Santiago

As we were having our last stroll down Cerro Concepcion a gentleman stopped us on the street. It was our waiter from our first meal in Valparaiso. He recognized us. He gave Jimmy a handshake and gave me cheek kisses. He asked us about our trip and we sadly had to tell him this was our last few minutes in Valpo. He smile and wished us well.

I waved goodbye to our room and our little hotel then it was off to Santiago. It takes a little over an hour from Valpo to Santiago. We passed by both vineyards we had visited on Saturday.

As we made our way into the city limits we quickly knew that Valpo and Santiago were quite different from each other. More or less...old world charm to urban city.

First we said goodbye to Valpo and next we parted with Jose. He waived to us as he drove away. I know he must see tourists everyday. I hope he realizes the impression he made on us and each one of his customers. It was sad to see him go. He was a great tour guide.

Our new residence was immense. A round hotel with resort like pools and palm trees. Luxurious rooms with a large marble bathroom suite and a two level room. First level had our bed and the second (lower level) had a sitting room. Saving the best for last....our room had large windows and a panoramic view of the Andes. I could not keep my eyes off them. They are huge, snow-covered and beautiful.

We ventured down to the lobby. Everything about Santiago seemed opposite from Valpo. Big buildings, no ocean, lots of people, busy roads. It also wasn't just Jimmy and I anymore. We had joined the conference.

Santiago kind of reminded me of a larger Miami (no ocean of course). Jimmy said it reminded him of LA.

In the lobby we found Ben and John who were looking for a place to eat lunch. We ventured to downtown Santiago to Plaza de Armas. Basically, a very large pedestrian center with a market, shopping, statues, churches and governmental buildings.

We decided to eat lunch at Don Agusto. I had fish, Chilean Sea Bass. Oh, have I mentioned that I ate seafood each day of my trip. Glad I am not allergic. We also had Pisco Sours, which is a local controversial drink. Chile claims it to be their own and Peru disagrees. Not sure who is right on this but the drink is good and that is all that matters to me.

Pisco is a liqueur made from grapes. It smells a little like tequila. They offer it to you at most every restaurant you go to. When it was offered I generally accepted. =) The sour is made with Pisco, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg whites. Mix, shake with ice and pour.

On Monday the conference had started for Jimmy so I was on my own. Two other spouses joined me for a day on the town. Sarah, Jen and I had a wonderful day. We ventured to Cerro Santa Lucia. Which is a rocky hill in the middle of town. It was actually where the town was named in 1540 and also was visited by Charles Darwin.

We rode the subway, walked a lot. We walked so much that Sarah had to buy new shoes. I am very proud to say that I can order shoes in Spanish. She didn't know the size to ask for but from my high school spanish class i could remember the number 39 (european sizes). My dad says that I have never met a shoe I didn't like. Now my new mission is to learn how to ask for shoes in any language.

After buying shoes we were starving. We couldn't find a place to eat and finally wandered into a restaurant only to find out we were eating chinese food. Oh well, I don't think we wanted Chinese when we were in Chile but when you can't read any signs and you are starving anything will do.

They spoke no english in the restaurant and the menu wasn't translated as it was in many places. The three of us pondered over the menu and saw the choices of pollo or carne, primevera (egg rolls) or wantons, made our choice and hoped for the best. The food was good and we were happy.

Monday night we went to the Ox for dinner. It was a good steak place and at the end of the night each table was served cotton candy. Yes, you read this correctly, the restaurant served pink cotton candy on plates. We all stared at it and then devoured all of it. It was quite funny. I have never seen that before.

Getting to Ox was another story. Lane chose the restaurant b/c the concierge recommended it. He (the concierge) drew us a map but carelessly put the hotel on the wrong side of the road so we got very lost walking to it. Finally, after 20 minutes of walking we got cabs. 3 cabs for 12 people. This wasn't good. Two cabs made it to the restaurant and one cab did not and they got lost. The lost cab gave up and chose another place to eat.

Tuesday, Jimmy had to attend a few sessions in the morning and then we were headed to Los Domincos. A public market with local arts and crafts. It was very nice and our group bought lots of souvenirs. For lunch with ate outside in the middle of the market. We all had beer and empanadas. I had baked cheese and meat empanadas and Jimmy did too. It was like a dream. Eating outside with friends with the Andes in the background.

That night for dinner we ate at Como Aqua Para Chocolate (like water for chocolate). Jimmy and I shared shrimp, steak and chicken fajitas and I had a pisco sour.

Wednesday was our last full day in Santiago. Jimmy and I rode the funicular up to Cerro San Cristobal and saw the large Virgin Mary statue. Quite impressive. Almost surreal. It was so pretty. As we walked up to see her they played Silent Night. She was beautiful against the blue sky.

After that we went to Cerro Santa Lucia. I had seen this with the girls on Monday and really wanted Jimmy to see it as well.

That night we had Thai food with Lane and Jennifer. Then had after dinner drinks with John, Erin and Lee.

Thursday was a packing up day. Jimmy and I walked to some shops near the hotel and luckily ran into Charles and Margaret Peacock (from NCSU). We ended up eating lunch with them at La Chimba (Chilean food).

Around 4pm we headed the airport. Goodbye hotel, goodbye mountains, goodbye Santiago.

The airport was busy. It was also neat to be flying back with several people we both knew. There are only three US flights in and out of Santiago per day. Arrivals in the morning and departures at night. Many of the conference goers were on our flight.

As the plane took off I was sitting at the window and could see all the lights of Santiago. As the time passed they got smaller and smaller then diminished. Goodbye Chile....

Three flights later as we sat on the tarmac in Madison I looked at Jimmy and said with a smile.."Where to next?"