Of all the thrilling excursions and spectacular places we had heard about in the Atacama Desert, the Valle de Arcoiris wasn’t a hotspot that immediately captured my imagination. It was only by chance, on the flight from Santiago to Antofagasta, that the Llama read about a hike into the valley from the Sky Airline magazine. We tore out the page, folded it up and stuffed it between the pages of the guidebook I often carried but rarely consulted.
My hair is thick and wavy, my eyes are brown and steady. My skin is not very dark nor very light, and I´m definitely not too tall. My tongue rolls r´s and sails past d´s, and has no trouble cooing u´s. If I keep my sentences short and uncomplicated, most days I can “pass.” Continue reading
Welcome to Santiago, dear readers. I’ve been quiet for a bit, and I wish I hadn’t been because life happens fast. Discoveries every step of the way keep me playing along and optimistic that soon, normalcy will creep in. Tuesday, May 31st marks five months of living in Chile.
Viña del Mar is Valparaíso’s responsible and trend-conscious little sister working hard to come out from behind her older sibling’s über-cool shadow. Continue reading
A few months ago, I could not have told you the name of a single street in the entire country of Chile. I could make broad statements about the desert in the north, the mountains in the south, and a fertile wine growing valley surrounding the capital city in the center. The intricacies of this skinny country were nothing more than abstractions of guidebook details. Continue reading
A warm sunset breaks through storm clouds and shines down on Valparaíso, Chile. Continue reading
So you took high school Spanish, maybe even some classes in college. It’s been a few years, but you at least know how to say “hello,” “goodbye,” “I want a beer,” “where is the bathroom,” and “thank you.” Right?
Not so fast, there, weon. Chileans don’t frequently use “hola” or “adios.” They say “alo” and “ciao ciao.” Continue reading
