As for my last few weeks with the other December folks who will soon be abandoning me, we've made it a priority to do some of the things we've always talked about doing. Last weekend we decided to conquer a few tourist sites in Santiago, so we started by visiting the Cementario General (General Cemetery), where all but two of Chile's presidents are buried. It was a beautiful, quiet place to explore, full of sculptures and streets lined with ancient trees. The cemetery seems to model itself after Santiago in that the rich and poor are distinctly separated. There are parts of the cemetery, especially where the presidents are buried, that feel like a miniature village with elaborate mausoleums modeled after churches and other ornate buildings. Other more "proletarian" areas feel typical graveyards, strewn with plastic flowers and broken flower pots. Near the entrance to the cemetery, the streets are lined with large "pavilions" like the one pictured below:
Our next stop was the Natural History Museum, where we found a variety of lackluster, disorganized exhibits. Museums are certainly not Santiago's strong point, and this one was no exception. One of the high points for me, however, was this whale skeleton:
We then headed to "La Chascona," Pablo Neruda's Santiago house. I've read some of his poetry and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I didn't expect to be so taken by the tour of his home. As we learned, his Santiago house was a bit of a hideaway for him and his third and final wife Matilde--Neruda hadn't yet divorced his second wife when he and Matilde moved into the La Chascona (named after Matilde's wild, tangly hair). Hearing stories of their relationship while exploring the rooms with all their quirky art and accessories was more thrilling than I had anticipated. It was all impossibly romantic.The next day we headed to Valparaíso, the port city about an hour and a half from Santiago by bus where Chilean congress meets. The city, long past its prime, is now known for its funiculars, colorful houses built high up on the hills overlooking the harbor, street art, and its New Year's Eve fireworks display. Valpo is also home to "La Sebastiana," another of Pablo Neruda's houses. Unfortunately, it was incredibly foggy while we were there, so in lieu of enjoying the views of the ocean, we were forced to make our own fun:
We also explored a few neighborhoods to enjoy the street art:
Another noteworthy recent event: the coffeehouse! A few of us decided that VE folks would appreciate this sort of venue, so we baked muffins and banana bread, made coffee, hot chocolate and tea, rearranged the furniture in my apartment, and let the snapping begin. A few folks read poetry, I read a non-fiction piece, and a few songs were performed. It was quite satisfying to have an event that felt completely different than the typical Friday night activities. And, of course, it turned into a sing-along, which turned into a dance party, so in the end, we returned to our roots. Here's Chris reading a poem at the beginning of the coffeehouse:
In meteorological news, "winter" seems to have finally hit Chile. This means it's cloudy, extra smoggy, and cold. I hear there's going to be rain, but I don't know if I believe it yet. The effects of the smog, however, are obvious and terrifying. Lately I wake up each morning and wonder if I picked up smoking in my sleep. We haven't seen the mountains surrounding Santiago in weeks, and some days, like today, I can't even see Cerro San Cristobal, a large hill about five or six blocks from our apartment that normally dominates the 15th floor view from my bed in the living room. Yikes. Our unheated apartment, usually warm because of sunlight coming in the huge windows you can see in the above picture, has started to get a bit chillier, so it will interesting to see how the next few months play out.And finally, because VE is cyclical, not only will there be a mass exodus in the next few weeks, but the June class will begin their Orientation Program on June 8th. It's a small class, but my first solo-led Orientation, so I'm anxious nonetheless. I'm trying to take it easy this weekend because the next month is going to be a wild string of good-bye parties, welcome dinners and, because I wouldn't have it any other way, late nights in the office. This month's goal? Tranquility.
