Friday, January 30, 2004
Well, more than one week down and we´ve already graced a second country with our presense. The day before yesterday, we crossed the Andes, not far from the 24,000ft peaks Raegan described, descended through utahesque, and napaesque landscapes into Mendoza, Argentina. It´s different, but more on that later.
Santiago is not a bad place to be sick: the water is potable, the juice is delicious, pharmacies are plentiful, and I had my dearest Raegan at my beckon call to nurse me to health. I don´t recomend a feverish flu in the summer, but luckily it left as quickly as it came. Once healthy, we toured the city´s pre-columbian art museum -- one of the best in the world we´re told. I guess I knew that prior to Columbus´"discovery" there were more groups present than the Inca and Maya, but I had little idea. Did you know folks down here were mumifying their dead 2000yrs before the Egyptians? Well they were. Also, DYK the Inca developed an elaborate method of writing with knots of rope in order to organize, manage and record the planting and harvesting of crops and the labor of 10 million people (among many other things)? Well they did. We also observed that a sizable portion of the artifacts were devoted to the production, consumption and commemoration of drug use. It seems this continent was occupied by some cocaine and mushroom-eating, pot-smoking, hallucination-having ancient people. In my next life, maybe I´ll return as a shaman.
From Santiago we headed to the beach resort city of Viña del Mar. We watched the second installment of the Ace Ventura series on the bus ride -- movie magic. The beach was beautiful and crowded. It didn´t take us long to remember that our skin was in winter not long before. Next to Viña is the city of Valaparaiso. Supposedly it´s a poor-mans San Francisco, but other than the hills, electric buses, and victorian architecture the comparison doesn´t work. After riding a funicular and winding around the alleys and steps in the hills of the city, we were thinking sicilian hill town, but bigger, and with more stray german shepards. It´s a magical place.
Despìte our enjoying the three cities we visited in Chile, we are enjoying Mendoza much more. And dwho could blame us: steak and wine have replaced mayonaise lathered hot dogs-- for the same price? Every street in the city is lined with trees, plazas are filled with necking couples, and everyone we´ve met has bent over backwards to ensure we enjoy their country. Today we slept like cats until the afternoon, then went wine tasting. Tommorow I suspect more of the same. The people here speak Spanish with an Italian accent. Can you picture that. Try saying "buenos dias" like you had a dry throut or were Michael Corleone, now put your palms faced up, connect your fingers at the thumb, and shake your hands up and donw. You get the idea.
I miss you all greatly.
Comments-[ comments.]
Santiago is not a bad place to be sick: the water is potable, the juice is delicious, pharmacies are plentiful, and I had my dearest Raegan at my beckon call to nurse me to health. I don´t recomend a feverish flu in the summer, but luckily it left as quickly as it came. Once healthy, we toured the city´s pre-columbian art museum -- one of the best in the world we´re told. I guess I knew that prior to Columbus´"discovery" there were more groups present than the Inca and Maya, but I had little idea. Did you know folks down here were mumifying their dead 2000yrs before the Egyptians? Well they were. Also, DYK the Inca developed an elaborate method of writing with knots of rope in order to organize, manage and record the planting and harvesting of crops and the labor of 10 million people (among many other things)? Well they did. We also observed that a sizable portion of the artifacts were devoted to the production, consumption and commemoration of drug use. It seems this continent was occupied by some cocaine and mushroom-eating, pot-smoking, hallucination-having ancient people. In my next life, maybe I´ll return as a shaman.
From Santiago we headed to the beach resort city of Viña del Mar. We watched the second installment of the Ace Ventura series on the bus ride -- movie magic. The beach was beautiful and crowded. It didn´t take us long to remember that our skin was in winter not long before. Next to Viña is the city of Valaparaiso. Supposedly it´s a poor-mans San Francisco, but other than the hills, electric buses, and victorian architecture the comparison doesn´t work. After riding a funicular and winding around the alleys and steps in the hills of the city, we were thinking sicilian hill town, but bigger, and with more stray german shepards. It´s a magical place.
Despìte our enjoying the three cities we visited in Chile, we are enjoying Mendoza much more. And dwho could blame us: steak and wine have replaced mayonaise lathered hot dogs-- for the same price? Every street in the city is lined with trees, plazas are filled with necking couples, and everyone we´ve met has bent over backwards to ensure we enjoy their country. Today we slept like cats until the afternoon, then went wine tasting. Tommorow I suspect more of the same. The people here speak Spanish with an Italian accent. Can you picture that. Try saying "buenos dias" like you had a dry throut or were Michael Corleone, now put your palms faced up, connect your fingers at the thumb, and shake your hands up and donw. You get the idea.
I miss you all greatly.
Monday, January 12, 2004
Well, well, well. We're getting down to the wire here, and we couldn't be more excited. Only four more days of work, and five days of craziness lay ahead. To give you an indication or our lives at the moment: this last weekend Raegan and I had a dinner party, opened a bank account, canceled all our bills, sold a car, grabbed lunch and a movie with my mom, bought a few last minute items, got a soccer lesson from my cousin, Kevin, packed a few boxes, and hosted Jeff Peak, an out-of-town guest. No pats on the back though, we we're a little disappointed that we didn't get more done.
Oh one other thing accomplished last weekend: I spoke to Kate, a childhood friend of Kevins, who lives in Santiago with her Ecuadorian husband. She's a new mom, and I think he's a soccer player, but nevertheless Kate kindly offered to play tour guide for us. I can't wait.
Much love to you all.
It will be interesting to see whether we hit the ground running, or hit the pillow when we land in Santiago.
Comments-[ comments.]
Oh one other thing accomplished last weekend: I spoke to Kate, a childhood friend of Kevins, who lives in Santiago with her Ecuadorian husband. She's a new mom, and I think he's a soccer player, but nevertheless Kate kindly offered to play tour guide for us. I can't wait.
Much love to you all.
It will be interesting to see whether we hit the ground running, or hit the pillow when we land in Santiago.
