Ñuñoa

mayo and mountains and micheladas

--

After a long flight with a quick layover in Panama, we arrive in Santiago de Chile early in the morning. We get a ride to Joe's relatives in the neighborhood of Ñuñoa. We're greeted warmly and can settle into our own room, where we get some sleep before heading out for a little private tour of the city.

The tour takes us to the historic center, where we see some traditional street musicians, the government building and the cathedral. We grab some Chilean favorites at Domino's. I get a completo italiano, a kind of hot dog (vegetarian options available) with different toppings, such as avocado, tomatoes and of course mayo - a staple in their cuisine, which, as we learn later, they put on pretty much everything. This version gets its name from the colors of the toppings.

With renewed strength and courage, we climb up the many steps of the Cerro Santa Lucía, where we're rewarded with gorgeous views of the city and the mountains around us. After climbing back down again, we meander through artisan markets and I get some silver earrings. Silver and copper mines make up most of the countries economy, with Chile being the world's largest producer of copper.

The next day Joe and I venture out on our own. We visit the Zoo and the Providence neighborhood, a charming neighborhood, with huge antique stores and loads of bars and coffeeshops.
I thouroughly enjoy the atmosphere of the city, it's laid back and young and for the first time in a while, we're taking public transportation and I feel very at ease.

The feeling is only slightly muted, by our not so welcome introduction to bedbugs, which we must have picked up in Mexico. We spend a day washing and drying and spraying everything. We celebrate this hopefully successful endeavor by going out for choripán and chorrillana - bread with (vegan) chorizo, tomatoes and mayo and a dish of loaded fries with onions, tomatoes, (vegan) sausage and, you guessed it, mayo. What we're able to finish, we wash down with some delicious micheladas and pisco sours.

The next day Joe and I head out on our little journey to the north, to visit her great-aunt in Arica.

--

When I get back to Santiago de Chile, I spend the day at the house, relaxing, packing and watching movies. Luckily it seems we truly got rid of the bedbugs, which i now hate and fear with tremendous intensity.

Leaving for the airport is bittersweet. Joe's family has been so welcoming and warm and it has been a real treat staying with them and getting to know them all. I'm really grateful for their hospitality and everything they've done for us.

Joe and I have at this point spent a little over 5 weeks together, at times sharing not only a room, but a bed and practically every thought with one another. We laughed a lot, talked about everything, cried and spent time in silence. We also craved privacy and got annoyed at each other, but in the end, our bond got stronger and saying goodbye leaves me sentimental. I have gotten used to having someone to rely on and relate to.
I am looking forward to our reunion in Basel and hope both our upcoming travels are safe and full of new impressions!Read more