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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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Yesterday was a very long day. Between the arrival troubles and the increased length of sunlight in a day, it seemed like we did a lot.
Santiago is not quite our ideal location, but the cities never have been our favorite places. Beaches, mountains, and other more natural spots always seem to be a bit more our style.
However, we did find a couple corners of Santiago, a city of over 6 million, that provided a moment of relaxation, a good view, or a tasty cerveza. For lunch, we enjoyed a meal of paella (seafood, meat, and rice) at small café along the street. It was about $14 for the two of us.
After lunch, we walked around, discovering the streets of the city. We stopped at a ice cream shop, rested on a bench in the shade, and savored the moment. Meanwhile, the jet lag was beginning to wear on us. We took a quick nap back at the hostel.
Rested, we walked towards San Cristóbal hill. This hill is about 1000 feet above the city, which gives a spectacular view of Santiago. With the mountains in the background, the city seemed to consume every bit of land in the valley. The sun was hot, but with the low humidity, the shade was quite pleasant. We stayed on the hill, admiring the serenity of the location, the beauty of the city, and the importance of the religious statues of Mary and Jesus atop the hill. An hour later, the sun set over the mountains and we made our way "home." It was beautiful.
Back the hostel, we cleaned up (meaning taking a shower in the intermittingly hot water in a bathroom used by a dozen other backpackers) and headed out for dinner. As is customary in Chile, we arrived at the restaurant around 10pm. Dinner was simple; a chicken breast pan-fried in olive oil and italian-style spices along with some delicious mashed potatoes. We are still trying to identify typical Chilean food. I also had a Volcane beer, a local micro-brew. Delicious. Dinner and my beer, along with tax and tip, was $11.
On a side note, despite the excitement of the trip and a new place, we can't help but feel a bit of longing for the comforts of home and the company of our friends and family. Like we've experienced before, it seems like the first couple days are always the hardest as one adjusts to a life away from home...away from the people and things that make up one's everyday life. This trip is no exception. We miss everyone!
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The next day (Tuesday), we woke up around 9am. Our big goal for the day was to make it to Concha y Toro, the biggest wine producer in South America, and one of the top 10 in the world (in terms of volume). The most familiar brand in the US is Casillero del Diablo.
After our first experience with the metro, we weren't sure what to expect. But today everything went well. We rode two of lines of the metro, traveling about 15 miles, to the town of Pirque. More rural than Santiago (of course), it was still a bustling town with a central plaza filled with people, banks, food vendors, and things to buy.
A taxi took us from the plaza to Concha y Toro, about a 5 minute, $4 ride. The weather was perfect for a day at this beautiful vineyard. Palm trees, blue skies, and a passionate tour guide really provided an excellent experience. We listened to his stories, sampled a couple grapes, and enjoyed a few glasses of wine. Afterwards, we shared a few more glasses and some appetizers in their wine cafe with a friend from the hostel.
We returned to the hostel in central Santiago and will probably just relax until dinner tonight.
Ciao,
Jeff y Rach (Santiago, Chile; Feb-26)
previous travel blog entry
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