OH, well-played, Chile, well-played.

The Princess loved a resort town on the sea. Thank you for helping me be a writer's worst fear, Chile-- a cliche.

While leaving Vina, I walked past this hotel. Obviously I had to take a picture of it. Obviously.

Vina del Mar is a short bus or metro ride from Valparaiso. They are twin cities, in I believe location, size, population. For this reason, I was steeling myself for willfully going to another Santiago-on-the-sea, which is just what Valpo is, and why I believed I disliked it. I've heard people talk about how dirty NYC is, even Paris. When it comes to dirt & smog, I must have rose-colored glasses and lungs, because I never notice either. Santiago changed all that. All of you who think Paris, NYC, or Bangkok are dirty? You simply haven't really been to a truly dirty city yet. (Also? I don't think you know how to do Bangkok. Lol. Travel with me next time!)

Given all of this, you are likely asking yourself, why would I want to go there? For one, I met a teacher in Santiago who'd lived in Chile for 2 years-- in Vina del Mar, specfically (well, until now). Even after 1 month, my reaction was 100% Santiagoan: "REALLY?" With an unspoken, how? why? implicit in the question. She didn't say much about it, but it stuck with me that she'd managed to stay for 2 years somewhere in Chile. Voluntarily. 

So I was curious. There was a small, incidental additional incentive: way back when I'd dipped my toes in the shallow puddle of okcupid, I got a message from a cute though tattooed guy who lived in Vina del Mar. He has been sending me nice little messages ocassionally but consistently. So I figured if one day I wanted to tempt fate and dare to hope Valpo's twin city wasn't a twin in the fraternal sense, maybe I'd see if he could meet for a drink.

The first good sign was the highly-rated hostel which was a nice, friendly, neat little place. I was a bit worried because I was in the girls' dorm, meaning no private room. But there were only 4 beds, and no one was loud or annoying. The bathrooms were big and clean. It was a laidback little place with a lovely garden. An easy walk to the sea, beach, and restaurants.

It's also spring here in Chile, so the cold is gone. The whole weekend was mild but sunny with clear blue skies. 

But honestly, all of that is just icing. Unlike other seaside towns that cater to those wanting a pleasant time by the sea, Vina del Mar has trees, buildings that aren't eyesores, no graffiti, no smog, and, naturally, more attractive people. In short, it's pretty in the ways an escape from ugly city life should be. (Side note: I was surprised by how plain and ugly most of the buildings in Santiago are. It's the country's capital & a well-known city. I remembered thinking it looked just like Guatemala City. Then earlier this year, I read the following by Joe Cawley in More Ketchup Than Salsa: "As with many Spanish houses, the exterior promises little. Unlike the British, the Spanish aren’t obsessed with what the neighbours think. They don’t care if the place looks like the remains of a Baghdad barracks from the outside, all the love and attention is lavished within. Comfort is the key, not vanity." Suddenly, the Latin American architectural aesthetic, or lack thereof, has made perfect sense.)

I had a nice, relaxing weekend. As usual, it wasn't until early afternoon that I left the hostel, but surprisingly this was due to the fact that:

   1. I went to breakfast. Hell, that alone is ridiculously unusual for me;

   2. I took the only available chair, which was one of the easy chairs around the tv, where others were sitting, eating, & chatting, rather than going outside to read;

   3. I ended up joining the conversation, which we all made last for a good 2-3 hours. There were 4 American girls and a (surprisingly) cute British guy. It was nice for someone else to bring up Chile's incomprehensible and TRULY ubiquitous love affair with instant coffee. 

I did send a message to Celso: turns out, he was in the OTHER other nearby beach resort town, Con Con. It's another short bus ride away, and he kept cutely, albeit sometimes whiningly, asking me to go to HIM. (Me: If you have time can we meet for drinks?

Him: Siiiiiiii. 

Me: When? Maybe I can tonight, but tomorrow might be better.

Him: Esta nocheeeeeee. Quiero verte.

Him, later: Ven po       See?? What did I tell you about the texted po? Awesome.)

Basically, Celso was completely unwilling to travel any distance himself, and wanted ME to come to HIM. I know the place is close and there are buses, but I don't know where to catch the buses, etc. Celso kept asking me to come after it's 8 PM, so getting dark. I ask if it's safe, and of course he says yes, very safe. I ask the hostel owner, and HE thinks quite differently. Mainly I think me coming back on foot to the hostel at night is the concern. I'm never sure if it's the deep Chilean concern that any & all crime will swarm any solo gringa no matter where or when... or if is actually is a bit unsafe to do this at night. I decide to err on the side of caution. When I tell Celso this, he says he'll drop me off. Sooooo... let me get this STRAIGHT. You REALLY want to see ME, but aren't willing to travel the area you live in & know to come see me. But you also aren't willing to DRIVE here to see me?? Nuh-uh dude. Meeting you was a take-it-or-leave it sort of feeling for me, and this landed me firmly in leave-it land. He even tried to make me feel guilty. Come on, dude. Come on.

Walking back from dinner that night I twisted my ankle. This trip to Vina reminded me in some ways of my time in Chiang Mai, where I did the same damned thing. Luckily it's just a slight sprain: I was able to walk on it without pain the next day. It's still swollen, but that has been steadily reducing. There's only a little pain if I turn it, but that's it. Rachim sent me his usual random check-in text on Saturday. I told him I thought it was fine & I could still work out Monday, but he rightly told me no, I need to rest it for a week. Damn it. 

Other than all of that, the one thing in the back of my mind was how much I like traveling on my own. I like that I can stay where I want to, can leave or go to bed when I want to. I don't have anyone who wants to do something I don't, eat something I don't, etc. I don't have to get up at 8 and be out the door to march through some tourist trail by 9.

I'd definitely like to come back to Vina. Actually, I'd rather finish my time in Chile there. But I think I'd make even less money there, and have higher living costs. Maybe. Probably. It's only another 2 months really, though. Then, hopefully Marcelina will be making her way here so we can do some (HOT! Oh Christ traveling in the middle of summer here) of the rest of South America. Particularly the two neighbors of Chile that actually have good food. Mmmm, good food. I can't wait.