UN POCO DE TODO!!!
Following on from Santiago, I took an extended Easter break.  
Just doing my job! Reference: LIA goal number 2.7-

• Understanding of of places, sites and monuments with cultural,        historical and national significance.

I found an incredibly diverse and beautiful region,with un poco de todo, (a little bit of everything).

UN POCO DE LAS MONTANAS...

After being in shadows of the foothills of the Andes for several days in my favourite city, they beckoned me to visit and certainly didn`t disappoint! Fossils found in these mountains share the secrets of their past life.
The mountains are as majestic close up as they are from a distance.  I regretted not having bought my hiking gear, but that is a definite on the list for the next trip. 


UN POCO DE CAMPO...

Best way to explore the countryside is on horseback for sure!   My first time in loooong time, too long! But kind of like riding a bike, it was so much fun! Fortunately my horse new the drill and wasn't disturbed by my shrieks of laughter as he spontaneously broke into a canter.  Words fail to describe the
incredible scenery and light as the sunset over the acres and acres of vineyards that stretched all the way to the foot of the mountains.  And then to trump it all was an early rising full moon!

UN POCO DE VINO...
Well, it be rude to ignore the world class export that is the pride of Chile.  I know have a new found respect for the time, resource and sheer genius that goes into the tipple that I too often take for granted! Months in making, moments in the mouth!  




My favorite bodegas of the day was totally organic.  From the
 planting, to the nurturing, to the processing, to the bottling - 'todo natural´. This family run vineyard, now in its fourth generation, seems to have captured a beautiful balance with the old and the new techniques, maintaining the integrity of organic product and quality of a great wine.  An exquisite lunch boasting the full flavors of the farm and vineyard , was served in the shade of a massive walnut tree, amongst the vines. Que rico,!

UN POCO DE LA LITERATURA...

The word of Pablo Neruda; Nobel Prize winning poet, entertained and enchanted me all afternoon in the cafe near his old home on the coast of Isla Negra.  His home and final resting place is now a tribute to his life and loves that inspired his poetry.  From the design to the decorations, Neruda life and loves are reflected.  The house is cleverly set out like a boat and a train carriage and sits on the edge of the ocean with a constant sound track of crashing waves.  Each room is filled with collection of  exquisite and eclectic objects from all over the world. Neruda died just days after the military coup in 1973 but his body was not able to be buried at his home until 1991 when democracy returned to the country.  Fortunately he is once again celebrated as a literary genius.

UN POCO MAS DE VINO... 

Because I do like have a well rounded perspective, I checked out another winery, kind of like getting a second opinion. I indeed found evidence to supporting my first conclusion, Chile makes great wine, especially reds!  Chonca y Torro, the third largest wine producers in the world, in their 5th generation of wine making.  They make the best known Casillero del Diablo (devils' locker), legend has it that the original winemaker invented the story that the cellar was haunted to deter the neighbours from pilfering his treasured stocks!

UN POCO DE LA HISTORIA...  The official word on Valparaiso is - ´cultural capital´ of Chile and it is also named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  To me it was a combination of the character and hills of Wellington,  the grunge and dilapidation of studentville in Dunedin, along with the shambles and edginess of Naples with the pavement.  It is rough around the  edges and has a distinct bohemian feel.  In one word, I would call it funky.  Crooked stairwells, crumbling homes stuffed into every crevice of the hillside, trusty cable cars hauling through the steep slopes, old European style buildings and monuments,  street markets, and coastal scenery all gather to create a fascinating a diverse picture of this historic town.

So the past coupled of weeks I have been more focused on the cultural goals than language ones, yet I haven't been homeless, stranded, hungry or lonely, nor have I needed to draw any pictures to make myself understood. So in comparison to my first trip to the supermarket - I will take this as progress! 
However, it seems that tourist talk doesn`t necessarily translate to day to day life and now back home, I am struggling to string a decent sentence together at the dinner table!  So with respect to grammar ' its back to the the drawing board - or rather whiteboard and post-its and notes tacked to my wall.

Faced with the prospect of Monday morning like very one else,  I shall leave you with the words of Pablo Neruda, which come to mind -   El dia lunes arde como el petroleo cuando me ve llegar con mi cara de carcel - Monday burns like kerosene when it sees me show up with my mugshot face!
This a rather poetic complaint, but seriously, I love my job!