Chilling in Chile

I thought that a country shaped and named after a chili pepper would be an exciting destination, and wasn't disappointed except for the irony that Chilean food is somewhat bland. The capital city of Chile, Santiago, sprawls within a valley surrounded by the big, brown Andes. I was there in April, the beginning of their Autumn, so there weren't snowy peaks yet. Santiago may just have the perfect climate. No matter what time of year, it’s warm during the day and cool in the mornings and evenings.  Dressing in layers is a necessity!

Santiago from Santa Lucia

I've traveled the least in South America and arguably know the least about its history, which probably makes me a bad neighbor. I’m aware in broad strokes of the role the US and CIA played in South America during the Cold War, often helping overthrow leftist governments in favor of conservative dictators, leading to decades of brutal political suppression. Chile is one of those stories. Salvador Allende, their first democratically elected Marxist President – popular with the working class for his reforms in land ownership and public education, less popular with the elite – was overthrown by military coup by Augusto Pinochet, with the support of the CIA. In the 1990s Pinochet boldly declared public elections with confidence that he would win. He didn't, but remarkably allowed a peaceful transfer of power and Chile once again became a democratic nation. Many Chilean ex-pats have returned since.

Statue of President Salvador Allende

Every morning in Santiago begins cool and foggy (or smoggy), with a thick layer covering the city almost entirely erasing the mountains. Arguably the best view in Santiago is from the San Cristobal, a large hill in the middle of the city crowned with a large, white statue of the Madonna. This was only a couple days after Easter, and I can’t imagine a lovelier place to worship – high on a hill in the soft morning light, close to the heavens, the world below enveloped in mist, beautiful and mysterious.

The Madonna atop of San Cristobal

The view from San Cristobal, in the morning before the fog has cleared

The “Tours 4 Tips” walking tour was a great way to see the major sights and absorb some quick history with limited time. Did you know Santiago is the #1 capital in the world for street dogs? (Note, this is not actually a fact.) The city is filled with the sweetest, gentlest, if slightly grungy strays – politely asking for scraps, napping in shady nooks, and sauntering along with foot traffic. The locals call them “Kiltros” and they’re generally well-taken care of and respected characters of the city, even alleged to protect people from those who mean them harm. It broke my heart a little because it was obvious looking into their sweet, sad eyes that every one of them would make a wonderful and loyal pet.

An old man in an oversize suit with his "kiltros" (street dogs)

The walking tour takes you into one of the world’s most beautiful subway stations (according to Lonely Planet) and by a fascinating street mural bursting with cultural symbolism. Santiago, I would learn, only scratches the surface of Chile’s culture of street art.

Universidad de Chile Metro station covered in enourmous murals by Mario Toral

Murals on the streets of Santiago

Despite over-indulging in Carmenere, Chile’s signature dry red wine the night before, on Saturday I went on an all-day guided hiking trip to a glacier and active volcano in the Andes about two and half hours outside the city. Along with two spirited woman from Texas and our guide Alejandro, a Chilean with a love affair with the mountains, we walked eight miles along the “San Jose de Maipo”, the valley of the San Jose Volcano, trading stories about our lives, catching our breath, and marveling at the surrounding beauty. We drank mineral water out of a natural spring, which to my surprise tastes like San Pellegrino!

Cajon de Maipo in the Andes

The interplay of the mountains with the changing daylight transforms the valley, making it seems like a different place altogether from morning to afternoon.  Our reward after the long hike was a soak in natural sulfur hot springs, balm for tired muscles, followed by yet another couple glasses of Carmenere, balm for all things.

Soaking in sulfur hot springs after hiking all day

And as if that wouldn't be enough for one weekend, I woke up early the next morning to catch a bus to Valparaiso, and 19^th century port city on the Atlantic Ocean, and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. It’s occurred to me that you have to be somewhat intrepid to take off traveling solo in a place you don’t speak the language, and also have a tolerance for awkward situations. I successfully secured a bus ticket after going back and forth for a full five minutes over “asiento”, which involved multiple people talking at me in Spanish, gesturing at their computer screen while I shrugged and offered useless answers in English. It turned out they were simply asking what seat I wanted…

Valparaiso - well worth the 90 minute trip out of Santiago

Now gritty, charismatic Valparaiso… From the bus terminal you have wander through the less impressive grimy downtown to get to the historic center, which I actually completely by-passed on my first pass. In frustration, I finally stopped at a quirky restaurant with a “50s diner meets record shop” decor, ate the delicious ocean white fish, Merluza (which unfortunately later caused a bout of food-poisoning, but that’s another story that never needs to be told), and asked for directions and tips from the English-speaking waitress. The city is known for several things: 1. Terraced and brightly colored houses, 2. Very old, still functioning, German-engineered “Acensors” that haul people up and down the terraces, and 3. Striking “street art”. Valparaiso allows you to be an urban explorer - take an elevator up for stunning views of the harbor, zigzag through the street corridors like a mouse in maze, never being sure around which corner the next brilliant mural will burst into view, then wander down a hidden staircase just to catch the next elevator back up.

Wandering the streets of UNESCO World Heritage Site Valparaiso

"Acensors" going up and down

Despite the Chilean love of the mild flavors of avocado, mayonnaise and Chuchoca (cornmeal), the city and country has more than enough flavor to make it worthy of its name.