Alice and Randy Live in Chile: Road Trip - Penguin Island and Hacienda Santa Cristina

We bundled Ash and Arin off for a road trip the day after they arrived - so much to see, so little time! We caravaned with Pedro, Jimena, Amelia and Arturo (their two younger children) from Vina to Cachagua. Readers of this blog will know that Cachagua is the site of the penguin island (actually there are many other birds on the island too). En route we stopped in Concon for empanadas at a renowned stop that serves only these delicious items. With two empty parking spaces just outside the restaurant, we seemed destined for the stop. We chowed down on fresh empanadas (either variations on cheese or meat - machas (giant razor clams) and queso (cheese) for me) and were happy with this second breakfast opportunity.

The name says it - all delicious empanadas

Randy heads inside

Waiting for deliciousness to begin

Arturo and Jimena

Amelia was being coy

Let the eating begin

Alice's machas y queso empanada taken with the "Food" setting of her new camera (not kidding)

Ash gets down with his carne (meat) empanada

Next we arrived at the parking lot on the beach at Cachagua. The weather was cloudy and windy but that seemed to add to the atmosphere. Walking along the beach we did find the sad sight of several dead pelicans. These giant birds seems washed up upon the shore but there was one live one (though evidently not feeling well). It was all rather mysterious and not nice. However, the walk among the rocks facing the penguin island was as breathtaking as when we went two weeks ago. The penguins were in evidence too - though a bid harder to see (maybe not quite a numerous?). Anyway, they were super cute and we could see them quite well with the binoculars that Warren had left behind for our use.

Alice is happy to be at this beach again with the prospect of penguin sighting - Arin loaned her his jacket to stay warm

The gang walks along the beach

Arin views the penguin island

A seagull in the surf

No penguins in this shot but several other varieties of sea bird

Here are those adorable penguins

The walk along the rocks is well constructed and picturesque

The surf was up today (we saw surf boarders in Concon)

Another view

Ash enjoyed the walk and viewing

Another rock shot

A final shot of those Humboldt penguins looking cute

Next we met Norberto and his sweet wife Marisol at the sole beachfront restaurant at Cachagua. They have a beach home literally on the beach at Cachagua which had belonged to her family since old days. We ate machas and drank pisco sours and then proceeded with lunch (crab crepes for Randy, conger eel for Ash, grilled shrimp for Arin and bean ceviche with salad for me). It was all convivial and beachy. There were plenty of other Chileans doing the same thing, mostly in large groups like us.

Norberto and Marisol

Alice with them

The gang at lunch at the beach (literally) restaurant

Pedro and Arin get to know each other over pisco sours (what better way?)

Ash enjoys a macha

The ladies gathered at one end of the table and the men at the other

A boy with a penguin (they are big birds) on the beach

Outside of the beach restaurant

With Alice in the shot

The vintage (about 40 years old) beach house of Marisol and Norberto

Marisol in front of her family beach get away

On the deck of the house

The view from the deck - primo beach real estate

After admiring the beach house of Norberto and Marisol we reluctantly left the perfect beach hamlet of Cachagua and headed north along the highway (Ruta 5). We passed giant sand dunes and giant windmills for electricity generation. We intermittently saw the ocean. Around 7:30 PM we arrived at our beloved Hacienda Santa Cristina. Juan Pablo was waiting for us. This time his 12 rooms at the hacienda were full save one so half of our party needed to stay at his old (90 years) hacienda home. This adobe wonder is beautiful and atmospheric. It has a nice apartment with three bedrooms and two bathrooms - the guys opted to stay there as they could each have separate bedrooms and bathrooms. The only downside was that the internet did not reach this house. Juan Pablo also showed us some of the restored rooms of the house with antique furniture now kept as a "museum" to his mother. His parents still live in one wing of the hacienda house while Juan Pablo and his family live in a modern house next store. It was special to see this part of the place's past.

Part of the extensive wind farm - there was an Italian working temporarily there who was lodging at the Hacienda Santa Cristina for a month (lucky guy)

Some of the giant sand dunes along Ruta 5

The venerable hacienda house at Hacienda Santa Cristina where Ash and Arin stayed

Inside the family "museum"

Beautiful furnishings

The sala de estar (living room)

A second living room with big fireplace and interesting two person chair in front

Juan Pablo explains about the house and furnishings to Ash

The large and deluxe collection of mate (a herbal drink) preparers

Ash's bedroom for the night

Arin opted for the single bed room (one of two in this big apartment)

Thence, we lounged by the pool with the gratis pisco sours (they have lime trees on the estate) and local goat cheese. Later we met at the restaurant served by our friendly and lean waiter Vincen. We drank the same delicious bottle of Grand Reserve Carmenere from the nearby Limari Valley as before and ate well - rice and seafood for Randy, rice and meat for Arin, fish pobre (the traditional dish of French fries, some kind of meat, grilled onion and fried eggs) and sides of sauteed mushrooms, creamed spinach and mashed potatoes with bacon (papas rustico) for me. Ash and Randy finished with vanilla ice cream while Arin stuck with beer and Ash and I shared a cognac. Then, off to bed for me!