Central Santiago: Traditionally Tasteful

Soon after Torres del Paine National Park we returned to Central Chile. The initial plan was to meet up with Paul’s parents but due to unforeseen circumstances plans changed and they were unable to join us. Instead, we spent the eight days in the Santiago area exploring other items on our wishlist. We decided to venture a few days to Valparaiso and then to Maipu Valley for some delicious wine tasting at the Concha y Toro Winery.

Valparaiso

We took a bus for a weekend trip to Valparaiso after hearing endearing remarks from other Chileans about the once industrial capital of Chile. It has a bustling and unique history and we wanted to explore the city streets to learn more about its fame. Even though some Chilieans deem it their favorite bohemian city, others were not keen of the dirty and rundown streets so we had to see for ourselves.

The city has genuine artisty feel to it. All the buildings and homes are stacked on top of another over rolling hills with plenty of murals and sculptures scattered throughout the city. It was true that the city has seen better days. Trash was abundant on the streets trash and the smell was quite potent. But we overlooked it's flaws and focused on its charm. Even though the city is no longer the bustling city from time ago, there’s still tons of respect and pride for the Valpo, as the local called it. We witnessed this love during one of our visits to a restaurant in search of live tango music. The restaurant is all about tradition and has hosted live tango for many decades. Everyone, young and old, sang the bolero songs. Even I knew some of the cover songs from the trio Los Panchos, an iconic bolero band that my grandparents loved. I even received an excited shoutout by the vocalist when they found out I was from Mexico. We felt warmly embraced by the locals and enjoyed ample gin and tonics, and live music.

That evening as we walked to our place we met three black street dogs that escorted us home. Perhaps they just wanted company, but they followed us for about five blocks. I would normally say it is coincidence, but this was the second time experiencing something like it. The first one was in Atacama after a evening of live music. Paul and I were tipsy and walked back to our place and a dog escorted us home. Even waited until we closed the door. We tried to give him some food but he was already gone by the time re-opened the door. It was likely all coincidence, but it was our way of believing that someone or something was watching over us.

On another evening we strolled down the rolling hills and enjoyed a delicious meal at a local pizzeria that was very fond of Americans. It was here that we accidentally tried morcilla, blood sausage. At first we couldn’t place the taste or texture until we googled the ingredients - in my defense I had no idea morcilla was blood sausage in Spanish. Paul instantly got flashbacks to his time in Spain after we figured it out. It wasn’t bad but after knowing it we couldn't overcome the taste, an earthy-bloody-mush. To the credit of the owners, even though that meal was a miss for us, everything else we tried was exquisite.

The quirky and experimental vibe of Valparaiso didn’t end there. In another experience we had lunch at a random restaurant featuring a delicious asian fusion. The owner of the restaurant welcomed us kindly and served us some of his favorite things on the menu, Bao and Pad Thai. Not only was he our server but he also made all of the food himself, and most of it from scratch. Curiously enough, his greatest creation was a bao inspired sandwich with salmon marinated in vanilla. It still remains the most bizarre meal we've tried on the trip.

Even though we were discouraged by the trash on the streets and on the beaches, we also left the city with a lasting impression because of the kindness of the people. They’re proud of Valparaiso, of Chile, and of the all the eccentricities in the world.

Maipu Valley - Concha y Toro Winery

Have you ever thought about taking the metro to winery? Neither had we, but that’s exactly what can happened in Santiago. We took the metro and it took about 30 minutes plus a 15 minutes bus to Concha y Toro, one of the most iconic and oldest wineries in Chile. This was a first for Paul and I. We’re not normally wine people but given we were in Chile it was difficult to pass on the opportunity. We learned so much about wine from the type of grapes, the history of wine in Chile, and even participated in a wine tasting with a seasoned sommelier all for about $40 USD.

Our favorite part of this experience was sampling all the different grape types in the vineyards. There were so many varieties! As part of the tour we also visited the Casillero del Diablo, or the Devil’s Cellar, for an animated presentation of the myth that surrounds the property. The rumor started after bottles went missing from the owner’s secretive cellar and the legand remained for generations even labeling its wine after the legend. The tour of the winery and vineyards exceeded our expectations. We had so much fun exploring, sampling wine, and simply enjoying a surprisingly romantic getaway.

For the second time in our travels, the easygoing vibe of Santiago grounded our psyche and reinvigorated our excitement for travel. In good timing too since the next trip on our itinerary included a three-week road trip along the Carretera Austral in the southern region of Chile.