Thursday
15th
So after
work I headed to la Yein Fonda with some workmates, which was provided free for
those working in the media industry. We
arrived in Cuidad Empresarial, after hurtling down the bendy hillside road on a
jam packed micro, and entered into the massive big-top like tent. Having 3 free drink and 3 free food
vounchers, I wanted to try a bit of everything on offer. I ate some empanadas and anticucho, and drank
some chicha and of course some piscola.
There was a live band and singers performing the traditional cuecas and
cumbias for everyone to dance to and there was a great atmosphere, with
everyone ready to party for the weekend.
Afterwards I headed into Bellavista to my favourite haunt En Secreto-
the karaoke bar.
Friday 16th
Having the
day off work was a god send and meant I could catch up on all my chores before
the weekend really began. Friday night I
spontaneously headed out about 10pm to meet some friends in Plaza Italia, not
knowing what they wanted to do. My two
friends decided they wanted to go to another fonda, but I wasn’t too bothered
so I ended up going to En Secreto with the other two people there who I had
briefly met before. It was a good choice
too, as those at the fonda soon came to join us for a bit of cheeky singing
before heading to a club. I ended the
night a true Chilean having made it till 5am when the clubs closed, and I
headed back with the others to their houses in Puente Alto around 20 miles away
on the very outskirts of the city.
Saturday 17th
After only
a few hours sleep and a bit hungover I headed back on the hour journey on the
metro and micros to my house. It made me
realise how different the various comunas of Santiago are. Puente Alto is full of small, humble houses
of just 4 or 5 rooms with tin roofs, and after dark can become quite
dangerous. There are small shops and
street sellers, and nice community feeling.
Las Condes, which is where I live, couldn’t be different. Full of some of the tallest buildings in the
whole of South America, is it very americanised with Starbucks and other American
chains. Nobody knows anyone else and at
the weekends it’s like a ghost town being a mainly business district. It made me realise that Chileans are more
proud of their possessions than us British!
They really have to work hard and save to get the things they want- such
as a basic phone or laptop- but at the same time this makes them such nice
people to spend time with. Nearly all of
my Chileans friends live in Puente Alto, and I love spending time there (in
fact, if I could I think I would buy a house there). The rest of Saturday was spent chillaxing,
and watching some movies getting ready for Independence Day.
Sunday 18th
Independence
Day- the main day of the Fiestas Patrias.
After having a much needed lay-in, I headed back to Puente Alto, as my
friend Pablo had invited me along with two German girls I know to his house for
a traditional asado with his family. We
arrived to a really warm welcome from the family! After starting the asado (BBQ), Pablo’s dad
made a bowl of Chilean punch called ponche- it consisted of chirimoya (a sweet
white fruit that looks like a pyramid), sweet white wine, scoops of pineapple
ice cream, and some sweet liqueur. Needless
to say, it was very potent but delicious
all the same. An hour or so later the
food was ready- chicken, pork, beef, sausages, salads of various styles, rice,
bread- there was loads! The German girls
had also cooked kuchen, an apple and cinnamon style tart. I was stuffed! After some cueca dancing and a bit of cumbia
with the family we sat down to talk about difference between cultures and
people from different countries (we were also with a Peruvian) and it was
extremely interesting to hear other peoples perspective on the various nationalities. We also had a discussion about whether pisco
was Chilean or Peruvian- also an interesting conversation! A bit later on some friends came over and we
headed back to my apartment, which seemed to be in a ghost town with everyone
else in the area travelling away for the celebrations. At 3am we caught a micro into town to head to
the clubs- in the UK we would be heading back home normally at this time, but
the clubs were open to 7am! I had
another fantastic night and am slowly learning the words and dance moves to
some of the most famous/popular songs here in Chile. After being up for nearly 22 hours I caught
the commuter bus back home to finally head to bed after such a fantastic
weekend with such fantastic friends! A
big thank to Pablo, Arturo, Ricardo and Memo!
Monday 19th
A day to
relax and do some more chores before having an early night ready to head to
work today! Most people seem to be on
diets and detoxes, and I certainly am after the high food and alcohol
consumptions of the last few days. I’m
off to Valparaíso this weekend to celebrate Meera’s 21st birthday,
so that will no doubt be my next blog along with some photos sometime too!
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