Sunsets and Dinner at Casa Smith

The week that followed brought a few spectacular sunsets.  We understand from locals that the sunsets in the winter are quite superior to those at other times of the year.  Certainly, they are breathtaking especially in their pink hues.

Sunset over Valparaiso from the window of the IE department at PUCV

A close up of the fire hued sky

Another night of sunset from our terrace at Casa Smith in Vina

On Tuesday, we hosted Luis and Rosa, and Lorena and Hilda and Hilda's visiting niece for dinner at our apartment.  We cooked fresh pasta with a tomato, mushroom and sausage sauce.  We also had green beans, salad and garlic bread.  Rosa brought a store bought lemon tart for dessert.

Rosa and Luis toast the hoped for Chilean victory

Hilda and her niece visiting from the Los Andes region northeast of Santiago

Two beautiful ladies

At the dinner table - we did not have many leftovers as the food was quite popular

With Lorena - I was battling a bad cold that day so Randy did much of the cooking

Watching the Chilean victory while eating dessert

During the dinner we watched Chile play in the America Cup on TV (Panama I think).  Chile won so the evening was a big success on all counts.

The Satchwell Micro-Winery in Casablanca Valley

Sunday we were invited by Silvia and Jeff Satchwell to their micro-winery in the Casablanca Valley.  Silvia is the sister of Jose Macedo, a colleague of mine at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.   Jose and Silvia are originally from Peru.  Silvia studied in the U.K. and her husband, Jeff, is American.  They have lived in Chile for nearly 20 years and have a house (mostly unoccupied) in Santiago and this estate in Casablanca.

One of the two cats, both have reached a good age, as has the dog

Silvia with her books and cat - the definition of "'home"

They are both geologists and travel a good deal especially in the Americas for their work.  They are also adventurers and have taken trips to many exotic locations just returning from Cambodia and Thailand.  Their large and well designed house was built by themselves (!) and they have some land where they have planted Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc grapes along with some fruit and olive trees.

The expansive patio with great views

The friendly German Shepherd always brought a small log to play with 

Where the wine magic happens

Jeff shows some past vintages along with some of the wine making equipment

Looking back towards Casa Satchwell

Some of the vines

These birds, always found near vineyards in Chile, lay their eggs in the grass according to Jeff

Jeff examines the ripe olives

I tasted one from the tree to verify its bitterness  - yes, really bitter!

A lemon (or lime) tree

A perfect yellow rose

They share their home with two sweet cats and a large, friendly dog.  Although the weather was not so wonderful (cloudy with a bit of drizzle) we really enjoyed getting to know them.  Such interesting people!  They shared their homemade muffins and their cured olives.  The place is full of books and I do mean full.  It was a treat to see the many tomes scattered everywhere in the living areas.

Some of Jeff's cured olives - quite tasty

For lunch, they hosted us at Vina Indomita, a winery in Casablanca that sits atop a hill.  The view was very nice and the fish was decent (though not super delicious).  We shared two bottles of red wine which were fine indeed.

View from Vina Indomita

This is a modern white building easily seen from the highway connecting Santiago and Valparaiso

Our hosts - the intriguing and warm Satchwells

Our first wine - Casablanca is a cool region so the only red that grows well is Pinot Noir

This blend, not made in Casablanca, was very good

A tasty lunch

View from winery across the Casablanca Valley

After lunch, they took us to their favorite local wine shop, Casa Wine House (the name is a little redundant but you get the idea).  We bought a few bottles and then headed home for a quiet evening at our place in Vina.  A stimulating and comforting, at the same time, Sunday!

House Casa del Vino in Casablanca

Trip to Santiago and Goodbye to Fatih

We left on Friday with Fatih to go to Santiago for one night as he was to fly out Saturday night.  We stopped at our favorite Casablanca winery, Casas del Bosque, for lunch.  There were no more places on the terrace so we ate inside but it was  still a lovely experience with good food (pasta for me) and a glass of good wine.

A typical Fatih moment - cigarettes and either coffee or wine on the terrace

The winter vines at Casas del Bosque

Still beautiful, though

Although the weather was great, the traffic in Santiago was dreadful.  It took us more than two hours to cross from the west to the east and we spent a lot of time just stuck in the city traffic.  It was a very bad beginning to the trip to Santiago.  By the time we arrived at our hotel, we had decided not to take the car anywhere for dinner.

Our hotel, Acacias de Vitacura - was strange - I picked because it is not far from from Rosa lives in Las Condes (a large, upscale area of Santiago) and had free parking.  It is old and rather basic but still with some charm.  It looks out on a wooded area where I watched birds in the morning.  The lobby decor was oddly Asian.  We had a very large bed (super king) and were pretty comfortable.   The three of us drank some wine I had bought at Casas del Bosque and watched the soccer on TV waiting for Rosa to arrive.

The leafy entry to our hotel tucked away in the northeast of Santiago

The four of us walked about 1/2 mile or so to the Chilean equivalent of a sports bar.  The Chile soccer game was on (for the American Cup) so the crowd was lively, to say the least.  We ordered (cheese quesadilla for me) and watched the game with everyone else.  Chile won so the crowd was happy and we enjoyed our low key evening after the stress of the Santiago traffic earlier.  Rosa took Uber home from the restaurant while we walked back.  The air was frigid and we were all so cold by the time we arrived at the hotel.  It did not help that I was sick again which made me colder.

Our dinner spot randomly chosen but certainly satisfactory

Rosa orders from the waiter.  I asked him if they always wore the goofy hats but he said only for the Chilean soccer match which was going on.

We were outside but near this space heater which the guys made use of

After breakfast the next morning we drove to Rosa's place and visited with sweet cat, Pelusa.

There were many birds outside our hotel window in the morning including some giant humming birds

The scary looking hair drier at the hotel - I used it and it worked fine though I feared electrocution

Miss Pelusa was happy with our visit and rolled around on the living room rug

She is a very handsome cat

We then drove to the Bellavista area of Santiago with the intention to drive to the top of Cerro San Cristobal.  However, the road was not open for cars until 1:30 so we instead visited La Chascona, the Pablo Neruda house in Santiago.  This enabled Fatih to see all three of the Neruda houses on a single visit.  Rosa had not seen the house either so it was only a repeat for me and Randy.

In front of street graffiti near La Chascona

It made a nice photo backdrop

Neruda's Santiago house

Fatih poses with a lady at the entry

I took a few forbidden photos inside - this one of the "secret passage" tiny staircase we need to take to get upstairs

Another illegal photo - this of Neruda as a young man when he was a Counsel to Sri Lanka (I believe)

A final illicit photo of a painting from Colombia but it reminds me of the Haitian art I love so much

A mural nearby La Chascona for a restaurant

But, we all enjoyed it then drove to the entry to the hill.  We were the first car up the hill and the many cyclists and walkers were not too pleased with us but we went slowly.  It was a pretty drive and we could park easily at the top.  We walked around, bought some items and then headed back down.

Fatih and Rosa at the top of Cerro San Cristobal - the air had started clear that morning but was now smoggy

The view was still impressive despite the haze

Two lazy cats at a shop on the top of the hill

The crowing statue of the Virgin.  We did not climb there (but I had done that on a previous trip)

Fatih with the Virgin - the lighting did not allow for a good picture

The four of us enjoyed the excursion - Rosa hadn't been to Cerro San Cristobal either so this was a first for her

We parked near the Bellavista Patio area -  a large complex with restaurants and shops - for lunch.  I wanted a place in the sun as I was cold so we sat the first sunny one.  It turned out to be a very good choice.  The prices were reasonable and the food was very good - big burgers for Rosa and Randy and a great vegetable quesadilla for me.

I bought this necklace (and a few others from another artist) from this rugged looking jewelry maker

Our lunch spot at Bellavista Patio - really good and reasonable

Randy and Rosa enjoyed their super sized burgers

I spotted this sign on the walk back to the car - not sure what it is advertising but not such a good translation into English

This nice mural was also on the walk back to the car - Respect for all life!

Rosa took transport back to her place and we dropped Fatih off at the airport then headed back to Santiago for an evening in.  A nice quick trip to Santiago but it verified that we vastly prefer the Valparaiso/Vina area.