Adios to Ash and Arin and the Mozart Requiem the Way It Should Be

After the substantial breakfast at Casa de Campo, Randy and I drove to Lolo, about 20 or 30 miles south of Santa Cruz.  Randy was feeling some wanderlust and the two A's decided to stay at the hotel.  After the pleasant drive we arrived at Lolo only to remember we went there the last time we were in the Colchagua Valley.  Oh, well, it was a pleasant drive.

Loading up the car, we head to Santiago.  Like we did with Warren, we parked in Bellavista (paying 10K pesos to a guy to wash our car and park it).  The line up the funicular was too long to wait so we opted for the Pablo Neruda Santiago house, La Chascona.  I was not enthusiastic about this but actually really enjoyed it.  It was interesting and did not take too long.  Next trip to Chile I will visit La Sebastiana, the Valparaiso Neruda house, and then I would have completed the trifecta of Neruda houses (Randy has already accomplished this).

The elderly lady with cats at the vendor area near the funicular (we bought a monkey for Henley) - Alice took a picture of her and her cats when we were there with Warren but then her camera was stolen and she lost the picture.  This time Alice got a good photo of her but the cats were no where to be seen. 

Pablo Neruda and his paramour, Matilde Urrutia, otherwise known as La Chascona

Randy listening to the audio guide (which was a pretty good) in one of the gardens

Pictures were only allowed outside - nicely painted exterior wall

Another garden shot

The place was built into the side of a hill creating many levels.  This is a pebble mosaic in the upper garden.

 The guys were hungry (of course) and we headed to Bellavista Patio where Arin (wisely) chose a Columbian restaurant, La Casa en el Aire.  We ate well on empanadas and shrimp cerviche.  Randy and I reminisced about our happy times in Colombia last year.  Needless to say, we dined al fresco.  Picking up the car we dropped Arin and Ash at the airport for their Delta flight to Atlanta.

The Colombian lunch spot in Bellavista Patio

Together for a final meal (for Ash and Arin) in Chile

The pretty and delicious shrimp cerviche

Arin and Ash at the airport waiting for the Delta counter to open

Heading to Vina was both happy and sad - missing our friends a little bit and knowing they had a great introduction to Chile.  However, the best was yet to come.  Jimena was singing in the Mozart Requiem at the Naval Chapel, Capilla Naval de Las Salinas, near our apartment that Sunday evening.  Wonderful!   We walked up the beach road and arrived to see Mass (this was Palm Sunday) in full swing.  With some others we waited outside until the priest finished up.

The naval base at which the chapel is located

The official name of the church (or, is this unofficial?)

The building was built in the 1980's we think and is very appropriate for the setting, right across from the Pacific Ocean

Sunset from the church lawn

The modern cross and bell tower

Detail of the main stained glass window.  The Madonna and Jesus have Byzantine type faces interestingly.

We found good seats and sat back and reveled in about 50 minutes of musical bliss.  The choral group was amazing with a tenor, a baritone, a soprano and a mezzo.  They never sat and were accompanied by an organ player and a bass player.  The acoustics in the naval chapel were terrific.  It was all truly spectacular.  We were blown away and so grateful we knew of this event, and even more grateful that we were friends with one of the performers.  Thank you Jimena for letting us know of this special event!

The combined choirs ready to sing Mozart's Requiem to a full house - Jimena is on the center left in the back

A better detail taken by the official photographer shows Jimena more clearly on the left.  Many of the singers came over from Santiago to participate.

The walk back was also nice - in perfect weather through moonlight and starlight and savoring the art and nature of Vina/Valparaiso.