This is our last ‘official’ day on vacation. We’re back in
Santiago with our friend Sebastian. We fly
out of Santiago airport tomorrow night and arrive around noon on Sunday in LA
(WOW!!!!). We have another day of
explorations tomorrow, but tonight is our final night in South America.
Today has been a relaxed day. We arrived in Santiago last
night and hung out with Sebastian watching old American musical numbers (don’t
judge us nerds!), while drinking wine and Piscolas (Pisco and Coke). Chelsea
and Sebastian sang and danced along, while I contributed by own paltry
selections that I remembered from Oxnard High School Drama. I then was given a
list of musicals and movies that I need to see: Pink Floyds The Wall, Oliver
Twist, The Jungle Book, and Nightmare Before Christmas. I promise to watch
those when we get back to the States. Anyway, today Sebastian had a law exam, so he
left Chels and me to our devices while he went to do last minute studying and
take the test. We haven’t done much today, just some laundry, and reading, and wandering
the city blocks of Santiago. We plan on having sushi tonight when Sebastian
gets back, and then see where Friday takes us.
The last few days in Mendoza were both perfect and preposterous;
filled with relaxation and intense stimuli. Tuesday (day 42) we met with our new
CouchSurfing friend Walter. It was his day off work and he wanted to go to the
nearby hot springs (about an hour outside of town) so he invited us to come
along. Not having any other plans we agreed to join him. As the bus drove outside of Mendoza the
scenery went from city to the Lujan Valley (another huge wine making area) to
arid desert and then to orange mountains. I was surprised to see what the actual
countryside looks like outside the tree-lined streets of Mendoza. It was so dry
and barren (but beautiful) and sun blazed down from a blue sky. Walter
explained that all of Mendoza is lined with trees only through the industry of
man. The trees were all intentionally planted along the sidewalks and only due
to the water that flows through the Mendoza trenches that line the streets (at
the base of the trees) do the trees survive; without the water all of them
would wilt then die within weeks.
As the bus approached the hot springs we stared awe-struck at
the mountains. The hot springs were both
inside and outside the thermo-spa complex and they were the best springs we’ve visited
within these six weeks of travel. The baths had all different temperatures.
There were cold ones, warm ones, and Jacuzzi hot ones; all arrayed within the
most beautiful valley. Towering walls of rock rose on each side of the springs
and no matter where we sat, in whatever temperature, we had great vistas of the
mountainous country. We spent all day lounging, eating, relaxing, turning prune-like
and red, and meeting new friends and acquaintances, fellow travelers (even ones
from UCSD!) and retirees from all over place. We talked, we laughed. The day
was near perfect. When we finally returned to our hostel, we made a wonderful
pasta dinner then socialized at our hostel’s bar with travelers from all over
the world.
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| The hot springs looked pretty goofy from the outside! |
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| But they were beautiful inside! |
Whereas Tuesday was perfect, Wednesday was pandemonium. We
didn’t have any set plans, but we had a feeling it would be our last day in
Mendoza. We thought to maybe take a bike ride, maybe eat a fancy lunch, but since
we were waterlogged and tired from the previous day’s activities, what we
settled on was going to the Mendoza MALL.
Now, it has been a solid two years since either of us has been exposed
to such a materialistic, capitalistic place like a shopping mall. Guyana sure didn’t
have any and we really didn’t go to one when we were in the States during our
two vacations. It was a mission. The
minute we walked in STIMULI assaulted us from all angles: food courts, bars,
clothing stores, electronic stores, department stores, sales, beauty supplies--it
went on and on. All we needed was to get a couple pairs of pants that weren’t
ripped up or stretched out, and maybe a jacket or something else to help us
look presentable as we stepped of the runway in LAX. We needed focus. We spent
a good four hours in the mall, and as we stepped outside, looking like
overwhelmed zombies, we breathed a collective sigh. That night we met with
Walter for the last time for a good meal and some drinks and then said our
goodbyes.
Thursday we caught an early bus to Santiago because we
wanted to see the landscape between Mendoza and Santiago. We had read that it
is pretty stunning and we weren’t disappointed: mountains, glacial lakes, and
vineyards (both Argentinian and Chilean) flashed by our window. When we arrived
back in Chile, Sebastian welcomed us and the rest you know. Good times. It is
almost sad that our time is almost up, but the experiences we’ve had are
priceless.
Now on to the next adventure: readjusting and reconnecting
in America!
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| Chelsea and Walter chillin' in a cool pool in the hot springs |
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| No matter which pool we were in the vista was amazing! |
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| From the tree-lined streets of Mendoza to the dry desert |
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| Walter and me on a suspension bridge near the hot springs |
Earlier people use to shop n the streets along with their near and dear one. Increased modernization and technology brought about the concepts of malls.It is worth hanging out with friends and relatives. I like it!
ReplyDeletelou