EXPLORING SANTIAGO

Updated: Saturday, 1 December 2001

During a year of staying together in Santiago de Chile, it became clear to us that we would not be spending our lives together - I believe that we both walked away from the relationship with some sorrow and some pain and a great deal richer for the experience that we had shared.

The logistics of our relationship and its ending opened my world to me, a world of travel, of love of language, of teaching and learning, of experiencing, of friendships, of growing and growing up.

This webpage was created shortly after my first trip to Chile, in mid-1998.

On 7 June 1998 I began my two week visit to Santiago (including a short trip to Easter Island). This trip was a little strange, in that it was not simply a vacation, but rather a "reconnaisance mission" to see how it would feel to live there.

Of course, the reason for travelling to Santiago was to visit Roberto. It was great to be together again, and difficult to leave. All the other great experiences there were simply bonuses.

HIGH POINTS:

Seeing where Roberto lives and works (and sits at the computer, lol), meeting his friends and family, etc.

Being in REAL SNOW for the very first time!!! I have only been in snow once, as a little child, and it was only a few centimetres deep. This was incredible. Real snow! (I think I've said that already, lol) In the Andes!!! It was really cold, but I think the pictures prove that I was not, in fact, purple, as Roberto claims.

The feeling of achievement after my first purchase in Spanish....true, it did take a while, lol.

Finding the Goethe Institute, which will hopefully help me to attain some functional Spanish, amongst other things.

Finding even more wooden horses...note the picture of Roberto standing under the wooden horse at Valparaiso.

A visit to Pablo Neruda's house.

Finding Spanish translations of Terry Pratchett's books, and buying "Mort"....could be a while before I can read it, lol

The fact that just about everything edible comes with optional avocado...mmmmmmm.

The freshly-squeezed kiwi fruit juice.....likewise, mmmmmmmm.

The jalapenos and chipotles....likewise mmmmmmm but with a runny nose for added effect.

LOW POINTS:

Feeling constrained by being in a country where I don't understand the language

Really bad smog

Walking away....again....

Useful Books from Amazon.com

Lonely Planet Guide to Chile and Easter Island	Lonely Planet Latin American Spanish Phrasebook	Lonely Planet: Santiago de Chile
Travels in a Thin Country: A Journey Through Chile	Chile in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture	The Chilean Kitchen: Authentic, Homestyle Foods, Regional Wines and Culinary Traditions of Chile
Pablo Neruda's Veinte Poemas de Amor Y Una Cancion Desesperada, with the English translations (Twenty Poems of Love and a Desperate Song)	Pablo Neruda's Separate Rose, with English translations	Why Women Protest: Women's Movements in Chile