloss maker and we duly sampled his wares for about 9p!!! To be fair it´s a much more realistic price than you pay at the fair in the UK (1 or 2 quid?) as after all it is ONLY SUGAR!!! The saga of the day began to unfold in that a photographer with a papier maché horse (replete with Chilean hat and poncho) kept trying to lure kids onto said dobbin for a polaroid. We sat there for 2 hours and he did not succeed once poor chap. Just as he´d packed all his stuff up some little brat wandered up and professed some sort of interest in a photo. Old bloke couldn´t believe his luck and re-setup his stuff. Then the calamity, on what was obviously his last shot of film one of the local BMXers drove past at the exact instant he took the kids picture. Cue kid crying, old bloke cursing, and us desacending into fits of laughter. It was a bit like watching a Chilean Mr Bean or Señor Frijol if you will.

So back to the hotel and another evening when we couldn´t be bothered to walk back into town for a bite to eat (the food is THAT bad), it´s doing wonders for my diet...

So we´re all packed and enjoying (?) a final stroll around Chillán before heading to Pucon this avo, should be climbing a live volcano wither tomorrow or the day after to get a good look at the lava, should be fun...