Got back to Santiago last night after the weekend in Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. Vastly preferred the former. Viña is just a wanna-be-LA modern beach town replete with endless high rises. But Valparaiso? Such a cool experience. To think that my friends and I ate lomo saltado, choclo de pastel vegetariano and fried plantains in a neighborhood restaurant called Valparaiso for years without realizing what a cool place Valpo is.
Anywhoooo… I am now in the middle of booking my entire trip through Chile. Basically, I plan to get a car up north by the Bolivian/Peruvian border and to slowly cruise all the way to the end of the world. Kinda like I did in Namibia, So. Africa, Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, Vancouver Island… I am so excited about my itinerary.
After my classes today, I went to Hertz to enquire about car rental. I visited a few cell companies to inquire about coverage around the country. I went to a travel agent to see if I can pick their brain about my itinerary. None of these visits were particularly fruitful but at least I got to practice my Spanish.
Then, to unwind, I went to Santa Lucia, this lovely little hill with a gorgeous park built in circular levels with fountains, statues, little churches and the like. A sweet oasis in the middle of a super busy city. My first few days in Santiago was akin to the spring weather in Oakland, CA but today the temperature were over is 30 C (mid 80’s). Still, you walk around a scorching city, you look over the buildings and the Andes surrounding the Chilean capital are still covered in snow.
And back to my Spanish, it is sometimes totally freakin fluent and sometimes I am having trouble putting a sentence together. I think my brain tires quickly when speaking Spanish. I suppose it is a matter of practice. Funny thing: when I feel tired, I start mixing in Arabic words. Doh! – Nov 19
Vagabonding Zwindling 