It seems that finally settling into a routine here in Santiago has caused me to believe I have nothing interesting to write about. Somewhere in between feeling an urgency to get started with "real life" as it will be for the next year and finally starting it, I fell into the doldrums of the everyday. I suppose no matter where you're living or what you're doing, eventually it becomes the everyday. No one wants to read about the everyday! So, until I return to a state of poetic inspiration regarding the wonderful volunteer work we've started... I'll have to find other things to reflect on.
Today's effort to say "Screw you, doldrums!" is pointing me in the direction of last weekend's adventure across the border to Argentina. Aside from wanting to see as much of South America as possible while we're down here, we needed to address the upcoming 3 month anniversary of our love affair with Chile.
Upon entering the country back in August, Lia and I each became a lucky recipient of a three month tourist visa. To sidestep the formality of getting a more permanent visa, you simply have to leave the country before your 3 months are up. Upon reentry, you get a shiny, new stamp awarding you another 3 months as a visitor. What a great reason to go shake hands with our Argentinean neighbors! (Don't worry... no swine flu here. We use hand sanitizer.)
The six hour bus ride through the Andes was filled with stunning views... amazing mountain vistas, winding roads, fear-inducing switchbacks, a sad encounter with the aftermath of a head-on collision of two semi trucks, and a feeling of being just far enough away from civilization that if you were to start walking away from the highway, you might never make it back...
Mendoza has an incredibly laid back atmosphere. Tall trees line the streets, creating a beautiful canopy over sidewalk cafés and restaurants. The overlap of drum beats with folk music accompany you on your stroll through the feria de artesanías surrounding Plaza Independencia. The shady streets are surprisingly tranquil despite the constant buzz created by locals and travelers racing around with the day's events. Within a few blocks' walk, you'll happen upon bustling street markets, parks filled with children, and plazas adorned with beautiful spanish tile work, bubbling fountains and amazing floral landscapes.
Overall, the people of Mendoza have a much more relaxed demeanor than Chileans we've met. They seem to have more diversity in their physical appearance as well - a mix of light and dark skin, hair, and eyes versus the generally dark hair and dark eyes found in Chile. Clothing is much more casual and there are more travelers around than there are in Santiago. For the first time in months, we didn't stick out like the gringas that we are.
In rating our experience in Mendoza... we took into account the above mentioned factors, in addition to a few items we have found to be necessities to pass the time here. I'm going to work with a 5 star rating system for this, and will do the same in future posts.
1) French Fries - 3 stars
Sorry guys... this is one thing Chile has in the bag... best fries in the world can be found in Chillán, near the market.
2) Beer - 4 stars
Cheap liter bottles, great atmosphere to enjoy it in, lacking in variety... but I think America wins for having the most amazing amount of beer options in a single bar.
3) Pizza - 2.5 stars
Pizza in South America is subpar at best. But, hey, at least they have pizza.
4) Ice Cream - 5 stars
Gelato! See the picture below to understand my full enjoyment of Mendoza ice cream... what a lovely encounter with white chocolate and dulce de leche helado.
5) Coffee - 5 stars
There are sidewalk cafés everywhere in this city, and the coffee is enjoyable. We've gotten used to Nescafé instant coffee... which Chileans laughingly call "No es café." So, my standards may have dropped a little. But, I still give it 5 stars.
This gives Mendoza a rating of about a 4 on the 5 star scale. Taking into consideration the amazingly fun and relaxing time we had there, I say Mendoza wins the award for Best City I've Seen in South America So Far.
With that said... it's time to give my artistic brain parts a rest for the night. End scene.