Sorry its been a while since I updated. I have been really busy. This last weekend was filled with adventures. On Friday afternoon we took the bus to Reñaca which is a little beach town like 15 minutes from Viña. It was a gorgeous day and we relaxed on the beach and climbed on lots of rocks. It was a perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon. The view was great and since its still considered winter the beach was almost completely empty. While we were walking on the beach we met a Chilean who teaches surfing and we talked with him for a long time. His prices are pretty reasonable so we are planning on taking surfing lessons some afternoon soon. It should be really fun.

On Saturday we took a day trip to a little town called Pomaire, its about 2 hours from Viña, and is famous for its pottery. The drive there was quite interesting. We took the Chilean version of a school bus, which is a big yellow 15 passenger van driven by the typical Chilean driver. This means that they drive like a crazy person! We had to drive through lots of curvy mountainous roads, and there were a few times where I was sure we were going to crash. But the view was gorgeous and in the end we made it safely.

We had a few hours to walk around all the shops and look at the amazing pottery. It was all really well done and very inexpensive. I wanted to buy some, but was sure it would not make it back to the U.S. in one piece, so I resorted to just taking pictures. We also got to see some potters in action on the kick wheels and also doing pinch pots by hand. Then we got the opportunity to do it ourselves. I definitely struggled with the pinch pots (art is not my strong suit) but since I took a pottery class in high school I was pretty good on the wheel and made a cool ash tray. It was supposed to be a bowl, but the walls would not go up the way I wanted so it became an ashtray. It was really fun and gave me a good appreciation for all the talent that these artists have.

For lunch we ate at one of the coolest restaurants I had ever been to. It was very authentic. There were plants and greenery all over, hanging from the ceiling and the walls. There was lots of natural light so it was very bright and the structure was all wooden and authentic looking. The floor was even made with dirt! The dishes were all ceramic, made right in Pomaire. The food was amazing and very authentic. We at empanadas, which are dough stuffed with meat and cheese. Ours were baked instead of deep fried and tasted kind of like a pot pie. It was really good. We also at pastel de choclo, which is another traditional dish kind of like creamed corn casserole with cornbread coating. It was really good and is probably my favorite Chilean dish. Then they brought out the main course. It was pretty much a huge ceramic pot filled with meat and potatoes. It was supposed to feed six people, but there was enough meat to feed a small army, literally. I could not believe it. It was pretty much all different kinds of pork. There was sausage, ribs, and even a pig leg. I tried each different kind of meat and loved most of them, though not so much the blood sausage. I don't think I have ever eaten that much meat in one sitting, but I really enjoyed it. At home we don't eat a lot of meat, so I was trying to get my protein for the next few weeks all at once! When they brought out the meat, the first thing I thought of was how much my cousin Abby would have loved it, since she is such a carnivore.

For dessert we had a tradition Chilean dish called Mote con Huesillo. It is a dried peach that is rehydrated in a honey/peach juice solution with a special kind of rice that looks a lot like barley. It was really interesting looking and everyone was kind of skeptical, but I really liked it.

On Saturday night we went to a club in Reñaca that was really interesting. It is built right into the rocks on the ocean and the dance floors look out over the ocean. It was really cool, but a very cold night, so not as fun as it could have been. But it was definitely the best location for a club that I have seen yet.

On Sunday night we got together with some of our Chilean friends to watch the Chile vs Brazil futbol match. We went to an Irish bar where the Chileans knew the owners so we got escorted down to a private basement room that we had all to ourselves. Chile lost, but it was really fun to watch the game with the Chileans because they get so into it. I learned a little bit about futbol and Chile's cheer, which should come in handy because tomorrow we are going to Santiago to see the game versus Columbia at the national stadium. I am very excited.

This weekend we go to Santiago again for some sight-seeing and then next week have a short week because of Chilean independence day festivities. So I'm sure I will have lots more to blog about in the coming weeks. It is really starting to feel like home here and I can't believe that on Friday I will have been here for a whole month! Its gone by so fast. Thanks for following my travels!

Love,

Katelyn