More about life in Santiago.

Well it's now April 23rd, 2012 and it's hard to believe we've been in Santiago for over 2 months and away from the U.S. for 6 months.  Some days it feels like it's been 6 years and other days, it feels like it was only yesterday that we were walking across Spain with Eamonn and Brend trying to imagine what our life in South America would be like.  Below, you'll see some pictures of our everyday life:  getting on and off the metro, hanging up laundry, going to work, etc...  Becky's Dad asked a while back to see some everyday life pictures so hopefully this is what you had in mind Dad.  We'll try to put up some more of where we go grocery shopping and our favorite cafes but for now, here are a few pics.  Mark will probably include a few from his work with www.ilovechile.cl as well.  You probably don't have to think about it too much to figure out which photos you see below are Mark's and which ones are Becky's.  God bless her.  She tries.

Entrance to the metro (green line) that is closest to our apartment.  Parque Bustamante is its name.  

E-Class.  Where Becky works.  This is one of their three offices.

Inside the E-class office.  Those two lovely ladies do not work with me.  The office behind the balloons is where I go to pick up stuff, get work assignments, etc... I (Becky) was too embarrassed to ask to take a photo of my coworkers.

Mark fixing the grapevines that hang over our wall.

Laundry day.

This is the Museo de Bellas Artes.  Haven't been in it yet but it's pretty close to our apartment.

On the red line.  The Metro turns into a bunch of fast-moving sardine cans during rush hour.

Look at all the people waiting to board.  (More like look at all the people waiting to shove their way onto the train.)  It's not always this crowded but between 8 and 10 a.m. and 7 and 9 p.m. it's usually this bad or worse.  The Santiago metro is pretty awesome though in spite of overcrowding.  Trains run often and on schedule AND they're clean!  Boston could learn a thing or two from the Santiago metro.

A bus, a taxi, and a pedestrian.

Some friends of ours from Sri Lanka who came to Chile through Start-up Chile.  It's a government program designed to encourage entrepreneurs to come to Chile to start up their companies.  www.startupchile.org 

Getting ready to eat some SPICY food at our place.

A taste of Patagonia

I (Mark) traveled to Patagonia before it got too cold down south.  (Thanks Becky for working hard in Santiago!)
It was a nice break from the big city.
The photos can be seen in a larger format on my photo blog here: http://blog.markteiwes.com/

My trip started with a 10 hour $15 overnight bus ride from Santiago to Pucón. 
While traveling solo, I met some people at my hostel for some day trips.

  Playa Blanca, in Caburga.

Sean leaps off the the Ojos del Caburgua waterfalls.

I saw some Araucaria or Monkey Puzzle trees for the first time in a private reserve called Santuario Cañi.

Land of the Volcanoes through the Villarica Traverse

I hoped to do some hiking and luckily I met a group going for a 3 day trek in the Villarrica National Park.
The volcanic landscapes with craters and lava fields were spectacular.

 Oz leads the way.

Meike looks out to the active Villarica Volcano.

 Walking out to Laguna Blanca.

Max recited morning prayers wearing traditional Jewish prayer vestments.

Puerto Varas and more volcanoes

I sat on the shores of Puerto Varas watching the dusk fall on the Osorno Volcano across Llanquihue Lake.

Jet-boat tour for a closer look at the Saltos del Petrohue.

The water really was turquoise.

I sat for a few hours and read by a lake called Todos Los Santos.

The Island of Chiloe

After a few hours bus/ferry ride from Puerto Montt I arrived in the town of Castro and checked into a hostel.  Normally there are penguin colonies nesting, but they are out to sea for the winter, so I hopped on a local bus/ferry to another island east called Quellón.   The next day I explored the beach and rain forest in Chiloé National Park.

Massive shell fish smothered in cheese.

Salmon with local purple potatoes.

Valparaíso over St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Valparaíso is about a 1 and a half hour bus ride away from Santiago. We went there for St. Patrick's Day Weekend and had a great time. I recommend visiting Valpo if you ever get the chance to come to Chile. It's completely different from Santiago and it was an interesting step away from the city. We'll be back!

Most of the pictures on this posting were taken on a tour of Valparaíso led by our friend Peter Murphy with his company Tours 4 Tips. Here is the harbor. Apparently, people from Valparaíso refer to themselves as porteños (which means "port people" more or less). Check out the name of that little boat..... "I love Nikol". Sweet.

Headquarters of the Chilean Navy in Plaza Sotomayor in Valparaíso.

Cable car.

Friend. Tour guide. Staircase. Graffiti. Cool shoes.

View from one of the 45 hills in Valparaíso. If you're too tired to walk up the hills, some hills have ascensores or old-school elevators that will take you slowly up-hill. The city reminded us of San Francisco, New Orleans, Havana, and Gloucester all rolled into one fun and crazy place.

Stairs. There are lots of staircases. Should have moved the random piece of trash before taking the picture but hey, trash is part of life here in Valpo.

Mark on a staircase outside of the Bellavista Hostel.

Night view of the city.

Viña del Mar is the town right next door. It has a completely different feel. It's cleaner, right next to beaches you can actually swim in, and some would say, a little more boring. We weren't in either city long enough to figure out what we thought. They're definitely different. All along this walkway, there are Bible verses painted on rocks. I (Becky) like the one on the right that says "Correct your son and he will give you rest and joy in your soul." I feel like the same goes for teachers :)

Back to Valparaíso with Peter and some of his wonderful, hospitable friends from Spain, Argentina, and North Carolina.