So now it's day 2 of our Chilean adventure. After spending a thoroughly relaxing day at the Matetic vineyard and inn (or as my parents would have called it, "sleeping to catch up" for the several hours of sleep we missed during our 18 hour plane journey to get here) Christine and I finally made it to the big city of Santiago. This entailed a 1 1/2 hour journey by car with a driver and guide who wanted me to practice my basic Spanish skills. Between Christine and I, we're almost conversational. Christine understands for the most part, while I can speak. This time around, though, my listening skills improved and I had a better grasp of the language such that Chrisitne was left out of parts of the conversation. Get this for complexity... "Estaba diciendo a mi hermana que Santiago se parece a la ciudad de Los Angeles." Two clauses! That's progress for me!
We didn't get to see a whole lot today, but did ride the Santiago metro. I have to say comparing the Santiago subway with the good old Metro Red Line back at home, one would be hard pressed to tell which city was in the most industrialized nation in the world (hint: it's not the one in LA...) the reason we took the subway was to go see the famed Chilean Precolombian Art Museum. I wanted to see it the last time I was in Chile, but it was Monday, and it was closed. So this time around I made absolutely certain that the museum was open. I checked and rechecked the guide book and checked with the hotel concierge. After wandering around the crowded city center for a good 30 minutes, Christine and I finally found it... closed for remodeling until 2013... To quote my cousin Jen I thought that was "pretty f**king s**tty!"
Oh well, I guess I just won't ever see that museum. Christine and I are just resigned to walk around the streets of the Las Condes neighborhood, seeking out other touristy activities before heading out to the Atacama desert. Perhaps I'll indulge in the local Chilean specialty, an Italiano: basically a hot dog slathered in mayonnaise topped with tomatoes and avocado. Honestly, I think it's as unappetizing as it sounds, but that's just me.
I posted a couple of night shots of the neighborhood near our hotel. I could swear I was back in the states. Hasta luego.
- Joe
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