Oops! I didn't tell you about the MOUNTAINS!

So this happened a long time ago but I needed to use a friend's photos (all photo credit to Leah)... so temporally place it before my post on the Streets of Santiago... Desperate to get out of the city air, my friends and I jumped into a blue bus and headed for the Andes, specifically Cajon de Maipo!

 At first the steep, windy mountain roads took us through villages and snow-less "ceros".

But eventually (after a bus ride an hour longer than expected) we reached the real stuff!  After being greeted by the police of Chile and signing in we were off

 Colin, who likes to assume the role of protector among our friends, watched nervously as I joyously leapt onto the narrow railing on the side of the road

 But I was fine, and, as those of you who know me would expect... EBULLIENT to be in the mountains

 Sarah, so happy she was on the verge of tears, gazed wistfully at the river below us

 And so it was

 We stopped here for lunch and played some frisbee.  Leah and I managed to get some awkward photos

 And we certainly made fools of ourselves as we walked along the road belting musicals and pop songs at the top of our lungs... "this love is difficult, but it's a RE-EAL!"

 We decided we wanted to be closer to the river, so we made our way down a loose, steep, rocky slope... it was like being at home again :), I'm not sure if everyone else found this part so comforting

 Julianne was a stoic badass as usual

 And... I was still belting musicals

 A group photo shoot was definitely in order

 Jill is so tall she doesn't need to jump

 Seriously, these people are the coolest: (from left to right: Leah, Sarah (who smiles even in serious photos), Jill, Julianne, Casey fell asleep, Cara, Colin, and myself)

Need I say more than this photo says on its own?

 After the photo shoot we headed for the water

 Where I obviously dunked my head immediately... it was FREEZING, and refreshing

 We made this giant boulder our home and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon

 We booked it back to the bus-stop (well, except to stop and take photos), 14 km in all that day, and back in time for an italian dinner with those who couldn't make it to the mountains!

 Goodbye mountains... we'll meet again, I can't stay forever in the city!

Querido Puerto: Valparaíso

 This past weekend we went to Valparaiso, about and hour and a half north of Santiago.  Before the construction of the Panama Canal, this city was the most important South/Central American port and every boat crossing the Americas had to go through it.  It is still a very major shipping port. 

After visiting a technical girls school we had a traditional Valpo lunch, Chorillana and some of the famous Cerveza del Puerto.  Chorrillana is french fries, cheese, and meat, served on a heaping plate that is shared between three or four people, with a very excessive amount of grease.

 The vast majority of streets are filled with incredible art and graffiti, more than in Santiago

 The city is built on hills along the waterfront... here are my Carleton buddies looking out over the water

 And art

 Art (translation: Valpo, don't forget us)

 Even the stairs are painted in places!

 That night (after the most boring lecture ever and a long nap) we started the night out with some good Chilean wine and Spanish conversations in the hotel room.

 The next morning I went HORSEBACKRIDING at a rural school we visited between the mountains and Valpo.  The school was incredible (I'll tell you more about it in my school visit blog) and the kids were really sweet.  One rides her horse to school occasionally, and offered us a ride.

 After a really long run on the waterfront we went to a traditional seafood restaurant on the coast

 And looked out over the coastline

 And ate a traditional food... I think with clams... and also very fishy fish

 There was a festival going on the weekend we were there called the Mil Tambores (thousand drums) and we went out to one of the events Saturday night

 It was very hippie-ish... painted VW van, dreadlocked hair, long skirts, smoking circles and all :)

 While people we setting up we were entertained by adorable children playing games with themselves (this was at least equally as entertaining as the music later on)

 The show opened with a student band....

 And student dancers, from a nearby high school.  They were quite good

 

Then, while the real bands started setting up a clown performed, involving many of the little kids sitting under our outdoor circus tent.  You could see the ocean at the bottom of the Cero (hill) in the background.

 For awhile the kids had free reign of the open space in the middle and the music accompanied them playing

 Then a few adults came in to dance the Cueca (national Chilean dance)

 And pretty soon the everyone was dancing

 Obviously, we were in on the dance party too

 Then an indigenous band (mix of Brazilian music and Mapuche clothes and lyrics) rocked out with only drums and vocals, we were right in front, watching the incredible dancers and being mesmerized by the drumming.  It was incredible

 After a solid night of dancing, walking through the deserted, steep streets of Valpo, and taking a long bus ride home, we popped the cork on some pineapple flavored champagne and waited for some friends to join us.

 On the way home a few of us sat in the minivan with our luggage (the seats faced each other like on a train) and played music, singing along the whole way home to Santiago!

It was such a wonderful weekend that coming home to Santiago was bittersweet.  No worries though because my adventures ahead include Temuco this week (living in the country with Mapuche families) and then a two week stay in Buenos Aires before we start our independent projects!

The Streets of Santiago

I walk to class every day and wanted to share a bit about what it's like to be down in the city, since you've seen it from above now.  The picture above is about 7 blocks into my walk.  I feel like it captures best what walking around is like.  But there are also tons of small side streets:

 On many of these streets there is random and incredible street art

In the morning the streets and parks are incredibly dirty

Though there are always at least a few people per park or block who have been hired, by the government I suppose, to clean up all the trash.  (P.S. sorry my photos here aren't the best quality, I feel weird being touristy in such a Chilean part of Chile so I tried to be discreet and quick)

In some places the streets are paved, and others still use the old cobblestones.  And in some there is a mix

Mothers walk their children to school

Stray dogs and pigeons share the open spaces

And all sorts of people are always going in and out of the metro station two blocks from my house

The metro can get you to the vast majority of important places in the city

Including the business center, which looks a lot more like New York than the rest of the city

But to be honest I like my part of the city, Bario Brasil, much more.  With our many, many small cafes and local artesenal beers conversations after class are always engaging

I love the unexpected visitors that occasionally come through the neighborhood

The dogs that I'm more familiar with because I see them often

And the fading, torn signs on the buildings announcing parties, carpet cleaners, concerts, and revolutionist movements

 Ciao amigos!  Que se vaya bien!
~Lauren