It has to be said that a rather wonderful aspect of living in Chile is the possibility of taking off for the beach for a weekend in January. Of course January here is the meteorological equivalent of July in the northern hemisphere, thus you begin to imagine the crowds, the difficulty in finding suitable accommodation, not to mention the traffic on the motorway... However, undeterred, we booked ahead and set off bright and early on Saturday morning for our chosen destination of Quintay, a picturesque and largely unspoilt fishing village with a tiny bay frequented only by fishermen, divers, the odd adventurous (or foolhardy) family and lots of seagulls. It was dull and overcast when we arrived, almost reminiscent of the English seaside were it not for the dramatic landscape, including valleys of fertile vineyards one passed en route to the almost vertical slope we had to walk down (and later up again) to get to the sheltered cove at Quintay itself. After a quick wander around the miniscule beach (dodging the stray dogs) we headed for a hearty fisherman's portion of fish and chips, Chilean-style (no batter, enormous quantities) and very good it was too. As we were settling the bill and ready to reach for the buckets and spades, DD2 announced she didn't like beaches after all, which was rather a bad omen for the two days we had planned of exactly that...
We attempted to begin to digest our lunch by visiting the ex-whaling station, now a vacant, shell of a museum mainly containing black and white photos testifying to its somewhat unfathomable past incarnation. As so often happens in Chile, the sun suddenly emerged from behind an apparently impenetrable layer of cloud to produce an absolute scorcher of an afternoon, thus we hurried to Playa Grande, a nearby stretch of golden sand which became more and more full of holidaymakers as the day went on... We had only just remarked on how peaceful it was when at around 4pm a sound system was plugged in and a DJ began blasting what can only be described as beach house music to a not completely gratified public...
By evening we were too happy and tired to care much that our cabaña, while recommended in two of our guidebooks, had in fact been a disappointment in terms of cleanliness and hygiene which may have been why some of us didn't have the best night's sleep...
The next day we set off further down the coast for Isla Negra, not an island but a locality so-called for its clump of dark granite rocks along the beach and also home to one of Pablo Neruda's houses, now a museum of the poet's eccentric and extravagant personal items collected from his travels around the world. Unfortunately choosing to visit Neruda's house in Isla Negra on a Sunday in January was a little like choosing to visit Shakespeare's birthplace on a Sunday in the summer months, that is to be avoided at all costs due to hordes of people, long queues and the selling out of tickets... Never mind we thought, a great excuse to go back to visit this little gem at another time of year. Instead we made straight for the beach which was beautiful and very atmospheric although made up of fine pebbles therefore not as interesting for more advanced construction purposes. However we still managed to keep busy for an entire day, making stone soup and tea amongst other delights and contemplating the ocean, whose icy water we paddled in but could not swim in. Clearly Chileans are made of sterner stuff than some of us...
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Saturday, 14 January 2012
Strangers in the night
Well the Befana came, bearing Italian chocolates and Chilean sweets, followed hot on her heels two days later by the Tooth Fairy who left the princely sum of one hundred pesos for DD1's first baby tooth to fall out... Let's hope that's it for a while as we've certainly had our fair share of nocturnal visitors recently, what with the jolly chap in the red coat, his elves and various other creatures of fantasy (who will soon be losing their mythical status if this constant march is to be sustained any longer...)
Meanwhile it's January in Santiago, warm and sunny though slightly cooler than the heatwave we experienced over the festive period. We have established a kind of rhythm which consists of plenty of visits to the park, lots of bike rides and even more dips in the pool... Only another month until DH is on holiday then we shall be free to take off for another adventure.
Not that there aren't things to do in the city. This week on an energetic whim I managed to take the girls on the metro to visit the excellent Picasso exhibition in town which made a pleasant change from the calm though dull suburbs. They have since been inspired to redouble their efforts artistically and we now have moulded and painted our own garden, decorated fairies and butterflies and painted works which even Picasso may have been interested to see with his notions of the perspective of the child as artist...
Meanwhile it's January in Santiago, warm and sunny though slightly cooler than the heatwave we experienced over the festive period. We have established a kind of rhythm which consists of plenty of visits to the park, lots of bike rides and even more dips in the pool... Only another month until DH is on holiday then we shall be free to take off for another adventure.
Not that there aren't things to do in the city. This week on an energetic whim I managed to take the girls on the metro to visit the excellent Picasso exhibition in town which made a pleasant change from the calm though dull suburbs. They have since been inspired to redouble their efforts artistically and we now have moulded and painted our own garden, decorated fairies and butterflies and painted works which even Picasso may have been interested to see with his notions of the perspective of the child as artist...
Friday, 6 January 2012
Twelfth Night
It was not without some sadness but also with a good deal of relief that we dismantled our eco-tree today and put away our Christmas decorations in readiness for perhaps a proper winter celebration next year. Despite our best efforts it hasn't really seemed like Christmas this year either though Loving Grandmother's presence certainly added to the mood and helped us to feel it was a special time of year. The children were delighted with their stockings and various bits and pieces, enjoying in particular the swimming on Christmas Day and around, although DD1 surprised me more than once by saying that for her too it didn't seem like Christmas without the cold. It all seemed to be over in a trice as there were no extra bank holidays in lieu and the working week commenced again on Monday 26 December.
New Year's Eve was an interesting moment of cultural confusion as we took advantage of LG's babysitting potential and headed out, DH and I, to sample and savour the last night of the year in Chile's capital city. No-one had told us (nor had we asked) that the centre of the city was officially closed until after midnight on New Year's Day, thus we wandered around forlornly from barrio to barrio, being glared at by mean-looking carabiñeros for a worrying while in eerily quiet streets, searching for signs of life and anywhere serving even a glass of wine. Eventually we realised what was going on (seeing only disappointed tourists in a similar situation) and headed for the more "civilised" outskirts of the city where we eventually found hotels defying (or exempt from) the evening curfew and settled down for a four-course meal surrounded by rich and/or fat fellow diners. By eleven thirty we had finished and were stuffed to the gills, ready to take to the streets and begin saluting our fellow Santiaguinos... The streets were still desolate, completely deserted and Santiago had never been as empty. We began our long walk home, passing the midnight mark en route which was atmospheric for the lack of traffic, people and dogs for once... It felt like a metaphor for our existence here, DH and I alone in an alien world, always against the tide but together in a strange country, continent, hemisphere and culture...
So it is 2012 and a new year thus a time of renewed hope and optimism. Here in Chile the economic recession is not really an issue although there is a huge discrepancy in how people live hence a constant feeling of dissatisfaction for those of us used to a more even society. However one can only hope their turn will come too...
Meanwhile LG's departure has been softened by two exciting prospects: DD1's first wobbly tooth plus the potential arrival of La Befana, Italy's equivalent of the Three Wise Men who travels around the world on Twelfth Night, bringing sweets to good children and lumps of coal to the bad...
New Year's Eve was an interesting moment of cultural confusion as we took advantage of LG's babysitting potential and headed out, DH and I, to sample and savour the last night of the year in Chile's capital city. No-one had told us (nor had we asked) that the centre of the city was officially closed until after midnight on New Year's Day, thus we wandered around forlornly from barrio to barrio, being glared at by mean-looking carabiñeros for a worrying while in eerily quiet streets, searching for signs of life and anywhere serving even a glass of wine. Eventually we realised what was going on (seeing only disappointed tourists in a similar situation) and headed for the more "civilised" outskirts of the city where we eventually found hotels defying (or exempt from) the evening curfew and settled down for a four-course meal surrounded by rich and/or fat fellow diners. By eleven thirty we had finished and were stuffed to the gills, ready to take to the streets and begin saluting our fellow Santiaguinos... The streets were still desolate, completely deserted and Santiago had never been as empty. We began our long walk home, passing the midnight mark en route which was atmospheric for the lack of traffic, people and dogs for once... It felt like a metaphor for our existence here, DH and I alone in an alien world, always against the tide but together in a strange country, continent, hemisphere and culture...
So it is 2012 and a new year thus a time of renewed hope and optimism. Here in Chile the economic recession is not really an issue although there is a huge discrepancy in how people live hence a constant feeling of dissatisfaction for those of us used to a more even society. However one can only hope their turn will come too...
Meanwhile LG's departure has been softened by two exciting prospects: DD1's first wobbly tooth plus the potential arrival of La Befana, Italy's equivalent of the Three Wise Men who travels around the world on Twelfth Night, bringing sweets to good children and lumps of coal to the bad...
Sunday, 25 December 2011
I'm dreaming of...
...if not a White Christmas then certainly a wintry one. It's just not the same in the middle of summer. However I suppose it'll be something to look forward to in years to come...
Mustn't complain of course as the weather is glorious and we are making full use of our pool. Also, Loving Grandmother has arrived from the UK bearing plenty of gifts and making two little people very happy, with cuddles, stories and of course her two iPhones, thoughtfully pre-loaded with children's applications and games thus of great interest to the girls.
Presents have been wrapped, cards despatched, carrots for the reindeer and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc with a few almonds left out for poor old Father Christmas (he's going to need them by the time he gets here after servicing the rest of the world) so I think it's time to sign off.
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be... wintry.
Mustn't complain of course as the weather is glorious and we are making full use of our pool. Also, Loving Grandmother has arrived from the UK bearing plenty of gifts and making two little people very happy, with cuddles, stories and of course her two iPhones, thoughtfully pre-loaded with children's applications and games thus of great interest to the girls.
Presents have been wrapped, cards despatched, carrots for the reindeer and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc with a few almonds left out for poor old Father Christmas (he's going to need them by the time he gets here after servicing the rest of the world) so I think it's time to sign off.
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be... wintry.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Deck the halls with boughs of...
...asparagus? Strawberry plants? Sunflowers? Certainly no real holly to be found here in an increasingly blazing summer in Chile, although oddly enough many of the northern hemisphere's Christmas traditions persist despite their apparent incongruity with the meteorological season. Thus we find model snowmen adorning people's gardens, depictions of reindeer pulling sleighs and plenty of Father Christmases dressed up in shopping malls or climbing up buildings. Last Saturday in Jumbo, our local supermarket, many of the staff were dressed as Father Christmas or his elves as "White Christmas" crooned out overhead to get us in the mood, the air-conditioning turned up full blast while outside the temperatures approached 32°C.
In a way it doesn't seem quite so strange this year as we've been through it before; indeed we are managing to recreate a festive atmosphere reasonably successfully this time. Perhaps it helps that we are in our own home with all our own belongings including three boxes of Christmas decorations acquired over the years... As DD1 broke up for an almost three-month-long summer holiday last week, we immediately set to work on our eco-tree and have now an interesting cardboard sculpture on our terrace which has been painted green and decorated with our lighter Christmas ornaments. We have made and illustrated cards, wrapped presents for teachers, made paper snowflakes and of course attacked the Advent calendars with great enthusiasm. One week of the school holidays gone, ten more to go... Meanwhile DD2 has been valiantly soldiering on at her nursery, lured in part by the prospect of a visit from Father Christmas himself, puzzlingly here in Chile referred to as "el viejito pascuero"... However tomorrow is her last day, with Spanish-language carols in the evening an invitation we cannot refuse...
A performance of the Nutcracker last weekend helped to conjure up some Christmas magic with both girls mesmerised by the dancing, the story, the scenery and of course the music. Unfortunately there was no live orchestra but a decent recording which was however inexplicably interrupted every now and then for some very impromptu editing. Another Chilean moment...
In a way it doesn't seem quite so strange this year as we've been through it before; indeed we are managing to recreate a festive atmosphere reasonably successfully this time. Perhaps it helps that we are in our own home with all our own belongings including three boxes of Christmas decorations acquired over the years... As DD1 broke up for an almost three-month-long summer holiday last week, we immediately set to work on our eco-tree and have now an interesting cardboard sculpture on our terrace which has been painted green and decorated with our lighter Christmas ornaments. We have made and illustrated cards, wrapped presents for teachers, made paper snowflakes and of course attacked the Advent calendars with great enthusiasm. One week of the school holidays gone, ten more to go... Meanwhile DD2 has been valiantly soldiering on at her nursery, lured in part by the prospect of a visit from Father Christmas himself, puzzlingly here in Chile referred to as "el viejito pascuero"... However tomorrow is her last day, with Spanish-language carols in the evening an invitation we cannot refuse...
A performance of the Nutcracker last weekend helped to conjure up some Christmas magic with both girls mesmerised by the dancing, the story, the scenery and of course the music. Unfortunately there was no live orchestra but a decent recording which was however inexplicably interrupted every now and then for some very impromptu editing. Another Chilean moment...
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Fly me to the moon
Like other Catholic countries, Chile observes a national holiday for the feast of the Immaculate Conception (8 December) thus we have just had a four-day weekend (always welcome). In fact having noticed this on the school calendar we had planned our last short break of the year accordingly and flew out from Santiago on Thursday morning to Calama, approximately a thousand miles north and gateway to the much-talked-about region of Atacama, home of the driest desert in the world...
Calama itself seemed to comprise the airport, rows of prefabricated houses and little else of any interest. Like the hordes before us we too were bound for the region's cultural capital and were soon bumping along a seemingly interminable but ruggedly awe-inspiring road through barren rocky desert towards San Pedro de Atacama. It was a longer journey than we'd imagined but when at last the bus chugged towards a shimmering green oasis amid the swirling dust clouds, we knew we had arrived at our destination.
San Pedro is even more spectacular than one expects; its position on the edge of the desert and poised between dramatic valleys, lakes, canyons and volcanoes must be one of the most naturally fortunate in the world. The town itself is pretty, faithfully preserved with its original adobe architectural style while also being very well-developed as a tourist and serious traveller destination. Clearly the town's raison d'etre is the sheer panoply of excursions possible and available to be purchased from any one of the numerous tour operators lining its streets (along with the hotels, hostels, cafes, restaurants and shops) although it is also a calmly pleasant environment in which to relax between tours, whether sipping a drink in the shady main square (complete with picturesque church) or ambling around its dusty corners. Judging from the number of northern European travellers, both budget and luxury, one can only conclude that San Pedro de Atacama must have achieved legendary status on the traveller trail as backpackers and young people in general abound, both visitors and local workers, though surprisingly so do senior citizens evidently in search of pastures new as a busload of French pensioners proved...
The first thing we did on arrival was to take time to acclimatise to our new environment, paying particular attention to the adjustment in altitude which was over 2400m. However we were all fine, some dry skin apparent even on the girls' lips by the end of our stay but nothing more serious than that. Sunglasses were essential equipment, even for the children, as were hats and sunblock to resist the glare of a very strong sun. Our hotel was comfortable and clean though we were wary of not wasting tap water while also drinking copious amounts of the bottled variety. Soon we were busy exploring the town centre, weighing up the possibilities, staving off the touts and trying to strike a balance between nature, adventure, activity and relaxation with two -admittedly robust- small children in tow.
Our first excursion bright and early the next morning was to Laguna Cejar in the middle of the salt plain although it soon transformed itself into something of an endurance test, largely due to an incommunicative and incompetent driver. However the lake itself was a wonder to contemplate, not just for its beauty but also for its apparent ability to keep even the heaviest person afloat due to its high salt concentration as DH successfully tested...
The next afternoon came probably the highlight of our stay: a trip to the Valle de la Luna, so-called for its other-worldly landscape, sense of infinite space and of course lack of vegetation. In this case even the bus ride was spectacular but walking along its stony surface surrounded by mineral-rich rocks and jutting cliffs was even more evocative of space exploration. It was a little like being on a vast film set or a photo shoot as the opportunities to remain impressed were endless. The children loved it, DD1 running up and down sand dunes while DD2 scrambled to keep up, collecting as many stones and crystals as she could carry.
It was a tough choice but for the last day we plumped for an afternoon spent at Termas de Puritama, a series of eight natural rock pools with thermal properties and water at a temperature of around 34°C. The pools themselves were dramatically set in a breathtakingly verdant canyon under the watchful gaze of the active volcano Licancabur whose smoke one could see rising... Only snag was that DD2 refused to set foot in any of the pools once she knew there were fish and other creatures swimming in it, not to mention algae and other suspicious-looking "green things"... DD1 on the other hand had to be forcibly removed from the water when it was time to go.
Back in Santiago and it feels as if we were really on another planet for a few exciting and unforgettable days...
It was a tough choice but for the last day we plumped for an afternoon spent at Termas de Puritama, a series of eight natural rock pools with thermal properties and water at a temperature of around 34°C. The pools themselves were dramatically set in a breathtakingly verdant canyon under the watchful gaze of the active volcano Licancabur whose smoke one could see rising... Only snag was that DD2 refused to set foot in any of the pools once she knew there were fish and other creatures swimming in it, not to mention algae and other suspicious-looking "green things"... DD1 on the other hand had to be forcibly removed from the water when it was time to go.
Back in Santiago and it feels as if we were really on another planet for a few exciting and unforgettable days...
Monday, 5 December 2011
Festive season begins
Just like last year the festive season is getting underway in earnest as the sun gets hotter, the days longer and clothing skimpier... Santiago is gloriously full of mauve-flowering trees which from a distance appear to have purple leaves and are very distinctive, colourful and gay. Nature's tinsel perhaps...
Last week we were treated to the end-of-year music recital for which DD1 was the sole recorder-player in a vast group which included boisterous boys strumming guitars and angelic girls singing in the choir. The organisation as usual was less than slick but proud parents clutching cameras didn't seem to mind as the music teacher apologised for the confusion and lack of chairs (which eventually materialised). DD1 seemed very nervous as she took her seat near the teacher, importantly adjusting her music stand to the lowest height and taking it all very seriously... We couldn't help but smile when the music teacher introduced the song "Whatever" as the jingle to a famous soft drink and without mentioning the original authors but certainly enjoyed the rendition, mispronunciations and all... Next week we have the Christmas songs concert to look forward to which includes such spiritual classics as "Santa Claus is coming to town" and "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" so not quite the traditional carol service then...
Meanwhile it's been a hugely important week for DD2 too as she celebrated her fourth birthday both at nursery and at home. It was the perfect opportunity for a garden party in December, with outdoor toys, games, races and ice-lollies as well as the usual birthday fodder. Having now had two birthdays in what can only be described as the heat in Chile, DD2 is now under the impression she was born in summer though I keep explaining that this was not in fact the case. Her birthday now over, we tried listening to some carols today but to no avail; they just sound wrong when one is dressed in short sleeves and the sun is shining in full force. Having failed to find a simple Advent calendar with doors leading to exciting images of Christmas paraphernalia, I relented and bought them a chocolate one each, only to have to keep them in the fridge which does rather defeat the purpose. Which brings me on to the next burning issue: what to do for a Christmas tree. Back in days of old we used to insist on real, potted trees which could then be replanted but here it is of course impossible to find a fir tree in summer. Most people and shopping malls opt for the unabashed fake tree but I am managing to resist this quite easily for now, promising the girls that we really can make our own eco-friendly tree ourselves with all the old toilet roll and kitchen roll cylinders we've been dutifully keeping for just such a project...
Last week we were treated to the end-of-year music recital for which DD1 was the sole recorder-player in a vast group which included boisterous boys strumming guitars and angelic girls singing in the choir. The organisation as usual was less than slick but proud parents clutching cameras didn't seem to mind as the music teacher apologised for the confusion and lack of chairs (which eventually materialised). DD1 seemed very nervous as she took her seat near the teacher, importantly adjusting her music stand to the lowest height and taking it all very seriously... We couldn't help but smile when the music teacher introduced the song "Whatever" as the jingle to a famous soft drink and without mentioning the original authors but certainly enjoyed the rendition, mispronunciations and all... Next week we have the Christmas songs concert to look forward to which includes such spiritual classics as "Santa Claus is coming to town" and "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" so not quite the traditional carol service then...
Meanwhile it's been a hugely important week for DD2 too as she celebrated her fourth birthday both at nursery and at home. It was the perfect opportunity for a garden party in December, with outdoor toys, games, races and ice-lollies as well as the usual birthday fodder. Having now had two birthdays in what can only be described as the heat in Chile, DD2 is now under the impression she was born in summer though I keep explaining that this was not in fact the case. Her birthday now over, we tried listening to some carols today but to no avail; they just sound wrong when one is dressed in short sleeves and the sun is shining in full force. Having failed to find a simple Advent calendar with doors leading to exciting images of Christmas paraphernalia, I relented and bought them a chocolate one each, only to have to keep them in the fridge which does rather defeat the purpose. Which brings me on to the next burning issue: what to do for a Christmas tree. Back in days of old we used to insist on real, potted trees which could then be replanted but here it is of course impossible to find a fir tree in summer. Most people and shopping malls opt for the unabashed fake tree but I am managing to resist this quite easily for now, promising the girls that we really can make our own eco-friendly tree ourselves with all the old toilet roll and kitchen roll cylinders we've been dutifully keeping for just such a project...
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