summer in the winter in the south

i met two "fringos" on the flight from punta arenas to santiago - french canadians who had just completed a multi-trip moto ride from canada to cape horn. i had been waiting, holding my breath, sitting in the middle seat in the front row of the plane, across the aisle from danilo, cata and the boys. i wondered whether i'd be lucky enough to have the row to myself as i did on the flight south. i thought too soon; the last two guys on the plane - and not particularly small ones (think football players) - were smiling at me, canadian passports in hand. at least i could speak english unabated for the first time all week. we went through introductions and as they told me what they'd been up to i was hooked. one of my favorite set of movies/tv shows in recent years is "long way round" about ewan mcgregor and charlie bromley's round-the-world motorcycle adventure. my new friends had done their ride on similar bikes and had similar tales of adventure to fill the hours as we flew over the straight of magellan one last time, above torres del paine and the glaciers, on our way to true summer in santiago.

i was amazed at how my english had deteriorated in a short time. after not speaking it at full speed for six days i found myself using some spanish words in place of familiar english ones as we talked on the plane. i was also amazed at how the kids managed to remember the chocolate i had packed in my backpack and left in the compartment above the seats (or maybe donda reminded them). it was fun to unpack it during the flight and enjoy the small treat, a last taste of punta arenas, handmade chocolates from a small, local shop near the residential part of town where danilo and cata live.

soon enough we were on the ground in santiago and while the smog obscured the andes, i knew the massive cordillera towered just on the east side of the city. this was an easy leg of the trip - no immigration or customs, just managing baggage claim and meeting danilo's parents, dividing up the luggage into their two subarus, and getting on the road to their beautiful home. i remembered so much from my first trip there; the highway through the edge of the city was familiar and as we got onto the more residential streets closer to the house i saw grocery stores and apartment buildings i'd seen six years earlier. somehow i still remembered the route to the house, despite the presence of lush, green trees and lawns - in the winter things had appeared much different.

but, this was summer. we moved things inside to our rooms and made our way outside to the comfortable patio, next to a green lawn with a beautiful swimming pool and healthy plants. the sky above the house was blue and the sun was starting to fade much sooner than it had in punta arenas. i was so happy to see danilo's parents and to relax in the warmth outside their house. i had loved my time in punta arenas but there is always something that feels so luxurious about warm air and summertime; i was completely happy. danilo's parents are so kind and are also such beaming grandparents - it was so fun and meant so much to have this time together. we ate chorizo cooked on the grill that was a christmas gift for "viejo" (as donda calls him) and cheese, drank delicious wine that had been saved from danilo and cata's wedding, before moving inside for dinner - steaks, guacamole, and tomato salad (that i ate and enjoyed!). dessert was sandia - watermelon. quintessentially summer. after dinner we had a few laughs preparing the rack for the surfboards but soon it was time for bed.

a treat was in store early the next morning. danilo and i had to go grocery shopping for supplies for our time at the beach. i do have an affinity for grocery shopping, especially in other countries, but the real highlight of the trip was the fact we got to make it in one of viejo's classic mini coopers. english green with white racing stripes, i could hear the engine begging to go fast as we drove through neighborhoods with unfortunately placed speed bumps. when it got up to speed it just wanted to keep going and even as a passenger it was a ton of fun. the main items on the shopping list, meat, meat, meat, and lots of fruits and veggies, were easy to find and they were supplemented with a healthy portion of juice boxes for the boys and gummy candies of all colors and shapes for the boys (and grown ups). back to the car, back to the house, and we were all packed up and ready to climb into the outback for the drive to the beach.

the drive took about three hours, maybe four, and as we made our way out of the city into the countryside we saw smoke from nearby forest/brush fires that had been burning. it is one of the reasons the smog seemed particularly bad in santiago. the landscape was dried grass and some trees, lots of farm and ranch fields. when we got closer to el campo de chichi (one of danilo's long-time best friends) i was wondering where we were headed; we drove along dirt roads for a half hour or so, twisting and turning through ranch land. we came through a thicket of trees and around a corner and there was a jaw-dropping view of the pacific ocean; we had arrived. the campo is a huge piece of land owned by chichi's family and on her mom's side each child has a small house and parcel of land overlooking the ocean. chichi has three horses and countless mountain bikes on the property. it is one of the places i'd imagine to end up if there really is a heaven. the breeze was like air conditioning - gone was the heat from earlier in the day in santiago and here was something comfortable and refreshing. we sat down to a lunch of some grilled items, fruits, vegetables, and snacks before heading to the beach. there were two other gringos there, something i was happy for after a relatively quiet 24 hours. they are pro mountain bikers who were at the tail-end of their time in chile. i was happy to meet them and hear about their adventures in life; i'm always happy to meet other americans who love chile as i do. we laughed as mike got his subaru stuck on the beach, and were happy when it popped right out of the sand after losing a bit more air in the tires. we watched chichi's dog, vitamina, a dachshund, dig up small sand crabs and eat them whole. it was a beautiful afternoon.

i had never ridden a horse and harbor a small but significant fear of them. my secret came out and i was cajoled into getting onto the old one, "nona", the grandmother, for a ride to the beach with chichi's daughter, martina, on nona's daughter along side. martina spoke flawless english and i was glad for her patience as we rode along, and i was amazed by the strength of the horse. i enjoyed the ride as the sun began to slip toward the horizon and i am sure i'll ride again when i return to the campo in the future. sunset was beautiful and i snuck away for a quiet moment to watch it; i was at the midpoint in my trip and hadn't been alone very much. i was nice to sit with my thoughts for a second. vitamina came to find me and we joined everyone else, watching the horses and the sunset. it was a perfect evening.

friday we went to the nearby surfer's paradise of pichilemu. this is the spot where danilo learned to surf and he has many great memories and stories from lots of time spent there. the town, at the height of summer, was packed with people, hustling and bustling, all enjoying vacation at the beach. danilo said it would only get more crazy with the weekend coming; he prefers time there in the off season, when it is quiet and surfers are the only ones around. this area was heavily damaged during the earthquake two years ago and some people say the sea floor must have changed because the waves are not the same as they used to be; in any event, it was a great place to spend a day. danilo, chichi, claus and the gringos went for a mountain bike ride so cata and the boys and i went to town in search of empanadas. we found them in a quiet garden in back of an unassuming building on a side street; they were baked in ovens and not fried; we had seafood in one and cheese with olives and mushrooms in the other. i can still taste the olive and mushroom one - it was one of the best things i have ever eaten; so simple, yet coupled with the strong sun, a coke, and the sounds of the kids playing around and the people in the garden it was just perfect. after lunch we stopped to buy some toys so the kids could play in the sand and then we headed to the beach. it was not crowded yet and we found a spot just next to the water; the black sand gets very hot but the water quickly cools off your feet and pretty much dispels any desire to actually get in the water - too cold! we spent a couple of hours here, relaxing, watching the boys, and getting some sun before heading back up the hill to meet the cyclists at mike and mary's house.

later in the day we drove to see los lobos, which is actually the famous surf break. danilo walked with me and showed me the idea of surfing there from high above on the cliffs; people surfed far below. i was amazed by the sheer size and scale of the place; the waves are huge and there are rocks everywhere, but they are avoidable if you know what you are doing. he told me now it is much more crowded than it ever was, as surfing has grown in popularity. but this is one of the famous surf breaks in the world. afterwards we visited an old friend of his that lives just down the beach in a gorgeous casita with amazing windows and wood details on the inside. i was tired from all the sun and my spanish was slowing down for the day, but i was happy to meet yet another friend i have heard stories about. it makes me smile to finally get to meet these people who mean so much to my friends. lastly, we ate dinner at gloria's, a seafood place well away from the beach and the craziness of town; this is one of danilo's favorite places. this was real seafood, lots of clams, mussels, oysters, and octupus. i had something kind of like a seafood chowder and a coke, and enjoyed it immensely. the sun had worked up an appetite. as we rode home in the car late that night i could see countless stars overhead and was pretty sure this day was about as good as it could get.

saturday we spent completely at the campo - i was glad to have some time to enjoy the beautiful place. we went down to the beach in the morning and i went for a hike with elise, chichi's mother, and martina, over to chichi's aunt's house, on the other side of some rocky cliffs. when we returned from the hike i finally got up the nerve to get in the water, and my skin was stinging from the cold and the saltwater - it was wonderful to lay on the black sand afterward and warm back up. lunch was a typical chilean bean stew made with white beans, pumpkin, and corn. i loved it and in standard fashion, was cajoled into eating two portions along with some bread and tomatoes and cucumbers. after lunch cata got a little siesta so danilo and i were keeping an eye on the boys as we joined the other kids and chichi and claus on a trip to a swimming hole in the woods. we drove about a mile to get there, first down to the beach and then up into the woods on crazy dirt roads. the hike down to it was a little sketchy, but by holding the kids' hands and holding the little one up altogether, we made it and enjoyed some beers, juice boxes, pringles, and gummies while listening to the older kids fish and the little kids try to get close to the water, much to the chagrin of the grown-ups. we had quite a few laughs before heading back to the house for the big fiesta that evening - the brother of chichi was celebrating a birthday and all the family - aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins - were coming to party. south american family life at its finest. there was so much food, and wine, and more food. chichi's family is full of singers and musicians and we were treated to some amazing music. it was so fun to be a small part of the celebration - they even sung a round of happy birthday in english - that evening. i went to bed just as the party died down around 2am; clouds had moved in, obscuring the stars, but i could see the glow of the grill from where i was sleeping and it all made me happy and sad at the same time - happy to have been there, but sad i'd be on a plane home in just 24 hours.

my last day in chile was one of transition from beach to city. after another big breakfast of toast, palta (avocado), nutella, coffee, and tea, we loaded the car and were on our way back to santiago. i was sad to say goodbye to everyone, and sad to leave the ocean and beautiful campo behind. i sat in the sun a bit in the morning and listened to the waves far below; it was hard to leave. once we were back in santiago, though, it was lovely as well. we had an enormous, delicious lunch at an italian place that is a favorite of the family. danilo's sister came to join us and it was great to get to see her and hear about her kids and family. she doesn't get to see danilo very often so she was happy to see her brother; as i always am to see my own. their family is very close-knit and i was looking forward to seeing my own for mom's birthday in just a day.

after lunch we went back to danilo's parents house for a few hours. inge, danilo's mom, had made a dessert special for the afternoon, one of cata's favorites, mote con huesillo, which is husked wheat with dried peaches that are cooked in sugar, water, cinnamon, and then cooled - it was really refreshing and delicious. the italian lunch, however, had finally done me in and i couldn't have seconds, there was no room left in the inn. but i loved it and vowed to make it at home this summer. finally, with just a couple of hours before my departure, we went for a swim and had coffee next to the pool. i sat in the sun and felt its warmth as danilo and viejo joked about me "missing my flight" and staying longer. indeed, i wanted to, but it was about time to go home. we had a water gun battle with the kids and then it was time for me to take a shower and pack the last of my things for the plane. i was sad, sad, sad to go.

the airport was busy, crammed with travelers ready for their summer vacations. this traveler was sad her winter vacation was over. it was all i could do not to cry as i said goodbye to my friends; it is strange, half a world away from one another, seeing each other only a few times ever, there is a bond of friendship that's so strong. i was so happy to have this time to spend with their family, getting to know the kids a bit, to see their life in punta arenas, to see their family in santiago once again, and to meet so many more of their friends. it was really important to me to just enjoy my time with danilo and cata on this trip; all of the places we saw were second to our time spent hanging out. it was wonderful and memorable and i really do hope i can have a chance to return again. parte de mi corazon esta en chile.