To pick up where I left off, I think I was still up to my elbows in animal shit the last time we talked. That pretty much carried on for the entire 2 weeks that I stayed Nonna Rosa, the goat factory. It was a wonderful experience. Karla, Efren, Ari and I became a close-knit family, sharing a house, meals, life stories, and above all a love for honey. It is really hard to explain how special it was to share our lives for those brief two weeks. The interesting thing about it is that we all needed each other in one way or another. We took care of each other in a way that indicated it was obvious that fate had thrown us together at this exact moment in our lives. Karla and I have since had numerous conversations marvelling at the karma involved in our experience at Nonna Rosa. Finally, it's difficult to define how I was affected, let alone describe what took place between us and within us all. I would actually like to make a movie about it... more on that later...
It was a also a manner of fate how Karla and I managed to decide to go to San Pedro de Atacama together. I had planned to go since I arrived at the cabrerìa, but Karla had been undecided, mostly because of the cost. However, a parisian couple that had worked at Nonna Rosa earlier with Karla, came by to say hello and buy some cheese. Lo and behold, they had 2 tickets to Calama, an hour from San Pedro de Atacama, that they didn't need. So we got cheap(er) tickets to the north... which meant that I had to say goodbye! My last few days were incredible. Saturday we had another party with goat stew and Karla and I finally got to meet Ari's son that we heard so much about, and there was a much larger turnout than the previous week. We also had karaoke which is always super fun, although I didn't sing because I wasn't drunk. That being said, I went to bed "early" at 2am because I was planning to herd goats with Juanito, the goat master, and it was very restful sleep at that- I had no problem waking up at 8am.
Sunday morning was beautiful and serene, and I couldn't imagine anything better than going to pasture (pastorear) with the goats and the cactus. Basically we just walked around about a 2 square mile space of low trees, prickly bushes, and cactus, and I even had a moment to myself to do some meditating and reflecting in the sun. Absolutely magical. When I returned it was lunch and then back to watering the orchard with urine... yeah, seriously.
Monday afternoon after lunch I headed to Valparaìso as the tickets were from there. It was about an hour train ride which I spent shooting the shit with a Chilean Señora that loves to travel like I do. I spent the afternoon wandering around the city and eating lunch in a large market. The hostel I stayed in is owned by a friend of Aldo's, and his daughter Juliana gave me quick tour of the adorable neighborhood in Cerro Concepción. Very cute, but also very expensive- about $16 for a set lunch, which is ridiculous even for Chile. So that is why I went to eat in the market, although it was about 20 minutes away, walking. I got home after dark and sat and watched the port for awhile drinking wine. Later Karla (who had arrived after closing the store at Nonna Rosa) and I went to eat with a friend of Ari's, Jose Manuel. Because it was a holiday (feriado) there was only one place open, and they only served one dish: chorrillanas, which is a pile of french fries with chorizo, steak, and onions on top... actually very delicious!
The next morning we were off to Calama! It was about a 24 hour bus ride, which wasn't too bad because I was able to sleep pretty well. The arrival in Calama, however, was quite an adventure. First of all, it was bitterly cold, and when we got off the bus we were informed that the bus terminal was closed due to a miner's demonstration/strike, so we weren't quite sure how we would get to San Pedro. Somehow a Columbian evangelist christian latched himself onto us, as well as an African American man that spoke no spanish and had traveled overland from New Mexico in an attempt to get to Brazil to see his daughter who is studying there. We walked, we discussed, we asked around, and didn't accomplish much. I helped the American guy get a hostel and eventually we managed to get the Columbian off our tail (although he was very kind and jovial). As we wandered in the direction of the main highway to leave town towards San Pedro (which everyone told us was closed and we had NO chance of leaving), an official looking pickup truck pulled over to ask if we needed a ride. The 2 gentleman informed us that there should be no problem getting to SP and they would happily take us to the edge of town to hitchike. When we landed, we saw that we were in the middle of nowhere- desert landscape flanked by snowy capped mountains. Within 15 minutes we had a ride to SP with a kind young man and his father heading out to visit family. They even fed us Coke and cookies!
Upon arrival to San Pedro we were instantly in love. The town is full of adobe buildings and dirt roads- and not much else. We found a great campsite that is affordable and fully stocked with Wi-Fi, a kitchen, and a communal area with a fireplace. Thank the lord, too, because it is suuuuuuppppeeerrrr cold here at night! About 6 below 0 at night (celsius)- ack! Last night was our first night, and although we had some thick ground covering that the owner lent us, I had trouble sleeping for the first hour due to the cold. Tonight I am going to prepare a watera (hot water bottle) because I think it's the only way I will survive. By contrast, during the day it is bright and sunny and in the sun one can even wear a t-shirt! I thoroughly enjoyed my tea in the sun this morning.
And now my toes are starting to feel the cold in this internet cafe, so I am going to head "home" to finish my emailing on my ipod (unfortunately I can't update my blog with the ipod). Today is the 30th of June which means I have only 12 days left before heading home! Ayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So amped!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
La Cabrería
Cabra means goat, cabrería means, loosely, goat factory. And so I have arrived at a farm where there are more goats than people, and that is VERY exciting!
As I was preparing to leave Linares and the ecological park, I checked my email one last time to make sure the farm in Curicó was still apt to receive me. Alas, they were not, so I spent 20 minutes on the phone calling half the farms on the wwoof list. Most of the numbers were out of service but finally a very friendly voice answered the line and insisted that I arrive the same day. Although it was 7 hours of travel, I knew heading north would bring a little bit warmer weather, finally!
I arrived around 9:30p last Tuesday and haven't had time since to even pick up a book. The owner, Aldo Vitali (obviously of Italian descent) is charismatic, tall, and with a mass of kinky, salt-and-pepper hair. He has been in the goat business since 1979, and currently lives with his girlfriend Erika, or Kika, and his adolescent son, Agustín, while Kika's very cool daughter Tamára visits often. They are wonderful people and I already feel like I have known them for years. And even more special is the one other wwoofer, Karla, from Ecuador. Adorable and fun-loving, she is in awe and marveling at her newly discovered world of farming- we get along famously! She is basically my immediate manager as she has been here for about a month and a half. She also loves to eat, and we have been making some fantastic meals together- vegetarian, as she has a huge heart for animals and cannot imagine eating them.
The day after I arrived, a friend of Aldo's arrived- Ari. A Jewish Chilean, he was recently hit by a car and his achilles tendon was demolished. He weighs about 200 pounds (I think) and has a cast that is not made for walking. As such, moving around our small cabin and the farm is not easy for him, and we have all been his little helpers. The day after Ari arrived, another friend of the family arrived- Efrén- who has been working as a biodynamic agriculturalist for many years. Biodynamic agriculture is very interesting, as the planting and harvesting is planned around astronomical timing. Also, the human energy is extremely important in the dealings with plants, organisms, etc. I am very interested to learn more, as it appears to be a much more complex system than permaculture. Efrén is a very calm and sage-like man, with a lot of intellectual resources and life experiences. He, Karla, and I have had some very interesting and illuminating conversations.
Juanito, a joker by nature, is primarily the one who cares for the goats, beginning with milking by 7:30am, then taking them out to the pasture until lunchtime. For the most part I have been hauling goat shit for the last 5 days. First I cleaned all the shit out of the goat corrals (with over 40 goats, that's a lot of shit), and took it to the compost pile. Then I used that shit mixed with compost to create a rich bed of soil at the base of the lemon and apricot trees. Karla's ongoing duty, besides feeding the rabbits and watering all the gardens and orchards, is running the store we have on-site. We sell our own goat and sheep cheese, as well as some neighbor's products such as cow cheese and the most delicious chocolate truffles I have ever tasted.
On Saturday, before a huge storm came in, Karla and I hauled a bunch of firewood into the quincho (an outdoor, covered area for barbeques and bonfires) to prepare for the fiesta that night. We boiled almost an entire goat over an open fire, ate well, drank well (mainly chicha- a type of moonshine made from grapes or corn or basically anything), and listened to Kika's beautiful singing and guitar playing. It was a magical evening. This morning we were able to sleep in til 10, worked a little, then Karla and I came to the center of Olmhué for internet. It has also been a special day because there are a lot of fathers around ;)
I am thoroughly enjoying every minute here, and loving the hard work. I plan to stay until the end of June, when I will leave to see the famous city in the desert, San Pedro de Atacama, far to the northeast. There I hope to do some horseback riding and mountain-biking, and maybe even take a tour to Bolivia to see the salt flats. For now, however, I am very content to stay put for awhile, and daydream about my imminent return to my home country.
Blessings to you all- much love and hugs!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Home Stretch
Again, I have some catching up to do! Hmmm... where did we leave off? Valdivia, no? Well, Priscilla and I stayed only one week with Daniel from Ohio, occupying ourselves with making apple sauce and apple pies to freeze and save for the students that visit the farm during the summer. I took many photos of the area with Priscilla's camera, I'm sure at some point we will all see them! After leaving Daniel's farm we stayed one more night in Valdivia, to experience the night life on Calle Esmeralda one last time, and to eat at La Ultima Frontera (The Final Border/Crossing)- a very bohemian place displaying local art, and with a great menú del día. That day we were also having a hard time deciding what to do. I considered returning to Chiloé to work on a farm that had finally answered my email... but then Priscilla found out about a surf competition in Pichilemu! Within 20 minutes we had both changed our plans completely and decided that we had to go see the event. That evening, off we went! It was a long bus ride and thankfully we both slept a little.
We arrived in Pichilemu around 10am and of course the town was still asleep. We wandered around until we found a sweet little campsite called Pequeño Bosque (Little Forest). The owners were incredibly nice, and although it was expensive for camping, we were actully able to wash our clothes in their washing machine and they had a gas stove for us to use as well as a fully stocked kitchen. In other words, not really camping at all, except we slept in a tent... with a cush mattress that they also let us borrow. Lucy and Felipe are a bohemian couple that built their own house and established the "campsite" below it. Their house appears similar to a loft above a carport, and the warm-colored wood decor inside reminded me of Aunt Shirley's dome.
Immediately after settling in, Priscilla and I decided to go for a run, as we had been eating way too many sweets and not exercising in the least. It was a beautiful day- the first time we had seen the sun in ages! That evening we made a delicious, healthy dinner consisting of a giant salad with hard boiled eggs. We also attempted to go out that evening but the one discoteque in town was empty, so we stood out front and enjoyed the music without having to pay the entrance fee.
The following day, Saturday, was the day of the finals in the Quicksilver Ceremonial, Punta de Lobos competition. We ate breakfast and carried out our favorited empanadas baked in clay ovens. Hitchhiking to Punta de Lobos where the comp. was at was quick and easy, with a laidback Pichilemu local taking us all the way to the point. There were hundreds of people there, and the waves were up to 25 feet! Incredible is all I can say! I have never seen waves that big in real life, let alone with human beings bold enough to drop in! The atmosphere was exciting to say the least, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Priscilla had never even seen anyone surf before! (Besides on TV, of course.) Nor did she know that her neighboring country, South Africa, hosts another world class wave at Jeffrey's Bay.
At the comp I ran into a friend I had met the last time in Pichi, Raul. He invited us to a get together at his house later that night, whoo hoo! After dinner we were picked up by Antonio, Paula, and Carlos (owner of Hostal Atlantis, where I stayed last time). VIP! They took us to Raul's, which was very close, and we hung out there for a couple hours before heading to the same discoteque that we had observed the night before. Only this time, the place was packed! For once the DJ's weren't playing reggaeton, thank heavens, because that seems to be the only music in the clubs here. And for the first time we were in a club that was actually full! Good times! I also attempted to talk to Grant Washburn (although I confused his name with another big wave surfer, Greg Long) because I knew his face from the movie Riding Giants, but I was slightly intoxicated and, honestly, could not speak english! Everytime I opened my mouth to ask a question, out came more spanish, and he had no idea what I was saying. Luckily I did manage to ask the question that was bugging me- what's the name of the guy who surfed Mavericks for 15 years by himself? (Jeff Clark) I have to say that was embarassing. We danced until about 5am and then of course slept until 12 or 1 the next day. That dide not stop me from surfing (or attempting to, again), or Priscilla from going for a run. Another beautiful day in Pichilemu!
That evening we were invited to another small get together near Punta de Lobos, where there ended up being 3 or 4 guys that had surfed in the event, including Ramon Navarro, a local who took 2nd place. It was a fun, chill party, and Priscilla managed to get involved in a heated debate with a South African about politics in Southern Africa.
The following day it was time to make decisions. Priscilla needed to go to Santiago to visit friends before leaving, but I wasn't quite ready to leave Pichilemu yet. I bid her adeu around 6pm then had a quiet evening to myself. The following day I packed up and then went for a surf with Carlos. And finally!!! I actually caught some waves! They were small, but I had a board around 7ft in size and so it was much easier to get into the powerful but mushy waves. I was so happy I actually felt like a surfer again! And the last wave was a party wave shared with Carlos- I was elated to leave on a good note. That night I left for Santiago happily with arms like jelly.
I arrived in the 'hood of Las Condes, Santiago (very yuppie) around 9:30pm and headed to the apartment of my friends Rob (from San Diego), and Pablo, a Chileno. We had a pleasant, mellow evening punctuated by a visit to the local movie theater to see Hangover 2. The movie was ridiculous of course, but what struck me was the establishment. Called Parque Arauco, for the neighboring park, this mall contains Hoyts Premium theater, where there is a gourmet restaurant in which to wait and eat, but which also brings you your meal into the theater. Each lavish seat is made of leather and has an attached pull out little table to eat at. Wine, beer, and spirits are also offered. ¡Muy lujoso!
The next day, Friday, I slept in late and laid around the house while Pablo was at work and Rob studied. Rob has been in Santiago about a year and is close to finishing his Master's in Economics at an institute in Santiago, through a program offered at Georgetown University in the states. He is incredibly smart, and I have never seen anyone study like he does. For the 3 days that I was there, he only left his room to eat, or go to the store to get food. Literally. I wanted to drag him outside to go to the park, but he refused. "Have to study, have to study" were about the only things out of his mouth. Here's to you, Rob, for working hard for the rest of us on vacation!
Friday night was Francisco's (of Francisco and Marie) show at Bar Clandestino. The band, Mr. Toé y Los Sicarios del Ritmo, are a mix of cumbia and hip-hop- very danceable and very fun! After the show, the DJ played more fun music, so we (Margaret, Pablo, and I) danced until about 5am (the norm in Chile, obviously).
Saturday brought a late wake-up, again, and a quick stint in the park nearby, Parque Arauco. That evening we went to a costume party in an event hall reserved for 3 people with birthdays that weekend. I want as Janis Joplin because all I had were hippie clothes, although I lacked her glasses so I really just looked the same as I always do- like a dirty backpacker! Again, we danced until very late, and accordingly I slept in very late the next day. The rest of the Sunday afternoon was spent packing and prparing for my departure to Linares, a city 4 hours to th south by bus, for my next WWOOF adventure.
And so, here I am in Linares, with not much to do because it is pouring rain. The "farm" is actually an ecological park in a residential neighborhood of the city. The owners, Jorge and Paula, have a 3 year old daughter, Gaby, who enjoys eating manjar (a caramel-like spread for toast) by the spoonful, and stuffing herself in my sleeping bag when I am already in it. Jorge is very passionate about his park and is continually working on projects to improve it. He is very meticulous and organized, and harvests red worms (originally from California) for their humus, as well as fruit trees and vegetables in a permaculture style. He also has a couple meditation spaces, although I haven't been able to use them because of the rain. Therefore I am doing a lot of reading in both spanish and english, and hoping to learn more about permaculture.
Next week I am heading to another ranch near Curicó where there is apparently ample livestock (including horses- yay!) and a bona fide farm. I am excited to see the place, and hoping it won´t be too cold and rainy because I will have to sleep outside in my tent...maybe...maybe they´ll let me sleep on the floor inside the house instead. More to come...
I am definitely ready to come home, I am aching for warm weather and familiar faces- as soon as I purchase my ticket home I will give you all the dates!!!
We arrived in Pichilemu around 10am and of course the town was still asleep. We wandered around until we found a sweet little campsite called Pequeño Bosque (Little Forest). The owners were incredibly nice, and although it was expensive for camping, we were actully able to wash our clothes in their washing machine and they had a gas stove for us to use as well as a fully stocked kitchen. In other words, not really camping at all, except we slept in a tent... with a cush mattress that they also let us borrow. Lucy and Felipe are a bohemian couple that built their own house and established the "campsite" below it. Their house appears similar to a loft above a carport, and the warm-colored wood decor inside reminded me of Aunt Shirley's dome.
Immediately after settling in, Priscilla and I decided to go for a run, as we had been eating way too many sweets and not exercising in the least. It was a beautiful day- the first time we had seen the sun in ages! That evening we made a delicious, healthy dinner consisting of a giant salad with hard boiled eggs. We also attempted to go out that evening but the one discoteque in town was empty, so we stood out front and enjoyed the music without having to pay the entrance fee.
The following day, Saturday, was the day of the finals in the Quicksilver Ceremonial, Punta de Lobos competition. We ate breakfast and carried out our favorited empanadas baked in clay ovens. Hitchhiking to Punta de Lobos where the comp. was at was quick and easy, with a laidback Pichilemu local taking us all the way to the point. There were hundreds of people there, and the waves were up to 25 feet! Incredible is all I can say! I have never seen waves that big in real life, let alone with human beings bold enough to drop in! The atmosphere was exciting to say the least, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Priscilla had never even seen anyone surf before! (Besides on TV, of course.) Nor did she know that her neighboring country, South Africa, hosts another world class wave at Jeffrey's Bay.
At the comp I ran into a friend I had met the last time in Pichi, Raul. He invited us to a get together at his house later that night, whoo hoo! After dinner we were picked up by Antonio, Paula, and Carlos (owner of Hostal Atlantis, where I stayed last time). VIP! They took us to Raul's, which was very close, and we hung out there for a couple hours before heading to the same discoteque that we had observed the night before. Only this time, the place was packed! For once the DJ's weren't playing reggaeton, thank heavens, because that seems to be the only music in the clubs here. And for the first time we were in a club that was actually full! Good times! I also attempted to talk to Grant Washburn (although I confused his name with another big wave surfer, Greg Long) because I knew his face from the movie Riding Giants, but I was slightly intoxicated and, honestly, could not speak english! Everytime I opened my mouth to ask a question, out came more spanish, and he had no idea what I was saying. Luckily I did manage to ask the question that was bugging me- what's the name of the guy who surfed Mavericks for 15 years by himself? (Jeff Clark) I have to say that was embarassing. We danced until about 5am and then of course slept until 12 or 1 the next day. That dide not stop me from surfing (or attempting to, again), or Priscilla from going for a run. Another beautiful day in Pichilemu!
That evening we were invited to another small get together near Punta de Lobos, where there ended up being 3 or 4 guys that had surfed in the event, including Ramon Navarro, a local who took 2nd place. It was a fun, chill party, and Priscilla managed to get involved in a heated debate with a South African about politics in Southern Africa.
The following day it was time to make decisions. Priscilla needed to go to Santiago to visit friends before leaving, but I wasn't quite ready to leave Pichilemu yet. I bid her adeu around 6pm then had a quiet evening to myself. The following day I packed up and then went for a surf with Carlos. And finally!!! I actually caught some waves! They were small, but I had a board around 7ft in size and so it was much easier to get into the powerful but mushy waves. I was so happy I actually felt like a surfer again! And the last wave was a party wave shared with Carlos- I was elated to leave on a good note. That night I left for Santiago happily with arms like jelly.
I arrived in the 'hood of Las Condes, Santiago (very yuppie) around 9:30pm and headed to the apartment of my friends Rob (from San Diego), and Pablo, a Chileno. We had a pleasant, mellow evening punctuated by a visit to the local movie theater to see Hangover 2. The movie was ridiculous of course, but what struck me was the establishment. Called Parque Arauco, for the neighboring park, this mall contains Hoyts Premium theater, where there is a gourmet restaurant in which to wait and eat, but which also brings you your meal into the theater. Each lavish seat is made of leather and has an attached pull out little table to eat at. Wine, beer, and spirits are also offered. ¡Muy lujoso!
The next day, Friday, I slept in late and laid around the house while Pablo was at work and Rob studied. Rob has been in Santiago about a year and is close to finishing his Master's in Economics at an institute in Santiago, through a program offered at Georgetown University in the states. He is incredibly smart, and I have never seen anyone study like he does. For the 3 days that I was there, he only left his room to eat, or go to the store to get food. Literally. I wanted to drag him outside to go to the park, but he refused. "Have to study, have to study" were about the only things out of his mouth. Here's to you, Rob, for working hard for the rest of us on vacation!
Friday night was Francisco's (of Francisco and Marie) show at Bar Clandestino. The band, Mr. Toé y Los Sicarios del Ritmo, are a mix of cumbia and hip-hop- very danceable and very fun! After the show, the DJ played more fun music, so we (Margaret, Pablo, and I) danced until about 5am (the norm in Chile, obviously).
Saturday brought a late wake-up, again, and a quick stint in the park nearby, Parque Arauco. That evening we went to a costume party in an event hall reserved for 3 people with birthdays that weekend. I want as Janis Joplin because all I had were hippie clothes, although I lacked her glasses so I really just looked the same as I always do- like a dirty backpacker! Again, we danced until very late, and accordingly I slept in very late the next day. The rest of the Sunday afternoon was spent packing and prparing for my departure to Linares, a city 4 hours to th south by bus, for my next WWOOF adventure.
And so, here I am in Linares, with not much to do because it is pouring rain. The "farm" is actually an ecological park in a residential neighborhood of the city. The owners, Jorge and Paula, have a 3 year old daughter, Gaby, who enjoys eating manjar (a caramel-like spread for toast) by the spoonful, and stuffing herself in my sleeping bag when I am already in it. Jorge is very passionate about his park and is continually working on projects to improve it. He is very meticulous and organized, and harvests red worms (originally from California) for their humus, as well as fruit trees and vegetables in a permaculture style. He also has a couple meditation spaces, although I haven't been able to use them because of the rain. Therefore I am doing a lot of reading in both spanish and english, and hoping to learn more about permaculture.
Next week I am heading to another ranch near Curicó where there is apparently ample livestock (including horses- yay!) and a bona fide farm. I am excited to see the place, and hoping it won´t be too cold and rainy because I will have to sleep outside in my tent...maybe...maybe they´ll let me sleep on the floor inside the house instead. More to come...
I am definitely ready to come home, I am aching for warm weather and familiar faces- as soon as I purchase my ticket home I will give you all the dates!!!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Sorry for the hiatus
Hi Everyone!
First of all I want to deeply apologize for not writing for so long! The blog was down because of some issue with my gmail account, and I didn't even realize until 2 days ago. Everything is fine, I am safe, no need to worry!
That being said, I have quite a bit of updating to do, but it's going to be more of a summation than usual since I have to go over the last 3 weeks or so.
So I just left the Puerto Montt area 2 days ago, where I had been staying at the Matias Doggenweiler farm. Altough I was there for almost 3 weeks, I really didn't work too much, but traveled quite a bit. I have come to realize that wwoof-ing in the winter is problematic becaus there just isn't that much to do. In Metri, near Puerto Montt, we planted Ajo (garlic), harvested Acelga (butter chard) and zapallo (squash), transplanted lettuces, and moved an invernadero (greenhouse). For 3 weeks, that ain't much. So Priscilla and I decided to take a weekend trip to the nearby island of Chiloé. Well that "weekend" turned into about 5 days due to the amazing landscape, food and people.
Our first night we decided to stay in Dalcahue because we had heard about an amazing fería (market of artesenals). We arrived shortly after dark to the quaint seaside town and wandered around looking for a hospedaje (hostel-style lodging operated out of someone's home, typically cheaper than a hostal). After several stops throughout the desolate town (tourism is not too popular during the icy winter), we found a decent price at a cozy home across the street from the fería. After showers and a 1.5 liter box of wine- the quality of boxed wine in Chile is much greater than in the U.S.- we decided to hit the town. We meandered about looking for a possible discoteque, although the woman at the market had told us that there was no such thing in such a small town. We tried our luck at a different market, asking ¿dónde está la fiesta? (where is the party?) The young woman informed us of a fiesta near the top of the hill in town. First we stumbled across somone's private birthday party- oops- but then saw people pouring into another building that looked like a recreation center. Upon entering the Club Rodeo, we were pleased to find people dancing in pairs to music strikingly similar to traditional mexican music. We were also accosted by many middle-aged men trying to lure us over to their tables with promises of Piscolas (Pisco and Coke). We quickly made our way to the bar and befriended the bar tenders who were much more diplomatic, and of course obligated to remain behind the bar. Still, we were pretty much asked to dance every 45 seconds. We obliged only 2 sets of men, and then spent the rest of the evening dancing with each other. Fun, but overwhelming! I suppose the pueblo of Dalcahue wasn't prepared for an intrusion of foreigners in their party!
Priscilla and I were able to hitchhike throughout the island, and ended up gaining an amazing new friend, John Bayron Francisco. John has lived in Dalcahue, Chiloé for about 4 years and scuba dives professionally for a seafood company. We were on a bus from Achao (on the island of Quinchao) back to Dalcahue, and we accidentally got off the bus in Curaco... because I thought that's where the port was to return to Dalcahue. Error. No problem, except neither of us wanted to pay the bus toll again. So, we decided to try our luck with hitchhiking. Within 5 minutes a suburban-type vehicle pulled up with a group of guys obviously returning home from work. For all of you at home wringing your hands right now, there is something you must understand about Chiloé: not only does everybody hitchhike, there is simply a strong community amongst Chilotes (residents of Chiloé). Plus both Priscilla and I both planned possible escape routes in our minds as soon as we boarded a vehicle. That being said, off we were to Dalcahue with the gentleman in the furgón (van). Within 5 minutes of conversation we realized that these Chilotes were kind, genuine, hard working caballeros. We had planned to head to Castro that evening to take care of administrative needs, but our plans were usurped by good times with new friends. John Bayron was among the group, and ended up letting us sleep in his daughter's room at his very clean and always warm house. The next day he went to work while Priscilla and I enjoyed a pleasant, relaxing morning drinking coffee in a house warm enough to remove our chalecos (sweaters). (Matias doesn't typically keep his house very warm, and the wwoof-er house on his farm was always colder inside than out. Needless to say it had been a pretty frigid experience thus far.)
The other reason we stayed so long in Dalcahue was the cocinería. Basically it's a large building that looks like a boat, with portholes for windows, right on the water. Inside it is full of free-standing, large kitchens. Each kitchen is a different "restaurant" offering a series of typical local food, for example: cazuela, a soup consisting of a large piece of either steak or chicken on the bone, with a chunk of corn on the cob, potatoes, other miscellanous vegetables, and seasoning; fresh salmon with rice; paila marina, a soup of literally just shellfish (not my favorite); and...curanto, a plate piled high with various types of shellfish, a chunk of chicharron (pork), half a longaniza (linguica-?), milcao (potato patty), and chapalele (a patty of potatoes and wheat, with pork in the middle. Curanto is probably one of my favorite dishes in Chile, altough I am not a huge fan of shellfish, the choritos (baby mussels), and almejas were so fresh that it was impossible not to like. Priscilla and I both love food, and trying new foods, so we had to spend at least a few days just to eat!
I am running out of time to write, but the long and the short of it is that we eventually returned to Metri to work a bit, and welcome a new wwoofer- Daniela from Santa Cruz, CA (who also lived in Nevada County for awhile). At this point we befriended a neighbor of Matias, Andrés, who lives in the nearby pueblo of Quillaipe. With Andrés and another friend, Marcelo, we embarked on homemade food adventures such as choritos empanadas and chivo (goat). All of it new and delicious. Before heading out of town we made another trip to Chiloé to visit John and head down to Cucao to see the Parque Nacional de Chiloé- a beautiful coastal rainforest with pristine lakes and lots of greenery.
Currently we are in Valdivia where we experienced the night life at a discoteque 2 nights ago, and attended a demonstration today, fighting against the building of a new dam in Patagonia. Very exciting! We have moved to a new farm run by an expat from Ohio. Again, there is not much to do, so I don't think we will stay very long. Priscilla has to return to Santiago soon to fly to Egypt with her family, and I want to see Francisco play in his band in Santiago on May 3- then thinking of heading north to a wwoof farm in the desert. After that, possibly off to Ecuador to try out some other volunteer work and meet up with Ramon!!! I will try to keep you all posted as much as possible! I am strangely now having to think about my trip home, and VERY excited about it! Love you all!!!
First of all I want to deeply apologize for not writing for so long! The blog was down because of some issue with my gmail account, and I didn't even realize until 2 days ago. Everything is fine, I am safe, no need to worry!
That being said, I have quite a bit of updating to do, but it's going to be more of a summation than usual since I have to go over the last 3 weeks or so.
So I just left the Puerto Montt area 2 days ago, where I had been staying at the Matias Doggenweiler farm. Altough I was there for almost 3 weeks, I really didn't work too much, but traveled quite a bit. I have come to realize that wwoof-ing in the winter is problematic becaus there just isn't that much to do. In Metri, near Puerto Montt, we planted Ajo (garlic), harvested Acelga (butter chard) and zapallo (squash), transplanted lettuces, and moved an invernadero (greenhouse). For 3 weeks, that ain't much. So Priscilla and I decided to take a weekend trip to the nearby island of Chiloé. Well that "weekend" turned into about 5 days due to the amazing landscape, food and people.
Our first night we decided to stay in Dalcahue because we had heard about an amazing fería (market of artesenals). We arrived shortly after dark to the quaint seaside town and wandered around looking for a hospedaje (hostel-style lodging operated out of someone's home, typically cheaper than a hostal). After several stops throughout the desolate town (tourism is not too popular during the icy winter), we found a decent price at a cozy home across the street from the fería. After showers and a 1.5 liter box of wine- the quality of boxed wine in Chile is much greater than in the U.S.- we decided to hit the town. We meandered about looking for a possible discoteque, although the woman at the market had told us that there was no such thing in such a small town. We tried our luck at a different market, asking ¿dónde está la fiesta? (where is the party?) The young woman informed us of a fiesta near the top of the hill in town. First we stumbled across somone's private birthday party- oops- but then saw people pouring into another building that looked like a recreation center. Upon entering the Club Rodeo, we were pleased to find people dancing in pairs to music strikingly similar to traditional mexican music. We were also accosted by many middle-aged men trying to lure us over to their tables with promises of Piscolas (Pisco and Coke). We quickly made our way to the bar and befriended the bar tenders who were much more diplomatic, and of course obligated to remain behind the bar. Still, we were pretty much asked to dance every 45 seconds. We obliged only 2 sets of men, and then spent the rest of the evening dancing with each other. Fun, but overwhelming! I suppose the pueblo of Dalcahue wasn't prepared for an intrusion of foreigners in their party!
Priscilla and I were able to hitchhike throughout the island, and ended up gaining an amazing new friend, John Bayron Francisco. John has lived in Dalcahue, Chiloé for about 4 years and scuba dives professionally for a seafood company. We were on a bus from Achao (on the island of Quinchao) back to Dalcahue, and we accidentally got off the bus in Curaco... because I thought that's where the port was to return to Dalcahue. Error. No problem, except neither of us wanted to pay the bus toll again. So, we decided to try our luck with hitchhiking. Within 5 minutes a suburban-type vehicle pulled up with a group of guys obviously returning home from work. For all of you at home wringing your hands right now, there is something you must understand about Chiloé: not only does everybody hitchhike, there is simply a strong community amongst Chilotes (residents of Chiloé). Plus both Priscilla and I both planned possible escape routes in our minds as soon as we boarded a vehicle. That being said, off we were to Dalcahue with the gentleman in the furgón (van). Within 5 minutes of conversation we realized that these Chilotes were kind, genuine, hard working caballeros. We had planned to head to Castro that evening to take care of administrative needs, but our plans were usurped by good times with new friends. John Bayron was among the group, and ended up letting us sleep in his daughter's room at his very clean and always warm house. The next day he went to work while Priscilla and I enjoyed a pleasant, relaxing morning drinking coffee in a house warm enough to remove our chalecos (sweaters). (Matias doesn't typically keep his house very warm, and the wwoof-er house on his farm was always colder inside than out. Needless to say it had been a pretty frigid experience thus far.)
The other reason we stayed so long in Dalcahue was the cocinería. Basically it's a large building that looks like a boat, with portholes for windows, right on the water. Inside it is full of free-standing, large kitchens. Each kitchen is a different "restaurant" offering a series of typical local food, for example: cazuela, a soup consisting of a large piece of either steak or chicken on the bone, with a chunk of corn on the cob, potatoes, other miscellanous vegetables, and seasoning; fresh salmon with rice; paila marina, a soup of literally just shellfish (not my favorite); and...curanto, a plate piled high with various types of shellfish, a chunk of chicharron (pork), half a longaniza (linguica-?), milcao (potato patty), and chapalele (a patty of potatoes and wheat, with pork in the middle. Curanto is probably one of my favorite dishes in Chile, altough I am not a huge fan of shellfish, the choritos (baby mussels), and almejas were so fresh that it was impossible not to like. Priscilla and I both love food, and trying new foods, so we had to spend at least a few days just to eat!
I am running out of time to write, but the long and the short of it is that we eventually returned to Metri to work a bit, and welcome a new wwoofer- Daniela from Santa Cruz, CA (who also lived in Nevada County for awhile). At this point we befriended a neighbor of Matias, Andrés, who lives in the nearby pueblo of Quillaipe. With Andrés and another friend, Marcelo, we embarked on homemade food adventures such as choritos empanadas and chivo (goat). All of it new and delicious. Before heading out of town we made another trip to Chiloé to visit John and head down to Cucao to see the Parque Nacional de Chiloé- a beautiful coastal rainforest with pristine lakes and lots of greenery.
Currently we are in Valdivia where we experienced the night life at a discoteque 2 nights ago, and attended a demonstration today, fighting against the building of a new dam in Patagonia. Very exciting! We have moved to a new farm run by an expat from Ohio. Again, there is not much to do, so I don't think we will stay very long. Priscilla has to return to Santiago soon to fly to Egypt with her family, and I want to see Francisco play in his band in Santiago on May 3- then thinking of heading north to a wwoof farm in the desert. After that, possibly off to Ecuador to try out some other volunteer work and meet up with Ramon!!! I will try to keep you all posted as much as possible! I am strangely now having to think about my trip home, and VERY excited about it! Love you all!!!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Photos
Also, I forgot to mention that the oven is sort of broken, so whenever we bake anything (like pies or bread), we have to take turns holding the gas knob on the panel- ¡que divertido!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
La Primer Granja de WWOOF
As you have probably guessed, I am officially living on a farm in Chile. First, however, I have to begin where I left off...
My last evening in Pichilemu, I surfed with the owner of the Hostal Atlantis. After 6, when the resident hija had eaten and was being looked after by Viviana (the other owner), Carlos and I ran (literally, like ants) to the surf shop to rent me a bigger board. Of course I rented one too big, because I always pick the wrong size when forced to rent. Anyhow, we paddled out at La Puntilla which is walking distance from the town center. We had to paddle out between rocks on the beach again, but this time the current lovingly carried us out halfway to the peak. All was tranquilo for about 10 minutes, and then the sets came. They were about 6-7 feet and kicked me and my huge board's asses. I could duck dive, but not very well, and half the time the power of the wave ripped the board out of my hands. At one point I almost hit a guy with my board and decided that maybe I wasn't endangering myself, but I was endangering others. Still I was out of my league. I let the current carry me in a ways, in the hopes of catching a wave or 2 on the inside, but they were all crap. Boo. I want to return at some point to Pichilemu, because apparently March is the "best" i.e. biggest time of year to go. I thought about going this week but the report said 11-15 feet! No, thank you.
That wednesday night I got to chill with Carlos and his friend Raul at the hostel, after treating myself to a delicious and obscenely large fish dinner. The 3 of us talked shit, played cards, and drank some beer and wine. ¡Buena onda! The next morning I said goodbye to my european friends and took my leave by bus. I slept the entire way, que rico. When I arrived to Santiago, I was beyond parched and starving. The tap water was not safe to drink in Pichilemu, so I had to buy it and therefore didn't drink enough... well, for me.
So I haven't talked a whole lot about food in Chile, because I haven't been super impressed. However, there are some things that are made with excellence here. For example, choripan: a spicy, short, fat sausage which is cooked on the barbeque and served in fresh bread with pebre- a type of pico de gallo. Excelente! Also, the chileans make delicious empanadas, my favorite of which is de pino- with steak, onions, spices, half a boiled egg, and one black olive (with the pit, mind your teeth!) On top of all that are the completos. Completos are a big part of food culture here. In Santiago on the side of the main Plaza de Armas, is an entire row of food stands and restaurants that all, apparently, specialize in completos. They are a hot dog with saurkraut, tomatoes, and a shitload of mayonnaise. I like them, with menos mayonesa, por fa'. So when I returned to Santiago after Pichilemu, I went to a popular restaraunt a half block away from the apartment, called Fuente Suiza. They specialize in fried empanadas and also make good quality completos. One of each of those with a cold Coke...mmmmmmmm.
And as soon as I returned from one trip, it was time to pack for another. Marie and Francisco invited me to join them at Francisco's father's house in Marìa Pinto- a small town which consists of a few farms, a large golf course, and several vacation homes. We stayed in Francisco Senior's 6 bedroom house next to the golf course. Wow! ¡Que lujo (luxury)! There was a gigantic lawn in the back yard, with a barbeque area, a lounge area, and a pool. That, coupled with a maid and a group of excellent (male) cooks in the family= very luxurious weekend. We basically ate, rode bikes, and played frisbee and bocce ball all weekend. And did cartwheels. It was actually rather overwhelming. Thursday night, Francisco's brother Juan Pablo, or Brrro, made the best steak I've ever had in my life. He cooked it on the grill and we simply cut slices off to eat. Incredible. Friday it rained all day, but we ate a scrumptious caldo congrio- soup made of vegetables, potatoes, and sea snake. On Saturday a few more friends of the family came over and made a huuuge pot of paella, on the barbeque even. ¡Que rico! That night we got good and drunk (curado) with some other friends from Santiago, then took a wild ride on the golf cart. Sweet. Sunday was relatively mellow, we woke up late and went for a bike ride then had lunch and returned to Santiago.
Sunday evening I went to a cool, bohemian bar in Santiago, The Clinic, named after a popular publication that pokes fun at politics and such. Kind of like The Onion, but based on real events. Anyhoo, I knew I was about to leave town so I wanted to say goodbye to my Santiago homiez. On Monday I woke up knowing that it was time to leave so I did some last minute laundry and lunched with Anja and Darren. Monday night I said goodbye to my Santiagan family over dinner of Croatian meatballs (thank you, Maja, for my favorite recipe). I think Marie and Francisco were relieved to finally have the house to themselves again ;)
The ride south to Puerto Montt was 12 hours, so of course I chose coche cama seating, and slept pretty well. Once in Puerto Montt I took a local bus to the town of Metri, less then an hour southeast. Matias, the owner of the farm, gave me decent directions (not too good, he says, to weed out the dumb ones) so I made it all the way to the wwoof sign before calling him. Walking up the hill to the farm, I felt such an elated sense of freedom, it was incredible. Here I was, in the middle of nowhere ("en la mitad de nada"), carrying my life on my back, walking through the mud and rocks, listening to the sound of exotic new birds, and loving it!
Matias came down from his house to welcome me to the farm, and I immediately knew he was good people ("buena gente"). He is extremely laid back, with a slightly unkempt beard, and the air of somebody who has all the time in the world. His house sits on the crest of the hill, overlooking the forested terrain and the Pacific Ocean. Off in the distance, although you can't see it from here, is the island of Chiloè.
Priscilla is the only other person wwooofing here, and she is badass! Originally from Zimbabwe, she moved to New York at 12 and is now studying at Scripps College near L.A. Incredibly intelligent and mature, she is easy to laugh and is inspiring me in innumerable ways. We have been working together at planting ajo (sort of a giant garlic, or a cross between garlic and onion), as well as refining batches of honey, and... cooking! Since I have been here we have made apple pie (both our first) with fresh, local, and organic raisins, apples, honey and cinnamon. She also taught me how to make bread, and yesterday we made a sauce out of chard (acelga) from the farm, merquèn (a chilean spice like a spicy paprika), and milk, to put on potatoes and pasta. Por suerte she loves to eat as much as I do! Tomorrow we are heading to Chiloè to check out the artesanìas (handmade crafts) there, as well as some of the surrounding islands.
I am planning to come back here after Chiloè, and maybe spend another week or so before heading off to a new farm. I have been keeping my phone charged so if anyne wants to call, feel free! The number is 56 (country code) 9-590-4902. I miss everyone so much, and am really looking forward to my homecoming reunion! I love you, mi gente!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Camping , Pichilemu, etc.
I am currently in the beachside town of Pichilemu... which actually seems a lot like Santa Cruz. It is an adorable little town with lots of wood houses. This morning I walked to La Puntilla and admired the ocean- it is so beautiful here and I didn´t realize how much I had missed the ocean.
Yesterday was a very interesting day. I woke up at 5:30am to catch an early bus here from Santiago. I arrived in half the time I had expected, and nothing was really open yet when I got here (Chileans are not necessarily early risers). So I walked all around town with my backpack on, then headed to the beach to check out the breaks. It didn´t look that great, honestly. I noticed a gringo getting out of the water so I decided to get the scoop from him. He said it wasn´t that great, the tide was too high. He also recommended a hostel and a place to rent boards. I walked to the hostel , which I had already been to, and it was still closed. I tried calling the phone number on the sign. No answer. Okay, time for coffee. I had to ask 3 different people how to find a cappuchino (in Chile, if it´s not cappuchino, then it´s instant coffee- or as Marie and Francisco call it- NOEScafé). I settled in to a sidewalk table where I could see the sea, and read for an hour or so. Finally, after the 3rd phone call to the hostel, somebody answered. Turns out it was Carlos, one of the owners, and the gringo I spoke to had already stopped by to see if I had checked in. I had about a million and 1 questions for Carlos, from "is there hot water" (¿hay agua caliente?) to "when is the best time to surf" (¿a qué hora es la mejor de surfear?) He was very patient with me and answered all of my questions.
As soon as I put my stuff down I met the only other 2 people that are staying here (this weekend is Easter, so currently it´s the calm before the storm). Aynora is Spanish and just arrived, and her boyfriend Oli is German and a very experienced surfer. Oli and I went to Punta Lobos at about 5pm, which is 6km south of Pichilemu. The waves were 10ft, which was crazy. For some reason, however, I was not scared. There is no explanation for it. We had to get in paddling between some rocks, and there was a lot of duckdiving involved. The water was also pretty cold, and I had brain freeze for the first 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the current was so strong, I was immediately dragged away from the point and to the beach. I know this sounds horribly dangerous, but the good thing is that the current took me to the sandy beach, not toward the rocks. Before I was completely whisked away to the sand, I attempted to catch a couple waves. My board was too small, however- it's a tricky thing, knowing what size board one needs for specific conditions. That being said, I didn't ride one wave, because I got out and saw that if I tried again, the same thing would happen, and I wasn't sure if I was even ready for 10 ft. waves. So mom, you would be really proud because I didn't do anything I wasn't completely sure I could handle, and didn't feel the need to do anything rash.
So today I am going to stick to the point that is walking distance from the hostel, rent a bigger board, and stick to the smaller waves on the inside. Oli and Aynora invited me for another session in Punta Lobos, but she is just learning (on the whitewater by the beach of course), and he's quite above my level, so I felt I would wait until I could surf with someone closer to my ability level. I believe Carlos, the owner, and I will go this afternoon when the tide drops again.
Last weekend I went to Baños Morales in Cajón del Maipo with a group of 6 other people- Anja and Darren from the UK (who also joined us in the Elqui Valley), Kevin and Britt from Huntington Beach, and Margaret and her brother Sasha from Canada. We left early Saturday morning and set up camp in a lovely campground right by a river. We had wanted to camp inside the national park, but the authorities refused us. After having lunch and setting up our tents, we took a short (and cold and windy) walk to find some fossils just outside of town. It was pretty cool, you could see imprints of shells in broken rocks, indicating that the whole area was once under water. We also went to visit some thermal baths...they were NOT hot- huge disappointment. Margaret and I still attempted to go in, but it was painful. I was very sad, as you all know how much I love soaking in hot water.
That night we had a delicious spaghetti dinner and warm fire, as well as some quality Chilean boxed wine. Darren and I were the last awake, and in our semi-drunken state decided it would be a good idea to sleep outside. It was a beautiful night, the sky was clear and the moon was almost full. I was totally into it. It was definitely cold, and I didn't have the best sleep ever, but thanks to my down jacket I did just fine. Darren apparently gave up after an hour or so, and went to cuddle up with Anja in their tent. Psshhh! ;)
The next day was a full hiking day. We entered the park around 9:45 and hiked all the way to the glacier, which took about 4 hours, including a lunch break. The hike was incredibly beautiful. Basically we were in a hanging valley surrounded by mountains, a river, and a lake, as well as gorgeous green grasses. At one point I tried to feed some grazing horses my apple core, but I don't think they trusted me...nor had they ever had an apple before, obviously, or they would have come right over. One of them really wanted it, and came really close to eating it out of my hand, but couldn't bring himself to trust me I guess.
When we reached the glacier I was excited to drink some really cold water directly from the source- I think that was the cleanest, most refreshing water I have ever tasted! Alas, we couldn't dwell at the glacier or the lake, because we had to catch the 1 bus a week that goes into Santiago. It was a cramped bus ride, and I was so excited to get off when we arrived, that I left my water bottle on the bus :( Super bummed because I had been doing so well with holding onto it. Sorry Becca.
So before last weekend, I really just chilled at Marie and Francisco's apartment. BTW, for those of you who don't know- Marie and Francisco are a couple that Becca met while living in Santiago a few years ago. They are AMAZING people. I have been staying with them for almost 2 weeks and they have been so kind, hospitable, and patient with me (since I couldn't afford to stay in a hostel). Francisco- a chilean who has been educating me on his ridiculously slang-filled language- is an incredibly talented musician, in a band called Los Sicarios del Ritmo (essentially it means the hitmen of rhythm). His main instrument is the bass guitar, but he can pretty much play any instrument. The other night he played one of my favorite songs, "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters on his guitar, and I nearly cried it was so beautiful. I'm serious- don't laugh, it was beautiful. Marie is from Milwaukee but has been living in Santiago for about 3 years. She is outgoing, witty, hilarious, and speaks perfect chilean spanish. I have had some really special moments with this couple, and they inspire me so much because they love each other so much and act like newlyweds, although they have been married for over 2 years.
Santiago is a really great city, as far as cities go. I have been doing well at traversing the city, using the extensive bus and metro system. I have to say, I LOVE taking the metro, maybe because it's something I've never experienced extensively, but it's so freakin convenient! The only complicated element is during rush hour, when you're basically packed in there like the front row at a Tool concert. Other than that, it's very self-explanatory, and there are maps everywhere, which I also love. I have only gone out dancing a couple times, mainly because it's stupidly expensive. Basically, in Chile everything is the same price in the states, except produce and set lunches. Needless to say, I have been cooking at home a LOT. Speaking of which, I am going to go make lunch now, my stomach is grumbling.
Thank you all for tuning in, if you go to my Facebook page and click on photos of Marie, you'll see pics from the camping trip last weekend. Ciao, pescado, a poto pelado!!!
Yesterday was a very interesting day. I woke up at 5:30am to catch an early bus here from Santiago. I arrived in half the time I had expected, and nothing was really open yet when I got here (Chileans are not necessarily early risers). So I walked all around town with my backpack on, then headed to the beach to check out the breaks. It didn´t look that great, honestly. I noticed a gringo getting out of the water so I decided to get the scoop from him. He said it wasn´t that great, the tide was too high. He also recommended a hostel and a place to rent boards. I walked to the hostel , which I had already been to, and it was still closed. I tried calling the phone number on the sign. No answer. Okay, time for coffee. I had to ask 3 different people how to find a cappuchino (in Chile, if it´s not cappuchino, then it´s instant coffee- or as Marie and Francisco call it- NOEScafé). I settled in to a sidewalk table where I could see the sea, and read for an hour or so. Finally, after the 3rd phone call to the hostel, somebody answered. Turns out it was Carlos, one of the owners, and the gringo I spoke to had already stopped by to see if I had checked in. I had about a million and 1 questions for Carlos, from "is there hot water" (¿hay agua caliente?) to "when is the best time to surf" (¿a qué hora es la mejor de surfear?) He was very patient with me and answered all of my questions.
As soon as I put my stuff down I met the only other 2 people that are staying here (this weekend is Easter, so currently it´s the calm before the storm). Aynora is Spanish and just arrived, and her boyfriend Oli is German and a very experienced surfer. Oli and I went to Punta Lobos at about 5pm, which is 6km south of Pichilemu. The waves were 10ft, which was crazy. For some reason, however, I was not scared. There is no explanation for it. We had to get in paddling between some rocks, and there was a lot of duckdiving involved. The water was also pretty cold, and I had brain freeze for the first 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the current was so strong, I was immediately dragged away from the point and to the beach. I know this sounds horribly dangerous, but the good thing is that the current took me to the sandy beach, not toward the rocks. Before I was completely whisked away to the sand, I attempted to catch a couple waves. My board was too small, however- it's a tricky thing, knowing what size board one needs for specific conditions. That being said, I didn't ride one wave, because I got out and saw that if I tried again, the same thing would happen, and I wasn't sure if I was even ready for 10 ft. waves. So mom, you would be really proud because I didn't do anything I wasn't completely sure I could handle, and didn't feel the need to do anything rash.
So today I am going to stick to the point that is walking distance from the hostel, rent a bigger board, and stick to the smaller waves on the inside. Oli and Aynora invited me for another session in Punta Lobos, but she is just learning (on the whitewater by the beach of course), and he's quite above my level, so I felt I would wait until I could surf with someone closer to my ability level. I believe Carlos, the owner, and I will go this afternoon when the tide drops again.
Last weekend I went to Baños Morales in Cajón del Maipo with a group of 6 other people- Anja and Darren from the UK (who also joined us in the Elqui Valley), Kevin and Britt from Huntington Beach, and Margaret and her brother Sasha from Canada. We left early Saturday morning and set up camp in a lovely campground right by a river. We had wanted to camp inside the national park, but the authorities refused us. After having lunch and setting up our tents, we took a short (and cold and windy) walk to find some fossils just outside of town. It was pretty cool, you could see imprints of shells in broken rocks, indicating that the whole area was once under water. We also went to visit some thermal baths...they were NOT hot- huge disappointment. Margaret and I still attempted to go in, but it was painful. I was very sad, as you all know how much I love soaking in hot water.
That night we had a delicious spaghetti dinner and warm fire, as well as some quality Chilean boxed wine. Darren and I were the last awake, and in our semi-drunken state decided it would be a good idea to sleep outside. It was a beautiful night, the sky was clear and the moon was almost full. I was totally into it. It was definitely cold, and I didn't have the best sleep ever, but thanks to my down jacket I did just fine. Darren apparently gave up after an hour or so, and went to cuddle up with Anja in their tent. Psshhh! ;)
The next day was a full hiking day. We entered the park around 9:45 and hiked all the way to the glacier, which took about 4 hours, including a lunch break. The hike was incredibly beautiful. Basically we were in a hanging valley surrounded by mountains, a river, and a lake, as well as gorgeous green grasses. At one point I tried to feed some grazing horses my apple core, but I don't think they trusted me...nor had they ever had an apple before, obviously, or they would have come right over. One of them really wanted it, and came really close to eating it out of my hand, but couldn't bring himself to trust me I guess.
When we reached the glacier I was excited to drink some really cold water directly from the source- I think that was the cleanest, most refreshing water I have ever tasted! Alas, we couldn't dwell at the glacier or the lake, because we had to catch the 1 bus a week that goes into Santiago. It was a cramped bus ride, and I was so excited to get off when we arrived, that I left my water bottle on the bus :( Super bummed because I had been doing so well with holding onto it. Sorry Becca.
So before last weekend, I really just chilled at Marie and Francisco's apartment. BTW, for those of you who don't know- Marie and Francisco are a couple that Becca met while living in Santiago a few years ago. They are AMAZING people. I have been staying with them for almost 2 weeks and they have been so kind, hospitable, and patient with me (since I couldn't afford to stay in a hostel). Francisco- a chilean who has been educating me on his ridiculously slang-filled language- is an incredibly talented musician, in a band called Los Sicarios del Ritmo (essentially it means the hitmen of rhythm). His main instrument is the bass guitar, but he can pretty much play any instrument. The other night he played one of my favorite songs, "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters on his guitar, and I nearly cried it was so beautiful. I'm serious- don't laugh, it was beautiful. Marie is from Milwaukee but has been living in Santiago for about 3 years. She is outgoing, witty, hilarious, and speaks perfect chilean spanish. I have had some really special moments with this couple, and they inspire me so much because they love each other so much and act like newlyweds, although they have been married for over 2 years.
Santiago is a really great city, as far as cities go. I have been doing well at traversing the city, using the extensive bus and metro system. I have to say, I LOVE taking the metro, maybe because it's something I've never experienced extensively, but it's so freakin convenient! The only complicated element is during rush hour, when you're basically packed in there like the front row at a Tool concert. Other than that, it's very self-explanatory, and there are maps everywhere, which I also love. I have only gone out dancing a couple times, mainly because it's stupidly expensive. Basically, in Chile everything is the same price in the states, except produce and set lunches. Needless to say, I have been cooking at home a LOT. Speaking of which, I am going to go make lunch now, my stomach is grumbling.
Thank you all for tuning in, if you go to my Facebook page and click on photos of Marie, you'll see pics from the camping trip last weekend. Ciao, pescado, a poto pelado!!!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Okay so I have to catch up really quick because we are having a "leaving party" for Jess tonight!
Some of these pictures are from the beach in Mollendo (southern Peru), where Jess, Ramon and I finalized our trip together in Peru, although Ramon did go north and do some surfing!
Last weekend we spent 4 days in the Elqui Valley (7 hours north of Santiago), which looks much like wine country because it is where grapes for Pisco are grown and distilled into liquor. It was so beautiful! I met some of Jess's friends from England that she had previously met in Santiago, and we had a wonderful bike ride around Pisco Elqui. We also visited a Pisco distillery called Los Nichos. Apparently the man who began the distillery made a deal with the devil in order to initiate Pisco production. The place had a very cool, creepy vibe. We camped every night in the Elqui Valley- for the first time since Machu Picchu, and the first time in my new tent! It was such a blast to explore towns in this way- biking and camping!
Our last night in the Elqui Valley, Jess and I stayed in a tiny town called Cochiguaz. There are no buses to get there so we did as the locals do and hitchhiked. There we found a huge campsite right on the Rio Magico, although it was nearly empty. It felt like we were in the beginning of a horror movie- 2 young girls exploring an empty campsite. However, it was gorgeous and peaceful, and we even had a resident dog friend that tried to get into our tent in the middle of the night. And the nice thing about an empty campsite is that we never had to pay because the staff was scarce. That night was certainly strange, though, since it was pitch black and eerily silent. Jess and I decided to walk to the "plaza" and drink our wine, then enjoy a local beer in the only restaurant in town where all 20 of the locals were enjoying poker night.
Jess and I arrived in Santiago 2 days ago and I actually really like the city. And it's awesome because I have already a group of friends, a card for riding the metro, and a cell phone! Last night we went out on the town, and I am already making travel plans with my new friends. On top of all this, I have a wealth of free places to stay, so saving money will be much easier. Good thing because prices here are almost as high as in the states- makes budgeting a little more difficult than in the states!
Next week I am hoping to go to Pichilemu to do some surfing, and then the weekend after I am off on another camping trip with new friends from Canada and the UK. Also I am in the process of contacting WWOOF farms to get that ball rolling.... so many exciting things to plan!
I have to say that I miss home so much, maybe more than on any other trip. It makes me so happy to receive messages on Facebook, and emails with updates on all you folks in the States. Maybe I can manage to get some postcards out soon!!! Love and hugs to all!!!
Some of these pictures are from the beach in Mollendo (southern Peru), where Jess, Ramon and I finalized our trip together in Peru, although Ramon did go north and do some surfing!
Last weekend we spent 4 days in the Elqui Valley (7 hours north of Santiago), which looks much like wine country because it is where grapes for Pisco are grown and distilled into liquor. It was so beautiful! I met some of Jess's friends from England that she had previously met in Santiago, and we had a wonderful bike ride around Pisco Elqui. We also visited a Pisco distillery called Los Nichos. Apparently the man who began the distillery made a deal with the devil in order to initiate Pisco production. The place had a very cool, creepy vibe. We camped every night in the Elqui Valley- for the first time since Machu Picchu, and the first time in my new tent! It was such a blast to explore towns in this way- biking and camping!
Our last night in the Elqui Valley, Jess and I stayed in a tiny town called Cochiguaz. There are no buses to get there so we did as the locals do and hitchhiked. There we found a huge campsite right on the Rio Magico, although it was nearly empty. It felt like we were in the beginning of a horror movie- 2 young girls exploring an empty campsite. However, it was gorgeous and peaceful, and we even had a resident dog friend that tried to get into our tent in the middle of the night. And the nice thing about an empty campsite is that we never had to pay because the staff was scarce. That night was certainly strange, though, since it was pitch black and eerily silent. Jess and I decided to walk to the "plaza" and drink our wine, then enjoy a local beer in the only restaurant in town where all 20 of the locals were enjoying poker night.
Jess and I arrived in Santiago 2 days ago and I actually really like the city. And it's awesome because I have already a group of friends, a card for riding the metro, and a cell phone! Last night we went out on the town, and I am already making travel plans with my new friends. On top of all this, I have a wealth of free places to stay, so saving money will be much easier. Good thing because prices here are almost as high as in the states- makes budgeting a little more difficult than in the states!
Next week I am hoping to go to Pichilemu to do some surfing, and then the weekend after I am off on another camping trip with new friends from Canada and the UK. Also I am in the process of contacting WWOOF farms to get that ball rolling.... so many exciting things to plan!
I have to say that I miss home so much, maybe more than on any other trip. It makes me so happy to receive messages on Facebook, and emails with updates on all you folks in the States. Maybe I can manage to get some postcards out soon!!! Love and hugs to all!!!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Llego en Chile
At last I am checking in! I have experienced a lot since Cusco, and I wish I could be posting images right now, but alas, I have some sad news....
On the bus ride from Cusco to Puno (on Lake Titicaca), my camera was stolen. It was a shitty situation, and I was partly responsible for not watching my bag closer. I am super bummed, obviously, about the photos more than the camera. I reported it to the bus company but there really wasn't anything they could do. Jess has been letting me take a lot of pics with her camera, and I will be posting some of those pics soon.
Lake Titicaca was incredible- from the floating islands (constructed by the people out of reeds), to the wonderfully quiet of Amantani, where we stayed with a family and attended a dance dressed in traditional garb. The altitude was still very high, and we did quite a bit of hiking in the area- so we were exhausted!
After the lake, the 3 of us headed to Arequipa which ended up being not at all what we thought it would be. It wasn't charming at all, and we decided to head to the coast instead of doing even more hiking at a canyon that was 3 hours away. Off to Mollendo we went, where we spent 2 days relaxing on the beach and enjoying our hostel's rooftop lookout.
Upon return to Arequipa, Ramon said goodbye to Jess and I :( He went north to do some surfing in Puerto Chicama, and Jess and I headed south into Chile. After about 3 days of buses (with a short respite in Arica, a beach town), we at last landed in Vicuña, Chile (Elqui Valley), in Pisco making country. Pisco is a liquor made from grapes, and the infamous drink, the Pisco Sour, was invented in either Peru or Chile... depending on whether you talk to a Peruvian or a Chilean.
We camped last night and it was beautiful- finally my tent got some use! We also met up with a couple from England that Jess had made friends with in Santiago de Chile. Today we are heading to Pisco Elqui for a distillery tour, and more camping! We should be next a river soon, so swimming is also in our near future! Yay!
I miss you, my friends and family, more every day! Hugs and kisses!!!!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Cuzco y mas
At last we have completed our trek to Machu Picchu after months of planning! It was the most difficult (and longest at 4 days) hike I have ever done! The second day we climbed about 1,000 feet and it was about 6 hours of hiking straight uphill. Jess and I were the first of our group (aside form the porters of course) to arrive at camp- Ramon arrived about an hour later. I am going to put up a few pictures from the journey, which was ridiculously beautiful. We kept repeating that we couldn't believe how amazing the scenery was. The only downside was that we really didn't have enough time in Machu Picchu on the last day. I definitely want to go back and just chill on the lawn capturing the energy.
When we returned to Cuzco after the trek, our hostel in San Blas had no water- which is apparently a frequent problem in this neighborhood. This was especially shitty since we hdan't showered in 4 days, except for baby wipe showers. Yesterday we switched hostels, however, and took loooong, hot showers. Amazing.
Cuzco is an awesome city, full of hippies from around the world. There are plenty of great places to eat, and even more places to go out and listen to live music. Our first night here (before the trek), we saw a small band that consisted of a singer/guitarist/accordian player, a clarinet player, and a stand-up bass player. They played a sort of jazz fusion type music with heavy french influence. Hard to describe but it was incredible! Our second day here consisted completely of preparation for the trek- buying last minute necessities and packing our backpacks as lightly as possible.
We had a great group on the trek; us, 2 other Americans (of asian descent), 2 Brazilians, 4 Argentinians, and 2 Austrians who were around 60 years old and rather high maintenance. We had a blast even though we were constantly sore and exhausted. Now I am battling the repercussions- feeling still pretty weak and tired.
Tonight we are taking an overnight bus to Puno- the starting point for Lake Titicaca. We are hoping to do a homestay on a floating island, as well as one of the other islands. Traveling with Ramon and Jess has been awesome- we have been cooperating very well and been keeping up good communication for our needs. por suerte!
Until next time, besitos y abrazos fuertes!
When we returned to Cuzco after the trek, our hostel in San Blas had no water- which is apparently a frequent problem in this neighborhood. This was especially shitty since we hdan't showered in 4 days, except for baby wipe showers. Yesterday we switched hostels, however, and took loooong, hot showers. Amazing.
Cuzco is an awesome city, full of hippies from around the world. There are plenty of great places to eat, and even more places to go out and listen to live music. Our first night here (before the trek), we saw a small band that consisted of a singer/guitarist/accordian player, a clarinet player, and a stand-up bass player. They played a sort of jazz fusion type music with heavy french influence. Hard to describe but it was incredible! Our second day here consisted completely of preparation for the trek- buying last minute necessities and packing our backpacks as lightly as possible.
We had a great group on the trek; us, 2 other Americans (of asian descent), 2 Brazilians, 4 Argentinians, and 2 Austrians who were around 60 years old and rather high maintenance. We had a blast even though we were constantly sore and exhausted. Now I am battling the repercussions- feeling still pretty weak and tired.
Tonight we are taking an overnight bus to Puno- the starting point for Lake Titicaca. We are hoping to do a homestay on a floating island, as well as one of the other islands. Traveling with Ramon and Jess has been awesome- we have been cooperating very well and been keeping up good communication for our needs. por suerte!
Until next time, besitos y abrazos fuertes!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Salgo de La Punta
I know I have been promising photos and they still aren´t here, so sorry!
Anyhew, since Puerto Chicama I have been laying low here in La punta and Miraflores. I got a really nice tan, and burned a little- that was exciting!
On Sunday (I think), Luis Alberto (Bibi´s cousin) invited me to go jetskiing with him and his friend Farid, although Luis Alberto never got on the thing because, he claims, he is of the land only ("de la tierra solamente"). Farid and I, however, had a great time. At one point I got the jetski ("moto del agua) up to 50 mph- whoo hoo! Later that evening I met up with the daughter of one of my mom's book club friends, Leah. She, Luis Alberto and I went to a super fancy restaurant in Barranco, where I tried octopus ("pulpo") and scallops. Now, I am not a big fan of seafood, especially not shellfish, but these were "espectácular!" The restaurant is called Amor Amar and was recommended to me by a fellow foodie that read about it in the states.
The next day, Leah and I went on a shopping mission to find some nice lotion in Miraflores. We shopped for hours, I was exhausted, and we never found any... weird since all the women here always smell really good. Then I got home to La Punta and found some in a little store that I pass by literally every day. I scored some presents for my host family too- new flip-flops for Vaughn since his had holes in them, and a doll called "niño de la espina" for Pochi, which consists of Jesus as a tot, sitting down and crying because there is a splinter in his bleeding foot. Ahhh, Catholicism. Although Pochi is not inherently Catholic, she does go to church on Sundays and adores the baby Jesus.
Yesterday was definitely an exciting day! I´m sure you all heard about the giant earthquake in Japan, and the ensuing tsunami. Well that tsunami was also headed to the west coast of the Americas. Where I am staying, La Punta, we are surrounded by water. I mean, I can stand on one of the main streets and see water both the left and right of me, about 2 blocks away in each direction. That being said, I gladly evacuated with Pochi. Around 5pm we left La Punta for higher ground in Bella, at her parents house. Vaughn decided to stay home and "guard the apartment", which Pochi had the foresight to predict- having been through 2 hurricanes and an earthquake with him. She and I spent the evening hanging with 17-year-old Stefanya, who's family has known and worked with Pochi's family for years. Her father Miguel Ángel is our regular "taxista", and her mother does in-home care for Pochi's mom. Additionally, I was able to watch TV in english for the first time in almost a month.
Waking up today I felt refreshed, and Pochi and I headed to the market in Callao to pick up a couple dresses of mine. One I had requested be made after Bibi inspired me to do so with her dress projects, and the other was a strapless one I brought in to put straps on. When we arrived, we proceeded to watch the seamstress search her shop high and low, as well as track down another client, to try to find the dress I brought in. This was about the 4th or 5th time that Pochi and I had been to see her about dresses, and we were pretty over it. I thought I had lost the dress forever. Pochi advised the seamstress that if the dress was in fact gone, she would have to make me a new one- in less than 5 hours. We returned around 4pm and alas, a woman had returned it who had taken it home on accident. Whew! and the dress is like new, with beautiful straps that will allow me to dance without fear of flashing an entire club.
Tonight, Ramon arrives! Finally! We have both been so excited! And he has had an insanely stressful last few weeks. He had to finish finals early to get here in time for Machu Picchu, as well as move to LA, plus prepare for the trip! ¡Ay, Díos mío! Luckily for him, I have booked us an amazingly luxurious hotel for tomorrow night, and have beautified in preparation for his arrival... well, I got my nails done and shaved my legs- for me that´s a big deal!
On Monday we leave for Cuzco, and begin our trek for Machu Picchu on Wednesday. The next time I write I will most likely be exhausted from the journey. Until then, much love to my peeps! Say hello to California spring for me! Muchos besitos!!!
Anyhew, since Puerto Chicama I have been laying low here in La punta and Miraflores. I got a really nice tan, and burned a little- that was exciting!
On Sunday (I think), Luis Alberto (Bibi´s cousin) invited me to go jetskiing with him and his friend Farid, although Luis Alberto never got on the thing because, he claims, he is of the land only ("de la tierra solamente"). Farid and I, however, had a great time. At one point I got the jetski ("moto del agua) up to 50 mph- whoo hoo! Later that evening I met up with the daughter of one of my mom's book club friends, Leah. She, Luis Alberto and I went to a super fancy restaurant in Barranco, where I tried octopus ("pulpo") and scallops. Now, I am not a big fan of seafood, especially not shellfish, but these were "espectácular!" The restaurant is called Amor Amar and was recommended to me by a fellow foodie that read about it in the states.
The next day, Leah and I went on a shopping mission to find some nice lotion in Miraflores. We shopped for hours, I was exhausted, and we never found any... weird since all the women here always smell really good. Then I got home to La Punta and found some in a little store that I pass by literally every day. I scored some presents for my host family too- new flip-flops for Vaughn since his had holes in them, and a doll called "niño de la espina" for Pochi, which consists of Jesus as a tot, sitting down and crying because there is a splinter in his bleeding foot. Ahhh, Catholicism. Although Pochi is not inherently Catholic, she does go to church on Sundays and adores the baby Jesus.
Yesterday was definitely an exciting day! I´m sure you all heard about the giant earthquake in Japan, and the ensuing tsunami. Well that tsunami was also headed to the west coast of the Americas. Where I am staying, La Punta, we are surrounded by water. I mean, I can stand on one of the main streets and see water both the left and right of me, about 2 blocks away in each direction. That being said, I gladly evacuated with Pochi. Around 5pm we left La Punta for higher ground in Bella, at her parents house. Vaughn decided to stay home and "guard the apartment", which Pochi had the foresight to predict- having been through 2 hurricanes and an earthquake with him. She and I spent the evening hanging with 17-year-old Stefanya, who's family has known and worked with Pochi's family for years. Her father Miguel Ángel is our regular "taxista", and her mother does in-home care for Pochi's mom. Additionally, I was able to watch TV in english for the first time in almost a month.
Waking up today I felt refreshed, and Pochi and I headed to the market in Callao to pick up a couple dresses of mine. One I had requested be made after Bibi inspired me to do so with her dress projects, and the other was a strapless one I brought in to put straps on. When we arrived, we proceeded to watch the seamstress search her shop high and low, as well as track down another client, to try to find the dress I brought in. This was about the 4th or 5th time that Pochi and I had been to see her about dresses, and we were pretty over it. I thought I had lost the dress forever. Pochi advised the seamstress that if the dress was in fact gone, she would have to make me a new one- in less than 5 hours. We returned around 4pm and alas, a woman had returned it who had taken it home on accident. Whew! and the dress is like new, with beautiful straps that will allow me to dance without fear of flashing an entire club.
Tonight, Ramon arrives! Finally! We have both been so excited! And he has had an insanely stressful last few weeks. He had to finish finals early to get here in time for Machu Picchu, as well as move to LA, plus prepare for the trip! ¡Ay, Díos mío! Luckily for him, I have booked us an amazingly luxurious hotel for tomorrow night, and have beautified in preparation for his arrival... well, I got my nails done and shaved my legs- for me that´s a big deal!
On Monday we leave for Cuzco, and begin our trek for Machu Picchu on Wednesday. The next time I write I will most likely be exhausted from the journey. Until then, much love to my peeps! Say hello to California spring for me! Muchos besitos!!!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Olas largas
Returned yesterday from Puerto Chicama where I rode the longest left wave ever! The only sad part is that they were only about waist high. However it was very beautiful and I know I would like to go back when there is a swell, to experience near mile long waves! Eric was a really fun travel partner and he was very appreciative of my translating skills.
Today I spent the day with my Peruvian family and we went to Barranco, a really beautiful neighborhood in Lima. I forgot to take blog-friendly photos in Chicama, so I will post some from today. Tomorrow we are going to a BBQ at a friend´s house, and hopefully go out in Barranco!
BTW, I am writing down recipes for Peruvian dishes, yay! Today I had Tacú Tacú con Pescado, which is a beans and rice dish with fish... photos to come! MMMMMMMMM!
Today I spent the day with my Peruvian family and we went to Barranco, a really beautiful neighborhood in Lima. I forgot to take blog-friendly photos in Chicama, so I will post some from today. Tomorrow we are going to a BBQ at a friend´s house, and hopefully go out in Barranco!
BTW, I am writing down recipes for Peruvian dishes, yay! Today I had Tacú Tacú con Pescado, which is a beans and rice dish with fish... photos to come! MMMMMMMMM!
Monday, February 28, 2011
I haven´t posted in awhile, so there is much to talk about! Eric, a friend of Bibi´s and Ramon´s whom I have somehow never met, arrived about 4 days ago, and so began my surf exploration of Peru.
We went to Playa Makaja near Miraflores (in Lima) and scored a few mushy but decent sized waves. After jumping off my first good wave, I came up out of the water, forgetting to cover my head- and got dinged with my heavy wooden surfboard. It didn´t hurt very much so I brushed it off and continued my session. A few moments later Eric came over and informed me that I had blood dripping down my face. ¡Coño! Still I didn´t let it stop me. I finished my session and went in to warm up on the rocky beach. When I got to the tent where we rented our boards and suits, two young women there kindly attended to my hound ("herida"). The first gave me a napkin, and the second got ice for me from a nearby vendor. As I stood there with a napkin in one hand and a cup of ice in the other (half of which I had already spilled), debating whether to finish taking off my springsuit first or stop the bleeding- the second girl finally said "ya" and carefully dried and iced my eye until the bleeding stopped. This is what I love about Peruvians: they see someone in need and they help them, without even knowing your name.
That evening (Friday) was our planned "big night out." Bibi´s cousin, Carlos Alberto (who is actually a childhood friend who´s mom went to school with Pochi), instructed a friend of his who lives in La Punta to meet us outside our apartment. Franco, a lanky, blue-eyed native of La Punta, graciously met us at the corner of Grau and Larco streets. From there we shared a taxi (Bibi, Eric, Franco and I) to Luis ALberto´s (Carlos Alberto´s brother) apartment in the fancy business district of Lima called Miraflores. Luis Alberto´s apartment was very modern with lots of windows and a rooftop patio.
Luis and Carlos Alberto were grilling fish and steak when we arrived, and we shared several 4-packs of beer with their group of friends, which consisted only of men until an hour later- when the well-dressed and definitely sassy girls arrived. Another hour went by before we finally made it out the door to head to the club. Bibi and I were fortunate enough to ride in one of the girls´car- complete with champagne during the drive- while the boys shared a taxi. (Sidenote: during the girls only car ride I learned how to say "suck it!" in spanish... "chúpaselo!" ahh the pleasure of profanity- the universal language.)
The club was actually on the first floor of a very fancy (complete with a KFC) 2 story mall. We went in about midnight- no cover charge, no ID check, just a bag check- and didn´t leave until about 5am. The evening´s music began with pretty bad techno (including a remake of a Dirty Dancing song), and concluded with local favorites lika Shakira and various other latin american musicians. I watched carefull and realized I could dance without moving too much and kind of look like I fit in. Luckily I paced myself, not wanting a repeat of the weekend before, when I stayed in bed all day Sunday, getting up only to use the bathroom and eat soup.
We ended up sleeping at Luis Alberto´s apartment, and Bibi and I scored 1 of only 3 beds, while Eric took the couch and Franco the floor. Although we only slept a few hours, I felt refreshed in the mornig as we made our way back to La Punta.
Bibi, Pochi, and Vaughn went to the Abuela´s house for her 83rd birthday while Eric and I rested and showered. On our first solo micro (small public bus) adventure, we met the LeClair family about 15 minutes from the house. From there we headed to downtown Lima for a visit to the new "water park," although it´s not the water park that you´re thinking of, with slides and Breaker Beach. This park has a series of water fountains illuminated by colored lights. We got there right at sunset which made for some sweet photos. We also saw a show od one of the largest fountains that had laser beam graphics shot through the water. Era muy bonita.
Immediately after the show, we picked ourselves up off the ground where we were sitting, to stretch our legs. Eric also needed to stretch his lower back, so he was bent over for a couple minutes. I noticed a small family standing directly behind him and being typically short as Peruvians are, were almost eye level with his rear end. Thankfully they didn´t stare, but they certainly noticed the gringo derrier close to their faces. They graciously ignored the situation and only briefly glanced from the fountain to his ass a couple of times. All of this passes in about 30 seconds and when it was over I took one look at Bibi and knew she had witnessed the scenario as I did. It was only a matter of seconds before we were laughing hysterically, while poor Eric stood there with a confused look on his face. We tried explaining the situation, but it just didn´t seem as funny to him. Thanks, Eric, for that bit of comedy that continues to make me laugh even as I type.
Leaving the park we knew we needed to eat, but finding "dinner" in Peru is problematic because lunch is the main meal of the day. We scored, thanks to Vaughn, and I had my first- and probably best- "chicharron" at a restaurant calle "El Chinito" ("the little chinaman"). This sandwich is made of sliced, roasted pork, sliced yam-like potato, and grilled onions with spices and spicy chunks of hot pepper. With a little mayo and mustard...mmmmmmmmm ¡Que rico! I ate it like an animal! We returned to the house full and content, and crashed out hard after watching a DVD.
Yesterday we got to have lunch with the family at the Racing Club ("rah-ceeng cloob") where we had barbequed pork chops with chimichurri, baked potaoes with cheese sauce, corn on the cob, and fresh tomatoes with lime juice salad dressing. MMMMMMMM! I LOVE Peruvian food- lots of garlic, onions, spice, and cilantro. Afterwards Eric and I went to a small bar so he could try a Pisco Sour. The owners were very friendly, and made the drinks so strong (which is typical) that I was beet faced halfway through, and couldn´t finish it.
As we planned earlier (which is a mission in Latin America), Eric and I had the family taxi driver, Miguel Angel, pick us up around 8pm to head to the Cruz del Sur bus station. From there we took an overnight, coche-cama bus to Trujillo in the north, where we then took another bus to Puerto Chicama. Waiting for the second bus was hilarious; we were at the corner of a busy intersection where buses were constantly passing by for pickups and dropoffs. Our first 2 El Dorado buses to Puerto Chicama were full, and the bus stop attendant told us "you have to run!" ("¡Tienen que correr!" When we finally saw another El DOrado bus, we hauled ass to get on almost before it stopped, and behind us the attendant shouted "that´s how you run!" (¿Así is como corren!)
About an hour later we arrived in Puerto Chicama- home of the longest left hand wave in the world. Within 2 hours of arriving, we were in the water after checking into the hostel "El Hombre." And here we are- whew! Sorry for the long post, I had some catching up to do!!! Pictures yet to come! I love you allll!!!!!!!!
We went to Playa Makaja near Miraflores (in Lima) and scored a few mushy but decent sized waves. After jumping off my first good wave, I came up out of the water, forgetting to cover my head- and got dinged with my heavy wooden surfboard. It didn´t hurt very much so I brushed it off and continued my session. A few moments later Eric came over and informed me that I had blood dripping down my face. ¡Coño! Still I didn´t let it stop me. I finished my session and went in to warm up on the rocky beach. When I got to the tent where we rented our boards and suits, two young women there kindly attended to my hound ("herida"). The first gave me a napkin, and the second got ice for me from a nearby vendor. As I stood there with a napkin in one hand and a cup of ice in the other (half of which I had already spilled), debating whether to finish taking off my springsuit first or stop the bleeding- the second girl finally said "ya" and carefully dried and iced my eye until the bleeding stopped. This is what I love about Peruvians: they see someone in need and they help them, without even knowing your name.
That evening (Friday) was our planned "big night out." Bibi´s cousin, Carlos Alberto (who is actually a childhood friend who´s mom went to school with Pochi), instructed a friend of his who lives in La Punta to meet us outside our apartment. Franco, a lanky, blue-eyed native of La Punta, graciously met us at the corner of Grau and Larco streets. From there we shared a taxi (Bibi, Eric, Franco and I) to Luis ALberto´s (Carlos Alberto´s brother) apartment in the fancy business district of Lima called Miraflores. Luis Alberto´s apartment was very modern with lots of windows and a rooftop patio.
Luis and Carlos Alberto were grilling fish and steak when we arrived, and we shared several 4-packs of beer with their group of friends, which consisted only of men until an hour later- when the well-dressed and definitely sassy girls arrived. Another hour went by before we finally made it out the door to head to the club. Bibi and I were fortunate enough to ride in one of the girls´car- complete with champagne during the drive- while the boys shared a taxi. (Sidenote: during the girls only car ride I learned how to say "suck it!" in spanish... "chúpaselo!" ahh the pleasure of profanity- the universal language.)
The club was actually on the first floor of a very fancy (complete with a KFC) 2 story mall. We went in about midnight- no cover charge, no ID check, just a bag check- and didn´t leave until about 5am. The evening´s music began with pretty bad techno (including a remake of a Dirty Dancing song), and concluded with local favorites lika Shakira and various other latin american musicians. I watched carefull and realized I could dance without moving too much and kind of look like I fit in. Luckily I paced myself, not wanting a repeat of the weekend before, when I stayed in bed all day Sunday, getting up only to use the bathroom and eat soup.
We ended up sleeping at Luis Alberto´s apartment, and Bibi and I scored 1 of only 3 beds, while Eric took the couch and Franco the floor. Although we only slept a few hours, I felt refreshed in the mornig as we made our way back to La Punta.
Bibi, Pochi, and Vaughn went to the Abuela´s house for her 83rd birthday while Eric and I rested and showered. On our first solo micro (small public bus) adventure, we met the LeClair family about 15 minutes from the house. From there we headed to downtown Lima for a visit to the new "water park," although it´s not the water park that you´re thinking of, with slides and Breaker Beach. This park has a series of water fountains illuminated by colored lights. We got there right at sunset which made for some sweet photos. We also saw a show od one of the largest fountains that had laser beam graphics shot through the water. Era muy bonita.
Immediately after the show, we picked ourselves up off the ground where we were sitting, to stretch our legs. Eric also needed to stretch his lower back, so he was bent over for a couple minutes. I noticed a small family standing directly behind him and being typically short as Peruvians are, were almost eye level with his rear end. Thankfully they didn´t stare, but they certainly noticed the gringo derrier close to their faces. They graciously ignored the situation and only briefly glanced from the fountain to his ass a couple of times. All of this passes in about 30 seconds and when it was over I took one look at Bibi and knew she had witnessed the scenario as I did. It was only a matter of seconds before we were laughing hysterically, while poor Eric stood there with a confused look on his face. We tried explaining the situation, but it just didn´t seem as funny to him. Thanks, Eric, for that bit of comedy that continues to make me laugh even as I type.
Leaving the park we knew we needed to eat, but finding "dinner" in Peru is problematic because lunch is the main meal of the day. We scored, thanks to Vaughn, and I had my first- and probably best- "chicharron" at a restaurant calle "El Chinito" ("the little chinaman"). This sandwich is made of sliced, roasted pork, sliced yam-like potato, and grilled onions with spices and spicy chunks of hot pepper. With a little mayo and mustard...mmmmmmmmm ¡Que rico! I ate it like an animal! We returned to the house full and content, and crashed out hard after watching a DVD.
Yesterday we got to have lunch with the family at the Racing Club ("rah-ceeng cloob") where we had barbequed pork chops with chimichurri, baked potaoes with cheese sauce, corn on the cob, and fresh tomatoes with lime juice salad dressing. MMMMMMMM! I LOVE Peruvian food- lots of garlic, onions, spice, and cilantro. Afterwards Eric and I went to a small bar so he could try a Pisco Sour. The owners were very friendly, and made the drinks so strong (which is typical) that I was beet faced halfway through, and couldn´t finish it.
As we planned earlier (which is a mission in Latin America), Eric and I had the family taxi driver, Miguel Angel, pick us up around 8pm to head to the Cruz del Sur bus station. From there we took an overnight, coche-cama bus to Trujillo in the north, where we then took another bus to Puerto Chicama. Waiting for the second bus was hilarious; we were at the corner of a busy intersection where buses were constantly passing by for pickups and dropoffs. Our first 2 El Dorado buses to Puerto Chicama were full, and the bus stop attendant told us "you have to run!" ("¡Tienen que correr!" When we finally saw another El DOrado bus, we hauled ass to get on almost before it stopped, and behind us the attendant shouted "that´s how you run!" (¿Así is como corren!)
About an hour later we arrived in Puerto Chicama- home of the longest left hand wave in the world. Within 2 hours of arriving, we were in the water after checking into the hostel "El Hombre." And here we are- whew! Sorry for the long post, I had some catching up to do!!! Pictures yet to come! I love you allll!!!!!!!!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Viene el sol
I posted some photos below- I guess I´ll need to make them smaller!
Bibi, Pochi, Vaughn and I went to downtown Lima yesterday- sensory overload to say the least! Crowds of people were shopping and eating and chillin in a huge plaza surrounded by government palaces..er...housing. We also visited a huge department store that used to be a bank- complete with marble flooring and looming columns.
Today the sun came out so I went to the rocky beach and enjoyed watching the locals enjoy their Saturday. It´s surprisingly cool here in La Punta, with a near-constant ocean breeze. When the sun is out however, I can feel my tan coming on!
Currently I await the return of the family from a visit with Grandma so we can eat lunch. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day here, and it´s normal to not really eat dinner. Yesterday for lunch I had rice with deliciously seasoned ground beef and a fried plantain. MMMMMMM! Sorry Eric, I don´t know how well the food will travel!
Until next time- cheers!
Bibi, Pochi, Vaughn and I went to downtown Lima yesterday- sensory overload to say the least! Crowds of people were shopping and eating and chillin in a huge plaza surrounded by government palaces..er...housing. We also visited a huge department store that used to be a bank- complete with marble flooring and looming columns.
Today the sun came out so I went to the rocky beach and enjoyed watching the locals enjoy their Saturday. It´s surprisingly cool here in La Punta, with a near-constant ocean breeze. When the sun is out however, I can feel my tan coming on!
Currently I await the return of the family from a visit with Grandma so we can eat lunch. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day here, and it´s normal to not really eat dinner. Yesterday for lunch I had rice with deliciously seasoned ground beef and a fried plantain. MMMMMMM! Sorry Eric, I don´t know how well the food will travel!
Until next time- cheers!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Journey
¡Hola a todos!
I have been in Peru only one day and it already feels like a lifetime! I departed Oceanside, Ca at about 9am yesterday, after missing the train I was originally supposed to catch. That left me at LA´s Union Station at 1115am- 15 minutes before I was supposed to be at the airport. Luckily the shuttle bus left promptly at 1130 and there wasn´t much traffic to LAX. Lines, lines, and more lines, however, got me to my gate right as they began boarding (whew!). I landed a middle seat between a Mexican businessman and a Korean kid who only woke up long enough to drink a beer.
The Mexico City airport was grandiose to say the least, and much nicer than LAX! I enjoyed my 4 hours there (after 2 bag searches) in the typical American fashion- with a burger and a beer in Chili´s Too. They had awesome classic music videos on like ¨YMCA¨and ¨Strangers in the Night¨- good times!
The second flight went off without a hitch, despite some disturbing rattling and banging noises as we took off. We arrived promptly at 650am and Bibi´s dad was waiting at the snack booth in a Detroit Red Wings hat as promised.
Since my arrival I have had the pleasure of getting to know Bibi´s (Yvette´s) parents, Vaughn and Pochi. They have fed me and given me a tour of La Punta, which is a beautiful and almost utopian town reminiscent of Cadiz, Spain. Vaughn has some fantastic stories ranging anywhere from local politics to life as a kid in Detroit, Michigan. Funny that my whole extended family is from Michigan- ¡pequeño mundo!
That being said, I am safe, well fed, and loving Peru already! Bibi arrives at midnight tonight and I am excited at the ventures we will embark on.
Much love to all my peeps!!!
I have been in Peru only one day and it already feels like a lifetime! I departed Oceanside, Ca at about 9am yesterday, after missing the train I was originally supposed to catch. That left me at LA´s Union Station at 1115am- 15 minutes before I was supposed to be at the airport. Luckily the shuttle bus left promptly at 1130 and there wasn´t much traffic to LAX. Lines, lines, and more lines, however, got me to my gate right as they began boarding (whew!). I landed a middle seat between a Mexican businessman and a Korean kid who only woke up long enough to drink a beer.
The Mexico City airport was grandiose to say the least, and much nicer than LAX! I enjoyed my 4 hours there (after 2 bag searches) in the typical American fashion- with a burger and a beer in Chili´s Too. They had awesome classic music videos on like ¨YMCA¨and ¨Strangers in the Night¨- good times!
The second flight went off without a hitch, despite some disturbing rattling and banging noises as we took off. We arrived promptly at 650am and Bibi´s dad was waiting at the snack booth in a Detroit Red Wings hat as promised.
Since my arrival I have had the pleasure of getting to know Bibi´s (Yvette´s) parents, Vaughn and Pochi. They have fed me and given me a tour of La Punta, which is a beautiful and almost utopian town reminiscent of Cadiz, Spain. Vaughn has some fantastic stories ranging anywhere from local politics to life as a kid in Detroit, Michigan. Funny that my whole extended family is from Michigan- ¡pequeño mundo!
That being said, I am safe, well fed, and loving Peru already! Bibi arrives at midnight tonight and I am excited at the ventures we will embark on.
Much love to all my peeps!!!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Antes del viaje...
First blog post for South America trip! Super excited! Preparation has been thorough- from completing my taxes to finishing a documentary I've been working on for Outdoor Outreach (will post that eventually).
I leave this Thursday for San Diego to visit Ramon and other sorely missed friends. Then on Feb. 16th I leave from LAX to Lima, Peru via Mexico City. The emotions passing through my system right now run the gamut- anxious, excited, nervous, ecstatic, apprehensive, fortunate... any aspect of the human condition that you can name I've probably felt in that last 2 weeks.
I really look forward to hanging with Bibi and her family in Peru, and doing a mountain adventure journey with Jess and Ramon in Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. I wish everyone I knew could join us! You all will be with us in spirit, however, as I will be thinking of you constantly!
Now back to preparation! It's a sunny day here in Rough and Ready- great weather for getting things accomplished!
I leave this Thursday for San Diego to visit Ramon and other sorely missed friends. Then on Feb. 16th I leave from LAX to Lima, Peru via Mexico City. The emotions passing through my system right now run the gamut- anxious, excited, nervous, ecstatic, apprehensive, fortunate... any aspect of the human condition that you can name I've probably felt in that last 2 weeks.
I really look forward to hanging with Bibi and her family in Peru, and doing a mountain adventure journey with Jess and Ramon in Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. I wish everyone I knew could join us! You all will be with us in spirit, however, as I will be thinking of you constantly!
Now back to preparation! It's a sunny day here in Rough and Ready- great weather for getting things accomplished!
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