It's been a pretty long week of mundane activity here in Santiago. I haven't really been engaging with the city's offering because I have been battling this on again, off again, stomach flu. After lunch with my new Australian friend, I was supposed to go to the doctor on Monday. However, I chose not to go because I got lazy. Maybe I should have gone because the rest of the week was terrible. Every time I would eat anything, I would start to get this nasty bloat in my lower abdomen and become extremely listless. I think I napped everyday after school this week. Normal? I don't think so. I have never really had stomach problems in the past. In addition, this week I have been trying to hold off on the excessive wine consumption (very difficult to do in Chile). By Thursday, I had enough of being a boring homebody so I decided to have a few drinks of wine with the intention of going out. It made me feel so much better! Who would've thought wine would cure stomach aches?
My program took its first day excursion today. It was a two-destination excursion to Pomaire and Isla Negra. Pomaire was our first stop. We were only there for a few hours, but because Pomaire is such a small town, a few hours is all you need. It is a pottery mecca! It was impossible to go into a shop without seeing something made of clay. One of the most popular artifacts was the three-legged pig, which is supposed to bring you good luck. There was also heaps of ornate jewelry too. I don't know how I didn't buy anything while in Pomaire. Oh wait, I did by some bowls for the apartment because I accidently broke some a few days ago while putting them away in the cabinet. But nothing for me or anyone. The people were fantastic! So friendly and curious just like Santiaguinos. I managed to get a few pictures of the locals.
Our next stop was this small coastal town called Isla Negra (Black Island). I didn't really do too much research on the town before I went, but last night before we left for the excursion I was told it wasn't an island. So sad. However, it is coastal and we did get to enjoy the breeze from the Pacific. Its main claim to fame is its inhabitants. Well, a former inhabitant, in particular. The poet Pablo Neruda once lived in this gigantic beachfront home and we had the opportunity to explore it! He also has a house somewhere here in Santiago, but this home is his most well-known. The house looks like an Applebee's with how much shit is on the walls. There were some thematic rooms like a seashell room near the back entrance to his home, but most of what was found in the remainder of his house was a large mixture of artifacts he collected on his travels. I didn't get to take any photos of the interior, but I sneaked a snap of his sailboat that is displayed on his back patio.
Had some bad food today (which is a common occurrence here in Chile) so I am sipping on Chile's finest vino tinto. Staying in tonight because today is the anniversary of the start of the vicious coup d' etat led by Pinochet back in 1973. My poet-neighbor friend told me that it is a day where protestors all over Chile come to its capital to let its government know why it sucks. There are known to be a few random acts of violence and I don't want any part of it.
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