Travel in Chile: Valparaiso & the beaches

Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. Cousin cities and both worth knowing. 

Just 1.5 - 2 hours away from the polluted, crowded streets of Santiago, Chile and you can be laying on the beaches of Viña del Mar, soaking in the sun from November - early March. And drinking a Pisco Sour with a view of the ocean and incredible coastline. 

Just hop on a bus from Santiago for less than $10 round-trip and you'll get a nice South American tan. Avoid rush hour traffic from 5PM - 7PM or you'll be in the bus for an extra hour (or two). 

Where to Stay? 

Valparaiso. The streets and houses are colorful. There is art everywhere: drawings of the horizon, street art on abandoned buildings and paintings on hostel walls. It is where you want to each ceviche, congrio, sea bass, camarones, ostras, y reinata. People are friendly and a bit silly. Plus, the hostels and B&B options are less expensive than the glamorous Viña. Beware of weird Chileans that want to hug you or take your photo - with their camera and just of you. That's weird and maybe they are trying to pickpocket you. 

Linds, ready for oysters & ceviche? 

The whole city is designed around the cerros, or the mountaintops. The locals don't know street names or cross streets. They know mountaintops. Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion are the two main tourist hilltops. There are centuries-old ascensores that take you from sea-side up the hill. It's like San Fransisco hills but steeper so the walk up can get old after a few times. Lindsey and walked those streets to walk off the Pisco Sours, beers, and fish that we just kept consuming. And we may have gotten turned around in the winding staircases that go on and on like something from a Dr. Seuss book. 

Imagine that walk everyday

We met some rockin' Canadians, eh, at a fun little joint and one Pisco Sour led to many more shared beers, dances and a wine tour at Indomita. 

Want to get wild on the weekends? Go out to the bars and clubs on the main street, Errazuriz, and you'll find something to keep you dancing until 5AM. We went to Casa Negra one night and danced to American hip hop and reggae all night. The camera LOVED us that night - I think we were the only non-Chileans there! But, cheap beer in Chile is worse than Bud Lite. You've been warned. 

We loved the location, price and ambiance of our bed & breakfast, Casa Kultour. It's a chill place with big rooms, nice bathrooms and they organize tours for local vineyards, the cultural points of Valpo and have dance lessons. If they've got rooms available, I'll stay there every time. 

Valparaiso, Chile

Patio of our hostel

The history, culture and sun are waiting for you! 

Streets of Santiago

I walk everywhere. I did the math and I walk about 300 minutes a week. It's a lot, right?

 I walk to meet up with friends, to the La Vega for fruits and vegetables, to the metro or to the mall.

Walking the stairs in Valparaiso, Chile

You get it. I walk a LOT. About 15 - 18 miles in a week. So, what's it like to walk in a city of 6 million people? The better question would be, "How many times a day do you hear sweet nothings by men in the streets in a day?" Too many to count! 

"Que linda." "Eres muy guapa." "Que preciosa."  "Tu eres muy bonita."  "Linda. Bonita." "Eres una estrella." "Que guapa." 

linda = beautiful

preciosa = precious

bonita = beautiful 

guapa = pretty/beautiful 

Words aren't enough and some Chilean men believe noise will land them a sexy glance from their target. Whistling. Honking. Clucking - yes, like some sort of baby chicken noise.
Has it ever worked? Has a man ever gotten a flirty look back when he cackles at a woman walking down the street? Ever got a number?

The other day I was sweating. A lot. It was SO incredibly hot and my English classes are at lunch time -- my clients say it's their "coffee break."  A taxi driver stuck his head out the window like a dog with his nose out in the fresh air. Apparently sweating is sexy in Santiago. Who knew?

These two love to stick their head out the car window!!!

I honestly thought he was going to cause an accident. "Preciosa." "Linda." "Eres el sol de mi vida."

My roommate, Kelsea, laughs. And I laugh too. She put it well, "When I go back to the US, no one tells me that I'm beautiful and pretty in the street. We feel so gorgeous here. I can go to the fruit market in my pajamas and get attention." 

American Boys: This is your permission to tell Kelsea and me that we are beautiful when we are in the States.

That day, it was just too much. I was sweaty, hot and thirsty and walking to an English class. He almost caused an accident. It's absolutely hilarious. What did I do? I flipped the bird.

Twice that day! Can you believe it? I was so over being called gorgeous, beautiful and pretty that I flipped off two different men - both in cars.

Why is this hilarious? Because nothing actually will happen. These men whistle, whisper positive thoughts and are not shy when checking me out. And they keep walking to wherever they were headed before crossing paths with me. Maybe I'll smile, say gracias or shake my head in disdain. There isn't a fear - like in Chicago - of walking home and being assaulted or raped. Well, there is a growing fear of crime but actual crime stats are not growing.

My lovely and oh-so-great friend Lindsey was visiting me for 10 days and we went to the fish market. Think: Pike's Peak in Seattle but less commercialized and developed. The fish gutter told us we were the most beautiful girls, muy hermosas, and I finally said (in Spanish), "Sorry, you aren't the first one to tell us that today. But, thanks anyway."

His fellow fish gutters thought that was pretty funny. So did we.

Lindsey was in shock the whole time she was visiting me. The catcalls were more culture shock than the Chilean lack of fashion, the tasteless food or the very, very public displays of affection.

In the last 10 days, we were cackled at/whispered to/honked at:

- by a 10 year old boy driving shotgun with his dad
- by at least 5 cars in the streets of Santiago
- walking to the bus station in Pucon, in sweatpants
- sweaty, walking through downtown Santiago
- at the fish market, by the fish gutter
- by the Turiskit guy who said, "You make impressions on me."
- stared at by the candy-seller on the beach in Viña del Mar but we were guarded by a street dog that honestly guarded us by barking at the jerk and circling us. #lovestreetdogs

Chilean Wedding & Gender Equity

Little did I know that I would wake up the next day at 2PM….

My handsome Chilean date, Pablo! 

Dear future husband and wedding planner,

Chileans know how to throw a wedding and here is what I want:

• Bling-bling, hats and rapper video sunglasses for all to wear while dancing.
• Soup served at 3AM is brilliant. Gives an energy boost, revitalizes and replenishes some vitamins from all the drinking. 
• A torta table.
• Appetizers & cocktails outside with a stunning view

Chocolate, 3 Leches, Dulce de Leche and some panqueques too! 

The bride and groom were fabulous! Cote, the bride was stunning and her groom was as happy as could be! They lit up the dance floor well past 4AM.

Let's start with the dance party and work our way backward to the religious ceremony that wasn't all G-rated!

Party Time! Chilean wedding parties go until 5AM. I didn't see any Red Bull or power naps, or any other non-Chilean wedding guest (but there were blonde ladies…) Just Piscolas (Pisco and Coke) in one hand and the occasional picada kept the guests & newlyweds energized. Get this. Imagine yourself dancing to the latest JLo song with some Mardi Gras beads and a silly hat, and a waiter brings out a tray of mini burgers onto the dance floor. Protein boost to fuel 3 more hours of dancing? Genius! 

View of the dining area from the dance floor

Waiters come right into the dance floor, full of inebriated cousins, friends, uncles and aunts, with trays of snacks. Mini burgers around 2AM. French fries at 4AM. All night the Piscolas were flowing from the bar that was right on the dance floor.

Need to take a break from those high heels? Not me! I was smart and wore flats. When friends here told me a Chilean wedding goes until 5AM I knew there was no way in hell I would wear heels. Good thing Steve Madden sells a pretty pair of sparkly flats.

Back to snacking...Did you see that cake table? There were sweets galore - all night -  AND consommé at 3AM. A sweet lil thang cuts your cake for you, too. She thought I was crazy when I scooped up the raspberry chocolate cake crumbs instead of cutting a piece. I may have tried 3 different cakes...Good thing we danced for 4 hours!

Music. The dance floor was hopping all night! At first, the newlyweds and their parents dance a traditional, classic dance. And nobody pays attention. After that - it's open to us all! Plus - no slow songs. Thank you! A very interesting observation was made about the music: the DJ worked his way from typical, popular Chilean songs north to the Carribean: salsa, merengue and Puerto Rican booty-shaking tunes, and then even more north: Rihanna, Carly Jepsen (Call Me, Maybe!), The Killers, Ke$ha, and even some throwbacks with BackStreet Boys and New Kids on the Block. Apparently, as you travel north from Santiago, the better the music gets for dancing. I guess that means Shakira & Pitball are like the border-crossing from South America to the USA.  Don't worry, Gangham Style made an appearance!

Gorgeous decorations, a purple hew and the bridal table right in the middle of it all 

 The dinner was fantastic. The food was fabulous & the company great. I sat next to this beautiful couple, they were friends from Cote's work (she works with LanChile). We chatted about love, Santiago and traveling in the USA. They were super sweet and lots of fun (don't forget…this is all in Spanish…)
Oh and guess what? I was at a socially-progressive wedding. Often, Chilean weddings have a male and female dinner plate. Males get the meat and females get the fish….We all ate meat. 

Side note: this was the first year (last Sunday, October 28, 2012) that men and women could VOTE in the same place. Previously? there were separate voting locations for men and women. In 2011. 

Saturday in Santiago: A new running group!

Running in Santiago has been fun! Check out all the places I've been running! 

A few running routes in Santiago, Chile

My favorite is America Vespucio Sur because it is quiet, has cool statues of famous dead people and has really weird boldy-colored exercise equipment that looks like a McDonald's playground for adults. And, its a dirt running path that goes forever! 

But, I like to have the option to run with a friend. Unfortunately, my good friend Katie can't leave Denver to come to Santiago for a Saturday morning run followed by an omelette and diner coffee.  So, I needed to start the search for a new running buddy. 

Running buddies are hard to come by. How do you find someone that runs an equal pace, wants to run between 8K and 20K on any given weekend morning, and thinks its normal to stop at a gas station to use the bathroom during a long run. We are each other's therapy AND get to experience the runner's high together.

Ever hear of Hash House Harriers? The slogan: 

"The international drinking club with a running problem." 

Hell yes. A run and a few beers, sounds like a great Saturday afternoon! I thought I'd go for a 5 mile run, have a few beers and make some new gringo friends. So, I signed up with expectations of running slower than normal so I could be social and meet some new people. 

And, here's what happened. 

How does Hash work? 

• You run the streets, looking for piles of flour. Yes, flour. When you see the pile you yell, "NON" or something like that. That pile marks the trail! So, if you aren't careful, you'll just be running on your own with no group and no sign of beer :( 
• Normally, there is a beer stop on the run. My first day? No beer! 
• The flour piles can be on light posts, fences, sidewalks, trees, or construction cones. You'll find 3 successive piles to know you are on track. Anywhere. Sometimes, they are hidden. Sometimes, the trail hare (the person that places the flour) likes to deceive you and put 1 pile in the wrong direction. 

The best part is after the run. Think you know how to tailgate or survive at a keg party? You might not make it at a Hash. These people can DRINK. We circled up and an hour later I was tipsy. 

• If you are new, come to the middle of the circle. Drink 
• If you are American, come to the middle of the circle. Drink. 
• Got new shoes on? Come to the middle of the circle and pour your beer into your shoe. Drink. YEAH. That really happens

Cups and cans of beer are readily available. Sarcasm is at its finest. Songs with lyrics too inappropriate for me to publish (..I know, right?) were sung to cheer on the chugging. I can't wait to go back for Hash #2. After 5 Hashes, you get a stage name and it is totally inappropriate, sexually inspired and used by men that are my dad's age. Awkward and inspiring at the same time. Most of the group are expats from the States, a few Aussies, some Brits and not too many Chileans. 

Coming to visit me in Santiago during a Hash? Don't bring new running shoes but bring your college drinking spirit. 

 

Clothes Shopping in Santiago

What to do when you need more options than the 2 jeans and a pair of blue hipster pants you brought to Santiago?

Head to Patronato and scavenge hundreds of small stores, with a kindred Colorado soul, to shop!

To be fair, Derek coincidentally also wanted to buy a pair of non-jean pants. He only brought one pair of pants to Chile! I at least have had 3 options.

What is Patronato? One of the most diverse sectors in the city and the capital of commercialism. You can buy tiaras, dog leashes and scissors from vendors on the streets. Peak into a store for high-waisted jeans, second-hand US clothing,  neon leggings, or prom dresses best suited for horror films. Did I mention store owners from around the city come here to buy their merchandise, then mark it up at their store 30 minutes away? And people pay.

Good thing Derek was focused and had a vision: buy pants that aren't jeans. But in a city where almost EVERY guy is almost always wearing jeans, could it be possible? His plan: start at cafe con piernas (look it up), walk the streets to see our options, find the one store with a dressing room and a woman who can look you up and down and know your size - and then leave because all she sells are jeans - then, at the 5th hour, find the only all-men's store. He got lucky!

Just to let you know, I bought a cute casual dress for $8US from a guy (now I've got a guy) with about 8 racks of clothes, all in plastic bags shipped from China.

Why you MUST go there: the diversity of jeans is incredible. You'll find a mannequin with dusty overalls. Neon leggings. Stereotypical Latina dresses that are too short for a short person. And, US sports team sweatshirts and shirts for $5US.

Don't got to Patronato with expectations. Go with 15.000 Chilean pesos (or less). 

After 5 hours in Patronato (we just couldn't get enough), a Chilean completo and finding a sexual fantasy book next to a Japanese cookbook, I still didn't have any non-jean pants.

Public Buses in Santiago -.las micros

If you live in a city, you most likely have taken a bus. When I was in Chicago, I took the bus to work, to school, to meet up with friends. Never did take it past a certain time, rush hour. But the most important thing is that when I took a bus one way, I knew I could take that bus on the return trip.

Scenario #1- Don`t remember the destination**, but I remember the journey.
First class with a new client! I had 2 options: out of the way trip by taking the metro or arrive at the front door by taking 2 buses. Guess which one I did? Fearful of the confusing bus system, I put on my bravery pants and headed to the bus stop. I jumped on Bus #1 and searched like a lost gringa for paradero #1. Found the paradero! Got off, and waited for Bus #2. Office buildings started to disappear and my projected arrival time had passed. 20 minutes on the bus and I felt like I was heading the wrong way.  I asked some nice-looking lady about my destination. She pointed across the street, at traffic going in the OPPOSITE direction. Dammit. I was heading east and not west, or west and not east. My mind and body still have not oriented to the North Star here.
So, I jumped off and my bus was there, in that moment! Good luck, right? HA. Got off that bus after I asked someone on the bus about my street. They said, you are far away. Here I am,  in a place called Vitacura. Or, fancy-pants residential neighborhood. A cute, very talkative señora tried to help me. She wanted to know my life story, but I should be teaching English RIGHT NOW. The first class with my client. And I am incredibly lost ,after taking 3 buses.
Solution? Jumped in a cab during rush hour. Brilliant.

Bus Scenario #2 Heading Home from La Dehesa (Hollywood Hills of Santiago)
A little intro: I teach Mom & Pop at their office and their 4 daughters at their home. But, they live FAR from the metro. So, the only option is ...you guessed it. I planned my trip there with transsantiago.cl. Probably the worst public transportation website in the world.

Class #1. I arrived to the house! With no bus problems! Thanks to a super nice guy who is the bartender at a sushi restaurant. Thats a whole `nother post coming  your way... I took the 426 and the C09 to arrive. I got on the C09 to head home and asked the driver where to switch to the 426. He says, "Where are you headed? You can`t take the 426 to the metro from here." He suggested a different bus back to the metro. Awesome. Just to be sure, I asked a lady sitting in front of me. You can never be too sure. So, I switched to Bus #2 that would hopefully take me to the metro. After a few minutes, a gringo-esque guy tells me that this bus does not go to the metro. WHAT. That is what I was told. Twice. Okay. So I get off. The list of bus numbers at this paradero might as well be Mandarin. So I wait.

And I am done asking people how to get home. I will just pick a bus and hopefully sleep in my bed tonight. Buses do have a list of street names in the window, so I looked for Providencia. Found it! And, 10 minutes later I realize I am on a local bus. It is going SO SLOW down a side street, and I see the highway that I should be on. Shit. This is the longest freaking commute ever. Is this bus really going to take me to the metro? Wait a second... what do I see outside the bus? Parque Arauco. I am nowhere near my house. Now, I am just mad and tired. I need a beer, a bottle of wine and a shot of whiskey. That is what the buses will do to you. Consider yourself warned!
Solution: Pablo lives on the other side of the mall. If you were not aware, I lived with him for 2 weeks before I found my house. For the first time, I knew where I was. And it wasn`t where I wanted to be.

Sorry that story is so long. But, it is important that you know how messed up the bus system is here in Chile. My problems with the bus system include, but are not limited to:

• You must pay with the BIP. Also, if you do not have sufficient money on your BIP, you cannot recharge your card on the bus. No money transactions happen on the bus. Unless you buy ice cream from a vendor...
• The bus you take one way does not always bring you back. In fact, I doubt you can take the same buse round-trip if you want to follow the same route.
• Timing between buses is not coordinated or predictable. I have arrived at my bus station to go to La Dehesa at 4:30 and waited 5 minutes or 20 minutes. At my switch for bus #2, I have waited long enough to think about getting a cab for the last leg of the trip.
• There are people in yellow jackets at the bus. They are paid to be there (I think) but they do not do anything. They stand near the door when more than 4 people get onto the bus. If you ask them which bus you should take, I do not trust their answers. However, once I was saved by Mr. Yellowjacket. Of course I should have been at the bus station across the street. He realized I was on the wrong side of the road when I kept asking to go to a street that was in the completly opposite direction of traffic. HAHA.
• Depend only on yourself if you take the bus. Do not expect strangers to be able to point you in the right direction or give you alternative solutions.
• It is safe to take the buses after dark. Can`t do that in the States. 1 point for Chile.

Just so you know, after 3 trips to the house far away from the metro, I still have not had a "perfect" trip.

Moral of the story? Take a cab.  


*in the middle of writing this, I remembered where I was going. Ford Chile. Yup, the one and only US, Michigan-born company is 1 of the offices where I teach English. And, my client, Jacky, was super nice and forgiving about my extra tardiness.

Santiago: Land of Opportunities

In Santiago and need some money? 

Maybe I shouldn't share my secrets… but I'll share, because if you are stuck and need some lucas, why not try to…

1. Make a simple sandwich and sell it at any metro station
2. Teach private English classes
3. Find old plastic toys and sell them in the hallways of metro stations during lunch hours
4. Have lots of t-shirts in the States from road races, sports teams, and music events? Bring 'em down and sell 'em 

Or tell a coffee shop owner that you'll work for coffee…. 

I start on Monday morning. Working in a coffee shop. Yup, speaking Spanish!!! OMG. I just nervous.