Time for some introductions

Alright, United States. It's time for some introductions. There are some things about Chile everyone must know.

Introduction número uno: MARISCOS (seafood)

Seafood is eaten quite a bit around here (or at least in my family). Madeline has left my house on one or two occasions with a stomach full of fried fish or some questionable sea creature that is "slurped," not eaten.

Introduction número one-and-a-half: Chile uses military time, as displayed on my mom's watch.

Introduction número dos: Chileans like wine. So much so that they make a lot of it.

Madeline and I decided we'd make a journey with the (still) delightful Brazilians to a winery, or bodega, called Concha y Toro about an hour outside the city this past Friday (yeahhh we don't have class Friday!). The vineyard was an oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.

El Casillero del Diablo was a rather frightening wine-cellar-pseudo-catacomb...

Introduction número tres: United States, meet the alfajor.

Aflajors (pronounced alpha-whore) are delicious desserts made of layers of manjar (dulce de leche, or carmel) and shortbread-esque cookies. They're available covered in chocolate, or sometimes sprinkled with coconut shreds or powdered sugar.

Introduction número cuatro: One can travel from Santiago (which sits on the eastern-most edge of the country) to the coast (the western-most edge of the country ... duh) in LESS THAN AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF.

To test out this truth, Madeline, Allison + two others (named Mary and Erica) boarded a bus Saturday morning to head to Isla Negra, where is situated yet another one of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda's houses. 
 

Yep, there's Pablo. Just watchin' the Pacific Ocean.

Introdution número cinco: Juice here is just about as natural as it gets. 

Recipe for the delicious kiwi juice below: kiwis + water + blender. Presto.

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Introduction número seis: Allison Buterbaugh, fellow Vandy girl, is quite charming. 

You should get to know her.

 

Introduction número siete: Stray dogs are a problem in Chile. Especially when you're trying to eat empanadas in peace.

Madeline obviously thinks dogs are pretty funny.

 

More to come on beginning-of-the-school-year fun! Adiós!