Peregrine Days: Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Underneath the fireworks

Christian with our lovely French hosts from the Harrington B&B, Veronique y Olivier

2009 began with champagne and an extravagant fireworks dispay over the Pacific Ocean - apparently the biggest in Latin America. We watched from the cerros (hillsides) of Valporaiso, Chile – Valpo for short. This historical part of the harbor town was designated as a UNESCO world heritage site a few years ago to preserve the colorful houses, intricate alleyways, curving staircases and rickety funiculars climbing up the hills.

Sign for "ascensor" or funicular elevator, one of 16 in the city used to get up and down the hillsides

The spontaneous decision to come up and over the Andes to Chile has proved a good one. We spent Christmas in Valpo with new American friends, Cooper and Margaret, who are currently living in Buenos Aires.

Coop and Margaret

Then we rented a car and drove down the coast to the beachtown of Pichelemu. A few days kicking it on the sand and watching the surfers was a treat. See my new friend Estrella ("star" in Spanish)

After all the steak in Argentina, the seafood here is heaven. Conger Eel is a specialty, as is anything done Pil-Pil style, meaning cooked in garlic, olive oil and red chile. We did NOT eat the Corvino or Chilean Sea Bass, (also know as Patagonian Toothfish) on offer everywhere, as it continues to be overfished.

Chileans claim pisco as their own national drink– as do the Peruvians. We stayed out of the debate and quietly sipped our pisco sours. But the wine is what we really wanted: more and more lush valleys of grapevines to explore! We toured Montes, Casa LaPostalle, and Casa de Bosque (all imported in the US and great values). Our trek up the hill of Cachagua Valley with a guide from Montes was rewarded by an alfresco lunch and glorious views.

Grapes

Grapes from top of hike in Valle de Apalta

Grapes in Casablanca

And more grapes

Another highlight of our 10 days in Chile has been wandering through two of the three homes of the poet Pablo Neruda. La Sebastiani is in Valporaiso and further down the coast is Isla Negra - his favorite home. Full of collections of boatsprits (bowhead figures from ships), colored glass, ship models, and wonderful eclectic treasures from his travels around the world, his homes embody his spirit. I learned a lot about one of my favorite poets walking through his space. For instance: Neruda always wrote in green ink and above his different work desks he hung photos of Walt Whitman, Baudelaire and other poets he admired. I will have to come back to Santiago to visit La Chascana, bought and named for his third wife Matilde (Chascana means "tousled" as she had a wild mane of hair).