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Thursday, December 17
Our hosts usually stay up late and watch movies and don’t get up before 10:00 am. So we sleep in a bit longer as well. My computer is working again so I can work on one of my projects and prepare replies to a few e-mails.
At the Cyber Cafe we try to deal with most of the mails and update the blog from the last few days. Some of our friends have been waiting to hear from us.
After lunch we drive north, to explore the small canyon with waterfall. Luckily it is dry for an hour or so. It’s a beautiful area. So peaceful, nothing but prairie.
Tonight is the Rapa Nui Rotary meeting. They meet in the old jailhouse, which they have restored themselves. The club has only 10 members, most of them are on the main land for holidays at this time. Mario joins us and a Past District Governor from Germany also attends. There are no other members. President Michael is originally from France. 25 years ago he traveled to Easter Island, met a Rapa Nui girl and married her. He is now involved in tourism. He speaks a little English, which makes it easier for all of us. We exchange ideas, and make suggestion for the club to grow and promote itself on the island. Michael is very appreciative of our suggestions. He admits that he knows very little about Rotary outside of his own club. There is a lot of potential on the island from tourism and the younger generation.
As we leave the building, the rains comes down in buckets. We watch another movie and decide to stay up late with Mario and Xenia.
Friday , December 18.
As look out of the window, I actually see a few rays of sun brightening the grass in front of the house. And now we’re leaving. The humidity is still very high. We take our time getting ready and I work on one of my projects, designing a brochure for a Microcredit Project in Liberia.
Mario and Ramiro bring the suitcases to the airport and select two of the better seats. It certainly helps to have someone who has authority at the airport.
Mario and Xenia are allowed in the reception area, where the passengers wait to board the plain. The flight is delayed one hour. So we enjoy one more drink together. Then the flight attendant asks us to board the plane as two of the last passengers. Xenia presents us with a string of shells; One of the traditions of this island.
Mau ru’uru (Thank You, in Rapa Nui) Xenia and Mario. You have been great hosts. Mario has studied the history of the Rapa Niu and we learned a lot from him. I wished my Spanish would have been better. We would have some great conversations together.
Despite the rain, it has been a wonderful experience. Ramiro had a chance to talk about the issues related to his mother’s death and get to know Mario better. I’m sure I will get my time in the sun later. I only had one early morning walk this week. I plan on catching up once we are in Viña del Mar. I need to be outside, enjoy the fresh air and walk or run. I also feel the need to spend some time alone.
Our flights goes rather fast. I practice some of my Spanish and watch a movie.
It’s past 9:00 pm by the time we arrive in Santiago. Rodrigo will pick us up.
He is a Rotarians fro the Viña del Mar Club and works in Santiago, where he has an apartment in the Financial District. A newer area in Las Condes, close to San Cristobal.
We still go out for dinner at 10:00pm and walk from the apartment and back It feels great tobe outside.
Everywhere there are outdoor patios with lots of people. In our part of the woods, most people would be in bed at this time, but here life starts at 9:00 pm.
Saturday, December 19
It’s late by the time we get up and have breakfast. We were just getting adjusted to the Easter Island time and now have to set our clocks ahead again two hours.
We walk to the store and pick up some yogurt, fruit and juice.
Rodrigo does not cook. He does not even have a stove in the tiny kitchen. He uses the microwave, and for the rest of the time he mostly eats out.
A totally different experience here in the upper district of the city, with a younger person.
We drive to San Cristobal, the city’s largest municipal park on a large hill.
It rises 880 m above sea level and about 300 m above the rest of Santiago; the peak is the second highest point in the city, after Cerro Renca. Its original indigenous name was Tupahue. It was named by the Spanish conquistadors for St Christopher, in recognition of its use as a landmark.
At the peak, there is a church with an amphitheater, and a 22 meter statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary donated by France in the 1920s. There is also a zoo, two swimming pools, several restaurants and a Japanese garden.
From the mountain we have a beautiful view of the city.
At its foothills are the Metropolitan Zoo and a Japanese-style garden, and up there are also two municipal pools, Tupahue and Antilén.
We have lunch at one of the restaurants. I have a delicious bowl of fish soup and Ramiro orders Pastel de Choclo. Made with corn, raisins, olives, boiled egg, beef and spices.
We seem to be the last guests and see all the tables being removed around us.
There are a few caches on the mountain. A great way to get some exercise. We leave the car downstairs and hike up. Rodrigo is hooked immediately after he finds his first cache.
I always prefer to walk instead of taking the bus. You see so much more.
Rodrigo has to go to Viña. So we enter a few caches in the GPS and start walking. Along the way we spot an antique market, a real treat for Ramiro.
As we walk throught the park we come across an exhibition of paper mache art. Some made by adults, such as the nativity scene and others made by children between the ages of 5 and 16.
Our next destination is Los Dominicos.
One of Santiago’s tourist attractions.
It is a very old village with a church and old buildings which are turned into a giant artisan market. You will find there anything from wood carvings, ostrich leather goods. Musical instruments. Ceramics, Stained glass, silver jewelry. Chilean spices and jams and lots of woven and knitted items. If you like souvenirs there is a huge selection. You can spend there all day and don’t get bored.
It is so hot and our feet are starting to feel tired after 5 hours of walking. We both have the same idea when we see a fountain with a little pool.
We see a lot of really neat thing. Santiago is just like any other world city.
Wonderful and funky art, skyscrapers and lots of people.
The stores are all open and we pop into the odd one,
just to see what they have
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