Back in Santiago

It is Thursday and I found a Starbucks in Santiago at a metro stop and huge intersection and I'm enjoying a delicious latte and using their wifi.  
There is Christmas music playing here in Starbucks and it is in the high 80's today.  Dry air and burning sun like Colorado in the summer.  Better than your cold, right?  

I got here yesterday and my plan is to go to a language school here in the morning for 1 or 2 weeks, until I go to Patagonia on the 29th.

This afternoon I am going to meet with Claudia.   She said she still has a room open and I suggested I could rent it while I go to the language achool here.  That would be so great so we will see if it works out.  

After this I am going to the language school to talk to them and I will hope to start Monday.  I've just been frustrated with my limited Spanish so I think this is a good idea even tho I won't see as much of Chile.

Tomorrow morning Patricio and I are going to a large,  historic city on the coast, Valparaiso.   It is touristy but also their most important port.  I'm so luvky to have a tour guide!

Thanks to everyone for emails.  They always make me happy! 

  

Sent from Samsung tablet

Cajon del Maipo, beautiful canyon.

Last week I visited the canyon of Maipo with Patricio - it was home to one of the native people of Chile, the Mapuche.  It was so much like driving up one of our canyons in Colorado. People have second homes there (small by our standards).

There are lots of little towns on the way up. The top is a mountain covered by a glacier (Glacial Morado).  Just before the glacier is a tiny town up the steep dirt hill called Baños Morales which has a few houses, a tiny cafe, and the thermal springs in the picture below (lots of minerals in the water).  That is the end of the road.

We stopped at an amazing place for lunch built out of cyprus for lunch.  Three rivers converge in this canyonThis is a favorite weekend getaway for people from Santiago and the traffic is terrible on the return to Santiago on a Sunday afternoon but we went on a weekday. In the canyon there are lots of activities you can do like rafting, zip lining, horseback riding, and hiking. Very much like where I live!
Chaltumay (thank you) in Mapuche

Casa de Pablo Neruda and warm sunshine today!

Today was a perfect day with lots of sunshine and many hours of warmth. I saw the sunset this evening and it was so beautiful.   It sets really fast and there is not much twilight time.

I visited the house of Pablo Neruda, a very famous poet from Chile who eventually had 3 houses in Chile.  He was a collector and loved the sea and the house was full of cool things. Very interesting with incredible ocean views from every room!   First 3 photos below.

I spent many hours walking along the beach, through the tiny town, to the plaza, and ate a good and cheap local meal of chicken, rice, and lettuce salad.   I walked back to Cantalau to see the stone faces and the sea from that hilltop.  Last 3 photos. 

This coastline is so beautiful.  

The hostel workaway and Isla Negra

There is much about this work exchange experience at the hostel that I have not enjoyed, but some people and things I have. I am only staying in Isla Negra for one week and will leave here Wednesday afternoon.

I have not minded the work, which is mostly cleaning and making beds, and have enjoyed cooking lunch in the afternoon and sometimes with another volunteer, Alberto who is from Argentina. 

The ocean is amazing wild and so beautiful but it is mostly very cold and windy here now. Also, this hostel is dirty and comes with 5 large dogs and dog hair everywhere. It has some positives but I can't get beyond the poor sanitation.   It's just not a good fit for me. It's like camping because it's dirty and cold most of the time.  Literally I have worn the same jeans, socks, 2 shirts, 2 jackets and my scarf every day for 5 days so far. I am NOT taking anything off until I get somewhere warm.

One of the great things about being here is that I met a wonderful volunteer who was only here two days but is still in Isla Negra. Liselotte is from Chile and is going to travel to India and Europe, beginning on Dec. 5th and speaks English and corrects my Spanish. It's been great to get to know her and walk places with her because she knows so many people here. 

Front hostel entryway with 2 of the 5 dogs.  They are cute and friendly but smelly...former street dogs.  So many stray dogs here....

On my walk along the beach and up to Pablo Neruda's former land called Cantalau.  Many streers are paved. Spring flowers are awesome! 

remember there's a fabulous coast here! 

Lis painting a wooden fish at an artist community. 

Last photo is the place outside where we wash dishes and the cats drink out of the rinse water bowls.  

Coastal towns including Isla Nègra

The coast near Santiago inis a popular place for locals to go for weein Algorrobends or vacations and the towns were busy but not packed like they will be in summer,  starting in December.   Some towns had huge resorts and many cabins for rent.  Others were more working class and offered small cabins and camping.  Very interesting visit to several nearby towns on Saturday.

These albatross are on the roof of the fish market but it

was closed.  

 

These are the towns I visited with Patricio.  Great because he has a truck and drove us. 

This is Algarrobo.  Many of these towns have big beautiful beaches.  

Pedestrian walkway connects a huge beach with a large beach in 

Cartegena. 

 

Mosaic steps near the sea in Cartegena.  

Below, the spring parade in Algorrobo.  Carbineros (police) are a common site inthe streets in all towns.  The floats and costumes were very fancy.  

More Santiago scenes

Today I rode a funicular (People carrier up a really steep hill) up San Cristobal to enjoy the view and get to the giant statue of the Virgin. Funiculars were mainly built in the early 1900's and we have some in operation in L.A.

I also walked, rode a bus, rode the subway, went to the Arts district, hung out at Parque Forestal (huge park), people-watched at the Plaza del Armas, and bought things at a grocery store.   City life is all new and interesting to me and it was warm and sunny again today. 

Lunch is eaten around 2:30 or 3:00 and I ate dinner with Lis and Mauri at 9:00.  This is a new schedule for me.  I'm learning to like Chilean wine, which is served with all meals- reds and whites. When in Rome..... 

Funicular track as we went up

Amazing views at top

Stray dogs are sleeping everywhere.  They have nice temperaments and people walk around them. There are no dog pounds here.

 

The Virgin At least 50 feet tall. 

Cathedral is getting a cleaning. Mounted police on sidewalk. 

modern art in the Bellas Artes museum - huge pile of used clothing.  ??

Bikers rule streets on Sundays

Sundays are amazing!  Many streets,  including the 5 lane expressway into El Centro, are closed to traffic until 2:00 pm to allow people to exercise.   The streets got packed with bikers, runners, roller bladers, and walkers of all ages.

It was like an event was going on - with water and tire pumps, snacks to buy, and a party atmosphere.   Very fun and a regular occurrence.  So cool! 

Patricio was my tour guide so he pointed out various downtown points of interest as we rode in the crowd - really nice to get interesting info.  Then we rode up the biggest hill, Cerro San Cristobal, with the crowd.  We rode by a zumba class, a spinning class, and an aerobics class outside.  Sundays are happenings!

I love the sign at the top for bikers.... Wear a helmet, Respect pedestrians, Moderate your speed downhill. 

Riding up the cerro

Riding on a main street without cars

view from top of cerro (big-ass hill)