Modern Conveniences in Santiago, Chile

January 8, 2011

Last day in Chile - *sigh*.

Before checking out of our hotel in Valparaiso, we were able to get in touch with the Neruda Foundation in Santiago to make an appointment to see La Chascona. Unlike the La Sebastiana in Valparaiso, you can't just walk up to Neruda's house in Santiago. We were happy to secure a tour on such short notice and very much looking forward to the opportunity to have another peak into Nerudas personality through his uniequely decorated home.

We called a taxi to take us to the bus terminal (a much quieter locale than its counterpart in Santiago), and within 15 minutes of our arrival at the terminal we were on a bus headed to Santiago. I never cease to be amazed at the professionalism and quality of service offer by the major bus companies in Chile. All of the coaches I've ridden in have been very comfortable and comparable to any charter bus in the U.S. TurBus has gotten the business down to a science, and all the employees seem to be perfectly orchestrated so that departures and arrivals are exactly on cue.

Our hour and a half journey from Valparaiso took us through the wine region of the Casablanca Valley (very pretty country indeed), and around 1pm we were pulling back into the bus terminal in Santiago. A taxi ride later through the leafy streets of downtown over to Provedencia, we arrived at our "petit" hotel. The Meridiano Sur is located along a quiet street, just off the main drag in an "old money" neighborhood of Santiago. The staff of this intimate hotel were quick to greet us: a woman, who appeared to be the owners/manager, and a gentleman in his late 50's who appears to be a newly minted employee. The gentleman showed us around the hotel; a converted home completely re-done in a crisp, modern Chilean style (white walls, wood floors, lots of glass, Chilean artwork, IKEA-style furniture). There was a cozy reading/living area with travel information and a flat screen TV, along with a small but functional computer station.Instead of getting two rooms, we opted for the penthouse suite on the top (3rd) floor, which had four beds and a nice seating area.

Meridiano Sur

After getting settled into the hotel and freshening up a bit, we headed out in search of LUNCH. Hot on the Frommers trail, I selected a place on the main street (Avenida Provedencia), just minutes from our hotel, but also on the way to Bellavista, where we were headed next. Bar Liguria received a *** Frommers rating, along with a "moments" designation in the "inexpensive dining category, so we figured it was worth a visit. The food was good, the atmosphere fun and lively, and it certainly was very memorable. You could tell the place got it's fair share of tourist (our waiter insisted upon trying out his [somewhat lacking] English skills on  us), but there was also a good number of locals dining alongside the gawking sightseers which helped to retain some of it's hole-in-the-wall charm. Upon sitting down, the waiter immediately asked us if we'd like to try an appetizer of  machas a la parmesana  (razor clams on the halfshell smothered and baked with a layer of parmesan cheese on top). Dad, ever optimistic of the palatability of seafood in Chile, promptly agreed to an order, speculating in fact that we might need a double order? No, I think a single will do...

Bar Liguria

After finishing up a tasty lunch of octopus salad with avocado, tomatoes, greens, and a light balsamic vinaigrette, we emerged from the restaurant and into the warm summertime air to continue our walk towards Bellavista. We had a little over an hour to kill before our tour was schedule dot begin at Pablos Neruda's house, La Charascona, so we were able to take our time and check out some of the sights along the way.

Fortunately, the route from Bar Liguria to Bellavista was lined with leafy trees and interspersed with grassy promenades. Walking through Parque Balmaceda, we passed by a few couples necking on park benches before stopping to appreciate the beautiful fountain (Fuente Bicentenario) and rather interesting sculpture ("Homenaje a Rodo"). Apparently both the fountain and statute are recent additions to the park; built in 2005 to commemorate Chile's Bicentennial, which was celebrated on on September 18, 2010.

Our lazy stroll through the park was interrupted by the sight of an ambulance with flashing lights and a quickly growing crowd of spectators peering in on the recent victim of a traffic accident. The scene was decidedly different than anything you might encounter back in the states, where police would have ensured that onlookers were kept at a reasonable distance from the scene of the incident.

Fuente Bicentenario

Homenaje a Rodo

Car wreck near  Parque Balmaceda

Car wreck near  Parque Balmaceda

Conger Eel, Say What ???

January 1, 2011 (part II)

By the time our harbor tour was over, the morning fog and clouds had given way to beautiful blue skies. As we turned our thoughts to lunch, we decided to take a local bus down the coast a few miles to check out a spot recommended to us by one of the friendly staff members back at Hotel Thomas Somerscales where we were advised that we would find good, fresh, typical Chilean seafood.

Arriving at Caleta El Membrillo ( "Quince Inlet" - This inlet owes its name to the grove of quince trees that was once there.), we were immediately swarmed by a half dozen waiters from each of the seafood restaurants clustered here. We decided to let Mom choose the spot this time, and she selected Mis Nietos, which had an upstairs dining area with lots of windows that provided sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. There was nothing fancy about the restaurant, but the tables were colorfully decorated in bright pink and purple table cloths that matched the uniforms of the friendly and attentive wait staff. There were only a few other tables occupied when we arrived shortly after 2pm (a normal hour for lunch in Chile), but the spacious dining area was by no means packed. Our fellow dinners appeared to be local middle class Chileans, along with a couple other groups of Latin American tourist. We were definitely off the tourist map here (both literally and figuratively), which added an element of adventure and made the reward of a an authentic experience even more special. 

Mis Nietos - "My Grandkids" - Seafood Restaurant in Caleta El Membrillo

Our waiter friends at Caleta el Membrillo - soliciting our business at the various seafood restaurants 

The waiter recommended the Congria (Conger Eel), Corvina (Sea Bass) and Reineta (white fish, found exclusively in Chile), so we ordered one of each and hoped for the best. Dad decided to take a chance on the seafood soup, despite our prior experience with the dish back in Santiago. After we ordered, the waiter came by to ask if we'd like an Apéritif ("de la casa" - FREE). Well, sure. Why not?  We were each given little shots of pisco sour  (which were much better tasting than the strait pisco that we were given back in Vina de Mar)along with a  plate of super delicious empanads de marisco (fried seafood turnover). Next came the Reineta (white fish), simply grilled with butter and served on a fish-shaped plate. Dad's seafood soup had the same funky taste as the one at the fish market in Santiago. At this point we had determined that this was not the result of spoiled seafood but rather a by-product of the clams or oysters contained within; at any rate, I don't think we'll be ordered anymore seafood soup on this trip!

Caleta El Membrillo

Summer Nights, in January

January 6, 2011 (Part V)

A few short hours of relaxing were all we were afforded after our long afternoon of trekking up and down the hills of Valparaíso. After a quick trip to the liquor/wine/beer convenience store to pick up provisions for happy hour, we spent the remaining daylight hours enjoying a delicious bottle of Chilean wine and snacking on smoked sausage and fresh cherries in our nicely appointed rooms. We especially enjoyed watching all the city lights flicker on from the view high atop the hill at Hotel Somerscales, evidenced by the many pictures.

We were enjoying the views so much in fact, that we didnt' get our act together to head out to dinner until after 10pm (!!!). Now this wasn't really as bad as it sounds. After all, the summer solstice of the southern hemisphere had only just occurred two weeks earlier, so the sun didn't set until 9pm.

Conveniently, our hotel was located in close proximity to several excellent dining options, so we didn't have to walk far for dinner. We peaked into a Thai restaurant, but it was already packed full, so we chose the nearby Epif - a hip vegetarian bar/restaurant just off the main street. The place had a nice vibe to it, with organically inspired decor and creative little touches such as using the bindings of old children's books for the menu covers. We ordered a cheap Chilean wine (Cono Sur, for only $13 USD) and also a tabla (plate) that included several feature appetizer dishes. Everyone was still hungry, so we tacked on two Tofu BBQ burritos and a tofu peanut dish. It took a while for the additional food to arrive, but when it did, it was very tasty. 

After dinner, we trekked back up the hill and I fell asleep once again with wirting instruments in hand, and found my journal & pen buried in the covers the next morning.

View from our hotel room in  Valparaíso

Tofu BBQ burritos at Epif

Culinary Adventures in Chile: Pan Amasado & Heart of Palm

January 4, 2011 (part V)

After our chilly dip in El Balneario Termal Baños Morales, we quickly got dressed and went to have some tea and coffee at one of the small guest houses in town. As we walked in, we quickly realized that the restaurant-bar advertised on the signage outside was actually the living room/dining room of the owner's house. Unsure of the standard procedure for being served in such an establishment, we inquired if food and drink were available for purchase, and they confirmed that they were.  However, there did not appear to be a menu, so we ordered the basics - tea and bread. The tea was nothing to write home about, but the bread, pan amasado (apparently "world famous" Chilean kneaded bread) was quite interesting. I would liken it to a homemade biscuit in America - very tasty. From our table inside, we observed a group of local men - los vaqueros - finishing of a box of wine and mused at the fact that they seemed to be getting quite drunk. Apparently we had stopped by the local hangout (and the only establishment in town with any patrons). 

The "residencia" where we had tea & pan amasado. Notice they are advertising Mote con Huesillo 

Diligently writing in my journal during our team break in Baños Morales

After our coffee/tea break, we began the longish trek back to Santiago. We again encountered large trucks hauling copper ore down the mountain on the rough gravel roads, which made passing quite the challenge as we contended with the large clouds of dust they were stirring up. As the road transitioned back to pavement, we found ourselves with a new appreciation of the wonders of modern engineering and infrastructure. Along the way, we stopped in the adorable rural town of San Jose de Maipo. We stopped for an ice cream on the lazy central square and took in the local scene. 

View of the road and mountains in El Cajon de Maipo (The Maipo Valley)

Church on the main square in San Jose de Maipo

Soon we were back on the busy streets of Santiago, navigating through La Florida neighborhood in Southern Santiago and then onto our hotel Provedencia, just as the street lights began to come on. By 9:15, we were pulling into our hotel parking garage; exhausted from a solid day of exploring and ready for a quick (and easy) meal. Oh, and a glass of WINE. 


Given that it was already 10:30pm by the time everyone had showered, we settled for dinner in the elegant hotel restaurant. I ordered a Thai salad, which turned out to be MUCH different than the American version and included: heart of palm (very Chilean and SO under-utilized in the American culinary tradition), avocado, tuna, and corn on a small bed of lettuce. We polished off the bottle of wine from Concha y toro winery and I fell asleep reviewing my pictures, camera in hand. /#solid_day. 

Santiago, Chile: What is a Chocopanda?

January 3, 2011

Today's journey began a little earlier than I would have liked. We had decided to take a tour of Santiago, and the bus was coming to collect us at 08.30 hrs. After a lovely breakfast that included fresh cherries, breads, cheeses, and deli meats, it was time to head out on our tour. Annoyingly, we spent the better part of an hour collecting other passengers from various hotels throughout the city. Once a bus load full of tourist had been gathered, we convened at another meeting point where we were divided up by language. Now that all the Gringos were corralled together, we were finally able to begin the site-seeing part of the tour.

First stop was a visit to Cerro San Cristobal, where we had been the evening before. We stopped off at a vista point to snap a few pictures, and the guide pointed out the U.S. Embassy, which was housed in a fortress-like brick building, along with the tallest skyscraper in Chile, the Titanium La Portada (Titanium Tower). After a few photo ops, we circled back down the hill and drove through some plesant neighborhoods before making our way downtown, past the Mercado Central and Estación Mapocho to the Plaza de Armas (central square). In the plaza, there was a huge, Coca-cola sponsored Christmas tree alongside several police on horseback (carabineros).

Plaza de Armas

We quickly visited the cathedral and hopped back on the bus to drive to La Moneda Palace, the building that was bombed when the democratically-elected Marxist President, Salvador Allende was overthrown by the military dictator, Augusto Pinochet on September 11, 1973 (many people in Chile will be quick to remind you that they had a 9/11 long before this day became memorialized in American history). The palace is surrounded by stark government buildings and guarded by soldiers (who were quite busy being photographed on the day of our tour, I might add).

Palacio La Moneda 

After getting our fill of photos at the Palacio, we were taken to a small plaza where a pair of traditionally dressed dancers was waiting to give our group a short dance recital and therein after proceeded to solicit for tips (tourist trap #1). Next, we were transported to the other side of town to an lapis lazuli jewelery shop (lapis lazuli is a rare blue stone only found in Chile and Afghanistan). The store was located in the upscale neighborhood of Vitacura along a tree-lined street with a plethora of other boutique shops (tourist trap #2). My Mom got a bit distracted by their selection of USD $300 + necklaces, but managed to pull herself away before buying anything (Dad seemed relieved). 

Tourist Trap #1 

The bus took us back across town via the newly build freeway tunnel that runs under the Rio Mapocho (quite the engineering feat!). We were dropped off in front of the Mercado Central for lunch and were immediately bombarded by a gang of waiters encouraging us to dine at THEIR restaurant. Not wanting to get bogged down in any tourist trips (#1 and #2 above were quite enough for the day), we opted to walk inside the market and find our own spot to have lunch. Inside the market, the waiters from each of the various eating establishments continued to badger us, proclaiming culinary superiority over their neighbor. After much ado, we finally picked one of the places off the main market area, out of view of any other tourist.

Mom was ademently opposed to the whole idea, and quickly marched off to find a less rustic option. We handed her a few pesos and wished her lots of luck (she needed it, considering her limited Spanish-speaking skills). Meanwhile, back at the non-touristy whole-in-the-wall place, my brother and I were served a couple not-so-cold beers, along with a couple empanadas de camaron (shrimp and cheese turnovers). Soon after, the main courses arrive: seafood soup, fried calamari, sea bass, and some sort of sea food casserole/ thick stew. Oh yeah, and some french fires (why not?). It soon became apparent that Mom's instincts were right; this place was a bit sketchy. We tried to eat what we had ordered, but it all just tasted a bit funky. I quickly lost my appetite. 

Our culinary adventure in one of the back rooms of a Chilean Fish Market 

Sadly, and to the astonishment of our fellow diners, we ended up leaving the majority of the food on the table. We quickly rejoined La Madre, who was lunching at one of the establishments in the main market area (aka, tourist haven), and apparently having a delightful time. Somehow, she had even managed to order herself something. 

Less Sketchy Dining Option 

After lunch, we took a stroll through the downtown pedestrian malls and mosied through the Plaza de Armas to the base of another hill in the middle of Santiago (Cerro Santa Lucía), which is much smaller than Cerro San Cristobal, but very beautifully landscaped. We strolled around, eventually making it to the top before returning to the base of the hill on the opposite side from where we had entered. 

View of Downtown Santiago from Cerro Santa Lucia 

Exploring all morning had turned out to be pretty exhausting, so the opportunity to go back to the hotel for a bit of rest sounded like a great idea. We caught the metro from the Universidad Catholica stop and rode along the clean, sleek Santiago metro and observed the local fashion: rattails EVERYWHERE. After a bit of research, I've now learned that the "rattail" is called pichanguera, in Chile or more affectionately, a chocopanda because it was popular among ice cream vendors selling chocolitos in the 90's. Awesomeness.

Riding the Santiago Metro 

Back at the hotel, Dad and I set about the task of arranging a rental car for our excursion to the mountains the next day. After a bit of back and forth between the rental car company and the concierge, we were able to secure a 4 x 2 truck for our trip to Cajón del Maipo (Maipo Canyon). 

Before heading out to dinner, we enjoyed some delicious red wine from the local convenience store (one of the benefits of being near a wine producing region: lots of great wine for cheap). Since the sun didn't set until after 9pm, it was easy to loose track of time. By 9:30pm, it was getting to be dinnertime, so I suggested that we head over to Plaza Ñuñoa, which is located in the same neighborhood that I stayed in while studying in Chile during the summer (South American winter) of 2003. We flagged down a taxi driver outside our hotel who turned out to be very friendly and professional. By my request, he drove us by my old apartment building in Ñuñoa and we bonded over the fact that he himself also lived in the same neighborhood.

Our taxi driver dropped us off at the corner of the plaza and we took our time exploring the area before deciding on a small restaurant/bar call El Amor Nunca Muere (which apparently has no website of its own - weird). After learning our lesson earlier in the day, we made sure to let Mom pick out the dining location this go around. She liked this place because they had crepes on the menu, and the food really did end up being quite spectacular, even if the crapes didn't look anything like what we were used to. The crapes were served in thick bowls, covered in cheese and curry sauce with an olive on top. We also ordered a round of pisco sours, which were festively decorated with a rim of green sugar. But perhaps the highlight of the evening was the conversation we struck up with a young couple sitting next to us. Considering that they were seated less than 2 feet away from us, it seemed almost inevitable that our conversations would collide. The conversation centered on our trip to Chile, but then quickly turned to nursing after we learned that the girl was a nursing student (my Mom is a former nurse, so she immediately felt a strong bond with this woman, which was enhanced by the fact that she was about 2-3 glasses of wine deep. By the end of the night, we had plans to Facebook each other, and Mom was already plotting a way for them to come visit them at their home in the U.S. Finally, around 11pm we wondered back to the hotel for some much needed sleep. //

Family + Our New Friends