Adventures on a micro bus

Today I decided I was up for an adventure.  I wanted to go to a winery.  For some reason, going on a winery tour here is ridiculously expensive!  I couldn’t find one for under US$100!  Because I’m too cheap and I find organized tours boring (Brenda & Neil, I can hear you laughing from here…) I decided I would create my own adventure and get there myself.

I made reservations to have lunch at the Santa Rita winery (the only way I could go on a tour on a Sunday)  I vaguely figured out how to get there (with some help from the family I’m staying with) Armed with the winery’s map from their website and the family’s instructions, I set off!

The first part was easy and just involved taking the metro.  I even managed to buy a pre-paid transit card without any charades.  Next was a train ticket.  Easy peasy, bought a ticket and no one flinched at my Spanish.

Took the train to Buin a small town in the Maipo valley.  The winery’s map indicated that it should have been less than a kilometer from the train tracks to the winery: WRONG!  After some aimless wandering and asking a few people, my options to get to the winery were:  to look for a random car with the right name on the top (called a collectivo) and hail it down.  Sort of like a cab, but with other people going every direction.  Option 2, take a micro bus (#81).  I went for Option 2.  I would have never known that this was the bus stop…

Where this becomes an adventure is the fact that these buses have no set stops and drive wildly through the country roads (despite the fact that on the bus there’s a sign saying they have a maximum speed of 50 km/h)  Where it becomes really interesting however, is if you’re the only person getting on or off the bus, they don’t come to a complete stop! So, when you want to get off, you let the driver know, he slows down, and you jump off and practice your Hollywood stuntman skills.

If you know me at all, you know how clumsy I am (or as they say in Spanish “Yo soy torpe” (I am clumsy)) So, imagine me, trying to keep my balance as the rico suave bus driver slows down and then I launch myself off the bus.  Amazingly, I made it.  And the winery, was awesome!

Risk of Death/Serious Injury potential:   3/10 (increases depending on speed of bus)

Adrenaline factor: 4/10

Valparaiso

Today the school had a trip to Valparaiso (pronounced Val-para-iso) It’s a port city on the coast of the Pacific and about an hour and a half by bus from Santiago.  The buses in Chile are amazingly cheap (the ride was cdn$5 and the bus super modern and comfortable)

Valparaiso is one of the oldest cities in Chile and recently became a UNESCO world heritage site.  It’s famous for it’s 19th century architecture, colorful buildings and funicular (ie death trap) elevators. 

Here are some cool pics!

Chilean Food

I’d never heard much about Chilean food nor did I have any clue as to what their national dish might be.  However, after a few days, I do know that this country has an unnatural obsession with avocados.  I’m not lying. Everywhere, avocados.  I had not clue there were so many types of avocados until coming here.  Tiny holes in the wall stores that only sell cold drinks, sell avocados. The mini farmers market up the road? Avocados at each stall.  At least 4 varieties.

The first time I saw this guy, I thought he was a beggar on the street and I crossed the street (it’s my passive agressive way of dealing with beggars)  After all, if this guy were in a residential area anywhere in North America, what else would he be doing?  But in Chile, this guy, on the corner in a residential neighborhood,  EVERY day, sells avocados!  Last time I saw him, he had 5 varieties.  Today; only 2!

 

One dish I had the pleasure of trying (though that’s still up for debate) is a Chilean version of Poutine.  It probably originated before Poutine, but for the life of me, can’t remember this dish’s name.  While our Canadian Poutine is hardly the picture of a healthy meal, the Chilean version (thankfully meant to be shared) has a massive stack of fries (probably close to 2lbs worth) fried onions, cheese, scrambled egg, and a ton of beef.  It doesn’t taste nearly as bad as it sounds and with a bit of sangria, it’s perfect.  Then again, anything with fries is pretty perfect as far I’m concerned!

Hot Springs at 10,000ft

Today was my first day at school.  I don’t think my brain has been this tired since I did math at engineering school.  Come to think of it, calculating how much things cost here is pretty complicated math.  Who would have thought that a bottle of water cost 350? it’s pesos and works out to about 75 cents but still.  Lunch costs 3000.  I’m not used to working with so many zeros!

The teacher to us to a small farmer’s market (feria) where we learned how to ask for fruits/vegetables and negotiate cost.  I only humiliated myself a few times!  Instead of saying “smoked salmon” I said “the salmon smokes” and instead of asking if it was a “chirmoya” (a local fruit) I asked the merchant if it was a bad cheque! ha ha!

The school had an available excursion to a hot springs in the Andes called Thermas de la Collina.  90km along a dirt road, I think we found quite possibly one of the least habituated places on earth.  Seriously, look at this picture… it could be Afghanistan!  Osama bin laden could be hiding in that cave!

 

Once we got there, I have to say it was one of the most unique places I’d ever been to.  We were at about 10,000ft elevation and the peaks of the mountains you see were probably 7,000m (don’t make me do more math!)

And really, can you find a sexier lifeguard than this????

Bellavista

The area I’m staying in in Santiago is called Bellavista.  It’s a cool area with lots of tree lined streets, colorful buildings and streetside restaurants and cafes. 

From my very little exploring thus far of Santiago, I love the feel of the city.  I also love the fact that I don’t even look like a tourist.  It’s one of the few places I’ve been to, I can actually blend in like a local (not so easy to do in Thailand or India!)  and for anyone interested, a bottle of wine at the cute cafes? About $5 Canadian!

Getting there

When I left home today, I felt like a young kid that just graduated and was going backpacking around Europe.  There I was at my mom’s place, with my backpack on and my comfy yoga pants and she was about to drive me to the airport.  The only thing odd about the whole thing is the fact that I’m about 18 years too old to be doing the backpacking thing.  But that’s the feeling and excitement I felt!

By the time I connected in Toronto and got on the plane, I was over the whole surreal-ness of my adventure.  I was so excited that I didn’t even care that the only child on the plane happened to be sitting right behind me and was either kicking my seat, screaming or both.  However, by hour 9 of the flight, I was ready to reach over and pick her up by her pig tails.  Luckily for the both of us, she had just fallen asleep!

Tomorrow, it’s off to school for my first lesson.  “where is the bathroom” or “do you know where the sloths are” haven’t helped me at all yet today!

Full Circle

Here I am, the night before one of my biggest adventures, reflecting on the trip I’m about to take. I’m heading off tomorrow for a three week trip to Chile and Argentina. I’m going to be spending two weeks in Santiago learning Spanish and a week in Mendoza staying on a vineyard.

It’s important for me to do this trip on many levels. First off all, after a hectic year, I need rest. Between work and the changes in my life and relationships, I need a break to catch my breath.

Ironically, I’ll be finishing up the decade not very far (at least physically) from where I started it. On January 3, 2000, I landed in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. It was the first time I left North America as an adult. I was a lost twenty something just starting a career in the clothing business and trying to find myself. Flash forward to 2009: I’ve added 15 countries to that list and have an amazing career in the clothing business. Even more amazing, is the fact that my job has given me the fortune of taking me to some amazing places. I’ll never forget telling an ex-boyfriend that if India was the last place on earth, I wouldn’t be interested in going. Who knew that years later, I’d have stamps in my passport from 5 visits to India?

But this 2^nd time to South America, isn’t as a lost twentysomething, but as a thirtysomething (eek) woman who lived the biggest emotional rollercoaster of a lifetime and not only survived it, but came out of it a better person. I’m looking forward to three weeks of introspection, rest and great adventure!

First stop: Santiago, Chile. The plan is to go to a Spanish school and finally refine my skills. After my month in Bolivia in 2000, I picked up a lot of Spanish, but I should “probably” learn a little more than “How much is this?” “Where is the bathroom?” and “Excuse me, do you know where I can find the sloths today” (don’t ask!) So… here’s hoping I’m not a thirtysomething amidst a slew of just out of high school trust fund kids. Wish me luck!