Food, Fun and Lake Vichuquen
Yesterday we left Santiago and took the train to Curico. We were met at the station by a cadre of Rotarians who whisked us off to our respective homes for the next few days. Many of us were invited to Mother´s Day Celebrations and enjoyed everything from quiet family meals to wild parties.
Later in the evening we all gathered together in an old railroad car that one of out hosts had turned into his office. And what an office it is - complete with a full kitchen and a bar. A great time was had by all as we enjoyed barbeque, local wines and making new friends.
Yet another family is aghast that I don´t have a maid at home. It´s the custom here and I must admit it´s nice to come home and find all your dirty clothes clean, pressed and folded waiting at the end of the bed. In the morning breakfast is served either in bed or in the sitting room.
Today we toured the area stopping first at the beach for a two hour lunch with enough food for an army. Appetizers were pisco sours, two kinds of empanadas, cerviche, and little cassoulets of crab. Some of us thought that was lunch and we were quite happy, but then we were ushered into the dining room for loco ( a type of abalone) salad, chilean sea bass, beets, tomatoes and wine. All this was followed by papaya with cream sauce and coffee and tea.
Next we went to Lago Vichuquen - a large lake surrounded by forests. One of the host families has a summer home there and while Marisol was fixing onces (since we hadn´t eaten in the last 90 minutes), Angel took us out in his boat for a ride around the lake. There are many large and very fancy houses around the lake. According to my hosts there are people from Santiago who fly their private planes down for the weekend so you can imagine what some of the houses look like. Angel and Marisol´s house has at least 5 bedrooms and three baths and is beautiful. Marisol is a ceramic artist and the house is filled with her work. In the living room the coffee table top is a large piece with a different fish for each member of the family. We watched the sun set over the beautiful hills surrounding the lake before heading back to Curico.
Tomorrow we get handed off to the Molina Club for touring the Siete Tazas, a series of 7 waterfalls that are said to be the most extraordinary natural phenomena in Chile. All of our hosts have been wonderful about showing us the best of each area. We are also enjoying the opportunity to talk to people for extended periods of time and really get to know these lovely families.
Maggie
Later in the evening we all gathered together in an old railroad car that one of out hosts had turned into his office. And what an office it is - complete with a full kitchen and a bar. A great time was had by all as we enjoyed barbeque, local wines and making new friends.
Yet another family is aghast that I don´t have a maid at home. It´s the custom here and I must admit it´s nice to come home and find all your dirty clothes clean, pressed and folded waiting at the end of the bed. In the morning breakfast is served either in bed or in the sitting room.
Today we toured the area stopping first at the beach for a two hour lunch with enough food for an army. Appetizers were pisco sours, two kinds of empanadas, cerviche, and little cassoulets of crab. Some of us thought that was lunch and we were quite happy, but then we were ushered into the dining room for loco ( a type of abalone) salad, chilean sea bass, beets, tomatoes and wine. All this was followed by papaya with cream sauce and coffee and tea.
Next we went to Lago Vichuquen - a large lake surrounded by forests. One of the host families has a summer home there and while Marisol was fixing onces (since we hadn´t eaten in the last 90 minutes), Angel took us out in his boat for a ride around the lake. There are many large and very fancy houses around the lake. According to my hosts there are people from Santiago who fly their private planes down for the weekend so you can imagine what some of the houses look like. Angel and Marisol´s house has at least 5 bedrooms and three baths and is beautiful. Marisol is a ceramic artist and the house is filled with her work. In the living room the coffee table top is a large piece with a different fish for each member of the family. We watched the sun set over the beautiful hills surrounding the lake before heading back to Curico.
Tomorrow we get handed off to the Molina Club for touring the Siete Tazas, a series of 7 waterfalls that are said to be the most extraordinary natural phenomena in Chile. All of our hosts have been wonderful about showing us the best of each area. We are also enjoying the opportunity to talk to people for extended periods of time and really get to know these lovely families.
Maggie
posted by Maggie at
6:59 p.m.
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