I'm sitting in the Stanford Center having just gotten out of Tango Class with a woman the Stanford Center brings in every other Wednesday. Oh man. I got to dance with the incredibly sexy instructor as well as a markedly unsexy Stanford girl. Either way, I'm hot on tango and feeling quite pumped to be heading to Buenos Aires this Friday. It's just what I needed to pump a little wind in my sails after a period of midterms and ailments. But to say I've been not doing anything interesting lately would be a complete lie, as evident by what follows:
On Friday I went to Isla Negra, Pablo Neruda's most famous abode, on a Stanford field trip. Like Chascona, the house itself felt alive with all sorts of doo-dads and ethnic art and 70's furniture along with a killer view of the Chilean coast line. The area around Isla Negra is all masive crashing waves, grocky beaches, and hills dotted with small modest beach houses. Not a high rise beach condominium in site. After climbing over some big rocks I found a deserted beach and enjoyed the sound of the ocean, thinking about how much I want Pablo Neruda to be my uncle. At the Bing (have I explained who the Bings are yet?) paid lunch I read one of Neruda's 20 poemas de Amor (#13).
Without anything better to do, on Saturday I decided to go out with a random smattering of Stanford kids. We went to an area called Vitacura. Which I have dubbed the New Jersey of Santiago. From what I saw it was all expensive car dealerships and lame dance clubs. We went to one of these clubs and the bouncer wouldn't let me in! I think he thought I looked too poor because my beard was relatively unkempt and I was wearing cut off shorts... or maybe I was a little too drunk. Either way, that dude/all of Vitacura sucks. I had to wait outside while my friend bargained with the manager by buying expensive alcohol.
On Monday night I went out to dinner for a friend's birthday-- a dinner her parents were paying for. We went to one of the nicest places in Santiago called "Astrid and Gaston." It was ridiculously good food. Maybe the best I've ever had in my life. We ate cebiche (raw sea food in lemon sauce), this incredible octopus tail, oozing chocolate truffle balls for desert. For my entree I got Chilean Sea Bass. Let me tell you, you haven't had Chilean Sea Bass until you've had Chilean Sea Bass in Chile. Oh man. Don't get me started on the wine. So let's all wish Jenni a very happy birthday. Thanks for the invite.
Meanwhile, I've been getting over a persistent cold and trying desperately to finish all my take home midterms before leaving on Friday. I'm living a ridiculous life.
Happy Halloween everybody. I'm dressed like a crazy American student in Chile.
All the best,
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
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