Viña del Mar, Chile - Day 2
Friday, March 24, 2023
This morning, we started our day in Viña del Mar, Chile. It was a noisy, restless night of sleep as we listened to the roar of traffic below our high-rise apartment. Instead of being 19 floors above ground level, it sounded like we were sleeping on a race track. I’m not missing Wisconsin’s cold, wet, muddy season right now, but I do miss the peace and solitude of our home in the woods.
I did some writing this morning while Andi ran out to get breakfast. He returned about 30 minutes later with pastries and Chilean empanadas. City life has its perks in that there’s a variety of food right outside the doorstep. We learned that empanadas are different in Chile than in Argentina. Instead of a crescent shape, the Chilean empanada dough is folded into a square and filled with a variety of meats or cheeses. The empanadas Andi purchased this morning were called “pino” filled with ground beef, onions, hard boiled egg, and olives.
After breakfast, Tory, Aden, and I did school in the bedroom while Andi worked in the living room. The kids have been really good about school work during our trip, never complaining when it’s time to sit down to do math or language arts. Today was one of those days where, as the teacher, I had my head on a swivel helping both of them with questions. It can be overwhelming at times, but I do love being involved in their learning and the flexibility this type of school gives our family.
Afterwards, the four of us walked in Viña del Mar along Avenida Peru. We saw the famous Wulff Castle perched on a point overlooking the Pacific Ocean, then continued along the boardwalk eyeing up vendors selling candy, beach toys, and trinkets spread out on blankets. It was windy by the water, but the air was warm in the 70’s and the sun shining brightly.
Andi let the kids each pick out $1,000 Chilean pesos ($1.23 USD) worth of candy at one of the stands. Then, he said they “blew the budget” when there were too many unique candies the three of them just had to try. Tory and Aden picked the Chilean equivalents of Nerds, Pop Rocks, and some sort of sugary squeeze jelly in a tube. Andi also purchased some sort of papery roll with dulce de leche inside.
Tory and Aden wanted to play at the playground, so we stopped there next. The second Andi and I sat down on a park bench, three people flagged us down to let us know that branches had been falling from a palm tree above. Yikes! I guess there were quite a few palms laying around that particular bench, but Andi and I didn’t even notice.
Instead of sitting, Andi rented two pedal cars from one of the vendor at the playground. Tory and Aden rode around the plaza for 10 minutes or so, and then Andi hopped on Tory’s pedal bike to race around the square with Aden. They both returned sweaty and smiling.
The four of us continued walking along the promenade taking in the sights. On one side of the sidewalk were tall high-rise buildings, and on the other side the Pacific Ocean. The pathway between stretches on for miles connecting Playa Estero and Playa Acapulco.
After all that exercise, the kids were thirsty so we turned into a neighborhood away from the promenade and stopped at a grocery store. I love walking around grocery stores in new places we visit. It’s fun to see what locals are putting in their shopping carts, and the products stores have featured on their shelves. We bought 3 oranges for Aden to take home, and two bottles of water. Tory was sad when she realized she accidentally picked water “con gas” which, in this part of the world, means the water is carbonated. It’s basically like drinking a can of La Croix or Bubly water in the USA. In Argentina and Chile, water is always offered “con gas” (with bubbles) or “sin gas” (without bubbles) in restaurants and you have to carefully read the label on bottled water to select your preferred water type.
The four of us continued walking through various neighborhoods, making our way back to our airbnb apartment. We saw several interesting shops and restaurants along the way, including this all-pink cafe.
Patios were filled with people drinking Pisco sours, the national drink of Chile, during Friday afternoon happy hour. Andi and I eyed up a few places as we walked, commenting to each other that those drinks looked really refreshing right about now. As we walked home, we decided to stop at a place called Menducos for an early dinner. Oddly enough, this restaurant was an Argentinian parrilla (grill). Of course we’d pick Argentinian food on one of the few nights we’re in Chile!
At Menducos, we were seated at a table on the patio. The evening temperature was absolutely perfect outside. Our restaurant waiter was very sweet, and did his best to speak English with us. In general, it seems that Chileans are more patient when it comes to communicating. The people we’ve met in Viña del Mar haven’t seemed irritated when we get something wrong (like incorrectly weighing the produce in grocery stores), or annoyed with our broken Spanish (in restaurants, taxis, or at the bank). People smile at us, and have tried their best to help us in whatever situation.
At the steakhouse, the waiter recommended we try the T-bone and a rib steak. Andi also ordered two chorizo sausages, sautéed vegetables, French fries, and a salad to share. All the dishes were excellent, but my very favorite thing about Argentinian food is the chimichurri. The vegetables were cooked in it, and they tasted amazing. I could have (and maybe did!) eat the whole plate. After we finished our meal, Andi let the asador (grill chef) know this was the best meat we’ve eaten in all of our travels — that made him smile from ear to ear.
After dinner, the four of us rushed back to our apartment to catch the sunset from our outdoor patio. Andi and I poured ourselves another drink (Chilean wine for me; Pisco sour for him) and watched the sun sink down into the ocean. There were likely a dozen places we could have gone sightseeing today in Viña del Mar, but it was nice to leisurely stroll along the promenade, enjoy the city, and its people.
Tomorrow, we plan to explore nearby Valparaiso.
