Pictures of Mendoza, Santiago, Vina Del Mar, and Valparaiso

Here are some pictures from my Spring Break


Viña Del Mar, Chile

Valparaíso, Chile 

 

Santiago, Chile

 views of Santiago from San Cristobal Hill-
      San Cristobal Hill is a place where many Chileans go to the top very often! There are tons of bikers and walkers going up at all times! When you get to the top it's nice to enjoy a nice Mote con Huesillo.

Wine Tasting in Mendoza, Argentina

Catching up

Hi followers!
 I am sorry I´ve been so bad at posting, I am really going to try to post more but I think when I got to Buenos Aires I had so much to get accustomed to and then there was too much to write about! Right now I am going to write about my Spring break which I am just finishing.

I went to Mendoza really quick but I didn't do very much because I had to finish my paper that was due during Spring break.
The highlight of Mendoza was this:
I went to the bus station from my hostel to buy my ticket for Santiago and then I accidentally went on the bus going the opposite direction (or something like that) to try to get back to my hostel. To the bus station it was only about a 15 minute bus ride but after about 40 minutes went by I was just thinking "I´ve been paying attention.. the stop has to be soon since I've been on the bus for so long!" We were in the middle of the country outside of the main center of Mendoza (which is the touristy area) and I was looking around very confused. Then, about an hour into the ride we stopped at this little place in the middle of the country where they park the buses when they aren't active and everyone got off the bus. I went to the driver and I explained that I don't think we passed my stop and then he told me I went on the wrong bus. The two drivers that were there told me we were very far from my hostel, so I couldn't really walk. So then one of the drivers said he could drive me home in his own car on the way home if I waited until he got off work for about a half hour. I didn't have very many options so I was just hanging out at this little bus station with these two drivers, quite the adventure. But I got home safe and sound after he drove me about 30 minutes home!

After I finally finished my paper me and my two friends from my program got on our bus to Santiago. The travel was quite the adventure because we were stuck at the border for 4 hours because these three ladies were trying to bring about 10 bags of carne through. There was tons of bus drama in Spanish and almost fights with these ladies but we made it.

 In Santiago, we met a group of four who were our roommates from France who were backpacking through who were cool. They were really the first group I had met from France while backpacking, so it was interesting! French is a very pretty language, maybe I´ll learn a little after I finish learning Spanish some day!
    Most of the time while I was in Santiago I hungout with my friends from Santiago who I had met in Cusco. The first real night we had they picked us up and we all hungout and caught up. Another night, I went to one of their friend's house and I met a bunch more Chileans. They all looked so classy because everyone was really well dressed and then they would come in and kiss everyone on the cheek(including me even though they had no idea who I was) which I love, but I am totally not used to it and I am kindof awkward. The next days I hungout with my two best chilean friends and they took me to see Valparaiso and Vina del Mar which was so fun. They are right next to eachother about an hour and a half away from Santiago.Vina del Mar is a vacation beach town and Valparaiso is an arsty town full of graffiti and character. One of my friends drove and we went to a nice three course seafood place in Vina del Mar and I tried the classic Chilean fish soup which was reallyy delicioso. Vina del Mar is so pretty and they told me that's where they usually go during the summer, I wish I could be here to go!  After, we checked into our hostel and walked around Valparaiso and it was interesting all the beautiful graffiti they had covering every street. Valparaiso is hilly, like San Francisco, and very colorful. My friends made me dinner and got a nice bottle of wine and it was a really fun night. They are so funny, I really always enjoy my time with them!
  The next day, I met one of my friend's grandmother who lives in Valparaiso and she lives in a classic looking beautiful house with an open center. My friend told me his uncles live upstairs from her, which is very common in Chile, and other Latin countries. I thought that that was so nice, because she is always surrounded by her family and they take care of her. I love when cultures are family oriented and take care of their parents and grandparents. Even him visiting her I thought was a little unlike what it would be like in the United States, but I think that is a great quality of Chilean culture. She brought us tons of treats and coffee and sandwiches and his uncle was there with her.
   I was supposed to leave that day in the afternoon but the border was closed and there is a long distance bus strike in Buenos Aires so I couldn't. I went to the bus station the next day and returned my ticket and got a ticket to Mendoza so I would at least be about 10 hours (including the border) closer to home in Buenos Aires. I then spent the rest of the day walking around Santiago because it was an absolutely beautiful and sunny day out. I went to the Museo de Bellas Artes and walked up San Cristobal Hill for the second time this trip. San Cristobal Hill has a view of all of Santiago and it is very popular for Chileans to go up all the time. Two of my friends from Santiago bike up there almost everyday! When I was walking around Santiago I was just thinking about how much I love it there. I don't know what makes it so different from Buenos Aires but I really love it. People keep on asking me what my favorite city is that I have visited which I can never answer because each one of them is so different and unique. I do really love Peru but Santiago is the only city I've visited that I could actually see myself living in. The only thing is that it is very expensive! My friends came to say bye to me yesterday and one of them is for sure visiting me in Buenos Aires in a few weeks but the other ones might not. I unexpectantly felt really sad because I realized I had no idea when or even if I would ever see them again. I really love them all and they are great people, but I guess that is something that comes with traveling! One of them walked me to my busand I gave both of them huge hugs goodbye. I will always have a special place in my heart for Chile
 Now I am back in Mendoza, waiting for the bus strike to end. 

Santiago and Mendoza

Santiago, Chile

Centro

  At the bus station in Santiago there was the English guy I had met on my tour and I met another English couple at the bus station and we all ended up staying at the same hostel. I then spent the day walking around the main centro with the couple from England. The centro has a European feel and has many people playing chess and spending the day there. Santiago really made me feel the South American summer because it was so hot and I did not have any clothes for the warm weather!

Hula Hooper

   In Chile, there are many street performers that will perform while cars are stopped at a stop light and then will go around and see if anyone will give them a few dollars. It's pretty entertaining and I've never seen anything like it. I've seen stunts, hula hooping, jugglers, and tricks with fire!

     The next day I saw the changing of the guards ceremony for the first time which I thought was really interesting since we don't have anything like it in the United States. I realized at this time that I think when someone is traveling it is very important to not view everything in ethnocentric manner. In my opinion, this means to be present in the country you are visiting and try to not compare things to home because I do not think it should be a competition. Cultures are different, no one is better than an other and that's what makes the world so interesting to travel. I heard someone compare the changing of the guards to his country's changing of the guards and he said how disappointed he was and so on (this is just one example I have heard these types of comments many times), and I think that is the kind of situation to take a step back and appreciate the culture's differences. Just the anthropology major in me speaking. But, I also gained an appreciation for traveling alone because I think it would be very hard to find the perfect travel partner and someone who wants to get all the same things out of the culture as you and do all the same things as you. I love the freedom of traveling alone because I could spend a day with someone doing something but the next day if I want to do something that person doesn't I am free to without feeling guilty.

View from San Cristobal Hill

At the top of San Cristobal Hill

Top of San Cristobal Hill

Mote de Huesillo

    So after I spent the morning getting lost with this English man from my tour who would not accept that the museum was not where is tour guide book said it was, I decided I was ready to meet up with my friend from Santiago who I had met in Mancora, Peru. My friend showed me around Santiago and took me to San Cristobal Hill and told me to try a popular drink in Chile called Mote de Huesillo. Mote de Huesillo is made with a grain and cooked peaches. There are little stands all over Santiago selling Mote de Huesillo, it's pretty sweet but it was definitely refreshing in the Santiago summer heat. After, we went to help my friends friend buy stuff for his apartment and then we had a typical Chilean late dinner at almost 11 of eggs and bread.  Being shown around Santiago by a local was so cool and fun and I definitely think this day will be a day I will never forget.
   The next day I walked back to Providencia, through Barrio Lastarria and the many parks in Santiago, which is really pretty. The parks are full of people laying in them and enjoying ice cream and eachother's company.I think there is a lot you can appreciate when getting lost in a city. This was the day that I fell in love with Santiago. Santiago reminds me of a pretty clean and upscale part of northeastern city.
    At night, I went to the Venezuelan couple from San Pedro de Atacama's apartment and spent the evening with them, the Brazilians I met in San Pedro, and their other Venezuelan friends. We spent the evening talking and they told me all about Venezuela and Dubai (which is where they are moving to). Venezuela has more of a Carribbean vibe apparently and Salsa is very popular there. There, I tried Choripan for the first time which is a small thick sausage with bread. It was really good!

Mendoza, Argentina

Wine Country

    The next day was my last day in Santiago which I also spent just walking around and enjoying the town and then I was headed to Mendoza for a day. At my hostel before I left for Mendoza I met a few Israeli soldiers who were also headed to Mendoza so I shared a cab with them and met up with them in Mendoza. I spent the day walking around the town of Mendoza with them and their girl friends from Israel and we made fried rice with chicken for lunch. It was a really quick trip and I definitely want to go back because I had to leave that night for Buenos Aires!