The hospital was madness. The orderly, quiet environment of hospitals back home was lost on this place. There were about a few hundred people waiting in chairs and lineups throughout the lobby. I qeued up and was eventually helped by a woman who I could tell was having a bitch of a time trying to figure out what to do with me due to the fact I can't speak Espanol and she can't speak Anglaices.
Eventually she returns with a guy that speaks English, who translates that they can't do the exam here, I need to go to a private clinic. It turns out the guy who is translating is Chilean but lives in Toronto, and ends up helping me find antibiotics at a local pharmacy. Screw trying to find a private clinic, after the phone call to the insurance company this morning I'm definitely not into attempting that feat. For the kind gesture, I bought him a beer and bs'd for a while. A helping hand from a generous stranger was exactly what I needed, some great positive energy to finally fix this sickness once and for all.
After that I went out for a great lunch, then some iced cream, then jumped on a walking tour of the city. It was run by two eccentric guides, and included a ton, such as a free ride up one of the trolley lifts, a free ride on the old trams, a free shot of Pisco Sour, and a playful escort of two friendly street dogs, who obviously have developed a love for tourists, I'm sure greatly influenced by the many treats and attention they're given throughout.
I'm thinking I might be done with Valparaiso. I had intended to spend a little more time here, but things seem pretty quiet (especially at the hostel), and the weather isn't quite warm enough to warrant making a trip in neighboring Vina Del Mar. I'll decide in the morning whether I want to make a bee line back to Santiago or not. For now, I'm enjoying a beer:
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