17Jan14
This is Valparaíso at night taken from Viña del Mar. Summer is alive and well, so there’s no need for a jacket at night. We took a walk along the boardwalk and, despite being relaxed and “on vacation,” we simply can’t stand to walk behind people who aren’t walking with purpose. Maybe one day we’ll adjust to strolling.
The one thing we haven’t had any trouble adjusting to is onces, or afternoon tea. Since Chileans eat dinner late at night, many cafes and restaurants serve onces. A typical option is tea, a cortado — 2/3 coffee, 1/3 milk — or an espresso paired with two media lunas. With a small glass of agua con gas. Who wouldn’t want this? Are you starting to think we should rename this blog Our Eat Year?
I could eat this three times a day. But we try not to since we’re in a beach town and should try to be presentable in bathing suits. However, that’s just for the sunbathing.
While the sand is warm, the water here is cold. It’s an effect of the Humboldt Current, which basically brings up water from Antarctica. Yeah, that icy place. The water is also really rough, so there are a number of signs advising against swimming. Here are some waves we saw during our bike ride to Reñaca the other day:
Tomorrow, we’re going to try to make it out to the Casablanca Valley for some wine tasting, unless we aren’t able to figure out which bus to take…which is what happened to us today. Traveling: it’s humbling.
Speaking of the benefits of traveling, I came across this New York Times story called Tours for the Younger Traveler that profiled a company called Yomads. It puts together exciting and semi-structured getaways for people in their 20s and 30s if one of your 2014 resolutions is to travel more.
