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!
Friday, April 29, 2011
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!!!
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