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Holidays in Chile

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That's it, back from Chile! Unforgettable experience for me that so long dreamed of visiting that country. Finally, the plan fell car with water: the road until Santiago is very long and not exceptional scenery, it would have cost expensive and we had too little time to make it worthwhile. So, we took advantage of the few cities we visited and we took the time to be guided by our Chilean friends. Here's the story these 15 days.

Charlotte and I left on August 13 of Sucre to La Paz. The bottom, once our passports in hand, we took the bus to Arica, where we had to join Juan Luis, a friend of Cristian with whom I had spent several days in La Paz in June. The trip to La Paz-Arica, known for its scenery was breathtaking, deserves its reputation. Cross the Sajama National Park, then the Chilean province of Parinacota, home Chungara Lake, one of the highest in the world (approximately 4500m). Since the customs post, you have a view over the lake and the volcano that borders Parinacota ...

The customs clearance, we dreaded habit, went well (we still remember with emotion the mimolette sent by the mother of Charlotte, we have preferred to lay before controls, lest we get a fine ... thankfully, the sausage, he is miraculously past).

Our first minutes in Chile were not as pleasant. Just arrived in Arica, while Charlotte had gone to buy food and left me in the middle of reading the guide of Chile, has an unknown approached the table on which I installed and stole the backpack from Charlotte, which contained his passport, his eyeglasses and his video camera ... real big tile ...

Juan Luis, who arrived a few seconds after the fact, we were immediately taken to the police station to report the theft. Then we called the Consulate of France in Santiago to find out what Charlotte had to do. After many steps (which earned him spend a long time in government), she finally managed to get a temporary passport in Santiago, which allowed him to return to Bolivia. The problem This is how a return to France because our flight plans to make stops in the U.S., which require to have a biometric passport or, failing that, a special permit which requires several weeks to obtain. It is therefore obliged to repeat the steps to obtain a new biometric passport and new visa ... This is anything but obvious from abroad. In short, the arrival at Arica, we will remember ...

We stayed three days in Arica in the family of Juan Luis. Her sister and brother-in which he lives, take two restaurants. We have therefore benefited from Saturday to get our first taste of seafood dishes and fish. After five months of almost total abstinence from seafood (Bolivia do not have access, they eat very little fish, or only the freshwater fish, mostly trout), Chile we caught up well. In fact, I did not think we could eat so much fish! Among my best memories: swordfish, sole, trout, mussels (much larger than we know) and crab. Among the worst, sea urchins, but we must say that when we served them, we had already swallowed three plates of fish marinated in lemon juice and my stomach threatened to explode.

In Arica, we also visited the museum Azapa, an archaeological museum of the most beautiful of Chile, famous for its impressive Inca mummies. Then we spent Sunday with Don Guillermo, the head of Juan Luis, we have found in a city park filled Parrilla (barbecue grills giant) self-service and tables for picnicking. We ate and drank all afternoon and I could finally enjoy the pastel de choclo I dreamed ... delicious (it's a cake made from ground beef, decorated hard-boiled egg and olives and covered with sweet corn. A true delight. (Lille for the curious, it is part of the map of Pueblo, Chilean restaurant located in a street perpendicular to Rue de Bethune, behind the passage 57).

After Arica, Iquique we had descended. The bottom, what was our surprise to be greeted by Charlotte waiting for us since no less than 12 hours in the bus station, without a penny and hungry. Arriving at night, she had not managed to contact the friend who was the host ... In Iquique, we Manuel stayed with a friend Macarena (friend met Chilean English), which in addition we offer a roof, was our guide during these three days. It was first taken to the port attend the arrival of fishing boats and fish on sale at the auction, then a watchtower built in memory of the Battle of Iquique, Chile lost the early years of the Pacific War. The watchtower is located on the heights of the sea, opposite the site of the wreck of Esmeralda, Chilean ship sunk by a Peruvian armored, May 21, 1879. It was after this war (1879-1884) won by Chile, which Bolivia has lost its access to the sea .. This explains the cold that persists between Bolivia and Chile who in addition to living in two countries with completely different social models, continue to watch a lapdog sailor because of the conflict. Bolivians want it to be the Chilean private coast, and they do not like the Bolivians either, whom they accuse of stealing their future work ...

Then we went to school Santa Maria, which was the scene of a massacre in 1904. At the time, Chile drew much of its resources from the mining of saltpeter in the north. But the Chilean workers were exploited by their bosses, mostly foreigners from making a fortune in the New World. One day, some 20,000 workers are mounted in Iquique to demand better living conditions. A local general had them wait at the school before sending the military to massacre them. In total, 3,000 workers died. The murals on the facade of the school keep alive the memory of the massacre so that such horror never happens again.

The next Thursday we went to visit Humberstone, an ancient city built around the saltpeter mines and abandoned in the 60s, when their Operating permanently ceased to be profitable. The Chilean sodium nitrate was used as natural fertilizer in the world for over a century until he was substituted a cheaper fertilizer industry to produce and yield equivalent.

Humberstone seems frozen in time. The dry climate of northern Chile (which also hosts the driest desert in the world) using the Conservation of buildings of this abandoned town in the desert. You can visit a swimming pool, hotel, market, theater, houses of the workers, and of course the factory or it transformed saltpeter nitrate of soda. But make no mistake, the living conditions of workers were inhuman and social control over them was total. Evidence is good that they received as salary, which enabled them to buy something to eat in the village shops, with prices increased at the option of "lord" Humberstone, builder and master of his city (and its workers) ...

Back from Humberstone, we took leave of Manuel and his family and went to Santiago. After 23h of bus stops almost without, we found Cristian Bus Terminal. After we installed at the hotel, we joined with Carlos, a friend of his, which was the anniversary. We spent a wonderful evening but I was tired of traveling and after a few glasses of piscola (pisco + coca cola) I went back to sleep.

The next day we spent the morning at the consulate of France in order to run the steps of temporary passport Charlotte. Then we went to see Bellavista, a neighborhood of Santiago student full of old buildings and colorful bars of all kinds. This time, we went to visit the Chascona, one of three houses of Pablo Neruda, who shared his time between Santiago, Valparaiso and Isla Negra.

famous poet in the world, life is really dreaming of Neruda. Of his 24 years he was given consular posts around the world and has spent several decades has abroad. Love object, he reported on his travels with dozens of works of art and unusual objects, which he divided between his three houses ... In each house, his passion for the sea, women, and red wine live site. Prows of ships, ships in bottles, porthole-shaped window, facing the ocean bed, inlaid stones in soil, collections of shells from around the world ... most objects recall the ocean. Also found in each bar and dozens of objects that reflect his love for Matilda, his third wife and the love of his life.

the evening, after a trip to the PIOJ, a popular coffee among the oldest in Santiago, we went to Rancagua, or live Cristian and his mom. For three days, it has spoiled us. Good cook, she put the dishes in large and we spent a good part time at table ... Among the "must-Rancagua": "pan amasado", a homemade bread, the pebre, citrus-based sauce, tomato, onion and coriander, delicious with a little bread as an appetizer, ceviche, the dish Peru also widely consumed in Chile (it is raw fish marinated in lime juice with onions and cilantro), artichokes, and finally the cholgas, mussels much larger than the one we know in north.

weekend weekend getaway, we visited near Rancagua. If Rancagua "does not break bricks" small villages that surround them, are worth visiting. Lost in the mountains, we see still huasos, the Chilean equivalent of Argentine gauchos. These cover a "chamanto", a kind of poncho made initially with the son of silk, and now almost exclusively from sheep's wool. On the road, we stopped to D oñihue , a small village known for its community of weavers and "Chacolí" local wine originating from the Basque country. There, a charming "Do ñ ihuenne" invited us to come home to show us her weaving room. Output his house, we had to cross the street and landed in a producer Chacolí who was quick to serve us a generous swig of Chacolí to each, followed by a glass of chicha believed, then chicha cooked, ending with brandy, another specialty of the corner ... strategy worked: we are left with several bottles each ...

Monday, we went to spend the day in Santiago. There, we have fl ed see the Plaza de Armas, on which Mary and I have been reading the tarot. This was my first time and I must say that the psychic seemed quite good (from there to believe in her gifts, I have the margin, but we must recognize that his words are reassuring in a good mood) Then we headed to La Moneda presidential palace where Allende committed suicide September 11, 1973, hours after the coup of Pinochet. Poignant moment for a nostalgic ideals of the time like me ...

We then spent several hours at the "Mercado de las Flores," to rob the merchants of stones, beads and son of all colors, Marie for making jewelry out of wire and macrame me. I started making earrings during the trip and I'm eager to get my ears pierced on my return to Sucre. I must now wait to put my ears heal my first creations.

The next Tuesday, we took leave of Rancagua and are retu rnées spend the day in Santiago, where we took the bus to Valparaiso in the late afternoon. There, we settled in Carolina, I received Sugar has a few weeks earlier at the same time that Antony, his cousin and childhood friend of my brother. Carolina ended his one year stay in Valparaiso. Her roommate, located on the hills of Valparaiso (Valpo for short) was a true "blue house was built against the hill." Dubbed "Great Familia" by its inhabitants, it was always full of friends and travelers passing through, with whom we sympathize well.

Valparaiso my heart is helping Chile. This town with its many hills, the bay giant, its fishing port, its colorful houses and graffiti by hundreds deserve its reputation as "the most beautiful city in Chile." Visiting the carcel, a former prison converted into a museum open, let me forget. Although our guide self-proclaimed, so-called "ex-prisoner who managed to escape" has left us with serious doubts about the veracity of his personal testimony, he offered us a site visit quite appreciable . The most impressive is the graffiti covering the walls of prison.

The next day we visited The Chascona (second house of Neruda), toured the bay aboard a passenger bus and we wandered into the hills on which is built Valparaiso ...

Friday evening, when Mary was leaving to join the Charlotte Santiago, I stayed a more night at Caroline to go the next day at Isla Negra, a small village an hour and a half of Valparaiso, home to the third (and last) house of Neruda. This one is all that is more romantic. Built facing the sea, its structure is very similar to that of a boat and like the other houses, interior decoration draws heavily from the sea outside the home, Pablo and Matilda are buried facing the ocean.

After my visit to Isla Negra, I took the bus to Santiago, where Charlotte was waiting glasses. And Marie-Charlotte frisette were parties in the morning to Argentina, where they had decided to travel together a few days. After a final night in Santiago, Charlotte and I flew back Sunday morning to Arica. The bottom, we found that Juan Luis took us to pass after the last note south beach vacation. The next morning we took the bus to La Paz, where we arrived just in time to jump on a bus to Sucre.

When we arrived at the apartment Tuesday morning Ayni, I have not unpacked my bag. Instead, I gathered all my things to go settle in a new apartment where I'll stay a month and a half. Philly, an Englishwoman who lives in Sugar, looking for someone to keep house and care for Puki Mogi and his two cats. I began to feel cramped at Ayni and was tired of living away from the center and my place Working ... so I jumped at the chance! This is my first apartment "for myself" and I feel so good that I'm almost to disown my good words on collocation But we must say that I'm not really alone: Zero and Don, English for the first, the second Australian to share a large patio with me. Several tens of years my seniors, they have that peace of mind that I miss him. Zer o is webmaster and manages its customers' English Blog from Bolivia. Don is in "extended travel" and decided to stop some time to enjoy a sugar sweetness to live. He does not speak much English so I was obliged to put myself in English. I'm doing as I can but I often feel ashamed listening to me. I told her about my plans to spend several weeks in an English speaking country, and he gives me advice on destinations.

Puki and Mogi are the most affectionate cats I know. Thanks to them I never sleep alone and have continued to make fun of people who collect pictures of their pets. I always keep my camera was handy at home and soon put their photos online.

This weekend end end-Sugar celebrates its entry blank, the Virgin of Guadalupe. For several days preparing for the festivities. Bolivians adoring parades, those who want, with a few pesos can register with their friends and participate. A priori, the endless column will tour the city while dancing (and drinking) ... it promises to be fun.

This week I have not led many workshops for one of two libraries in which I'm supposed to go is closed. The mayor refused to appoint a librarian the only way to put pressure on the municipality so that it realizes the value of the place was closed. This is no worse: it leaves me time to prepare my speeches.

This week workshop with my mom has been catastrophic. But I tested all my recipes for omelets in the previous week, to an almost overdose eggs. Unfortunately, two unexpected came ruin my efforts: the cutoff of water and aluminum pans.

At this point the water cuts are frequent Sugar has, especially in outlying areas where people are forced to get up early in the morning to fill water containers that will allow them to keep going until evening. The weekend in the apartment of Ayni, you often take their troubles patiently to wash or cook (or use bottled water ... not really economical solution if any). Fortunately, in the center, it can never a priori.

Brief, Monday, there was no water in Mesa Verde, and I can carry my studio tortillas in squalid conditions. We had to leave dirty dishes in the library what made me a good excuse to organize a workshop on "general cleaning" of the kitchen next week. Then, the aluminum pans of the library, more sticky as chewing gum, have completed the workshop transformed my mission "Rescue tortillas. I think I'll review all my recipes call for "scrambled eggs".

The next day, "Rebelote" at Villa Armonia: I conduct my workshop of pancakes without tap water. To make me forgive the state in which I left the kitchen, I did write a nice letter to the children for Librarian and left him a dozen pancakes in exchange for the dishes ...

The same day I improvised a workshop "Shaping the blank" with the children of Villa Armonia who are continuing to teach biblical principles to good schools. During the afternoon dedicated to tutoring, it is not unusual to have to help a child seek what color was the hair of Jesus Christ, or what were the seven plagues of Egypt ... for us who come from a country where secularism itself up as the state religion, it is a permanent shock.

Here, I'll stop there. The young English teacher who has helped me correct my tickets had flown to France on Tuesday (he was admitted as a language assistant in Strasbourg!), The translation of this post will take several days, the time to find another teacher willing to help me.

And you, how are you? The Lille, how did the fire sale? And returned to students? What are your plans for this year? The blog takes me so long that I have neglected my little box mail, but feel free to send me news, these days the quiet of my apartment gives me more time to respond!

I embrace you all safe.

cuidense.

Marion