I have finally found a country which is as proud of its flag as Texas and flies it fondly. I find it a bit ironic that the flag is probably the most similar one possible to the Texas flag. Have you figured out what country I’m talking about yet? That’s right…Chile. I spent my short Spring Break (yes, remember I am in the Southern hemisphere…but too much talk of seasons just gets me confused so perhaps I should say my September Break) in Chile and honestly I have to say what caught my attention the most was the sheer number of flags that were flying. I’m not sure if this is usual or not. It could have been in solidarity with the miners stuck underground for way too long. It could have been due to them celebrating their bicentennial. All I know is that there were many a flag flying and it reminded me of home.
Honestly I didn’t see a whole lot of Chile. I decided to spend my time in the mountains outside of Santiago, in the Cajon de Maipo. I definitely picked a beautiful setting! The odd combination of snow capped mountains with cactus growing on the lower slopes (and occasionally odd views which didn’t seem like all the scenery should possibly be able to be seen from just one point). Two waterfalls hidden along a trail. Beautiful views of the water flowing through the bottom of the canyon. Bright orange wildflowers providing a splash of color. We even had our own cute little cabin, complete with fire burning stove (which by the end of four days I learned to light). It was almost exactly what I was looking for – an escape from the city, hiking, beautiful scenery and plenty of time to sleep and play cribbage. The four days was just enough to wet my appetite to explore Chile more in the future. I am sure I will be going back at some point.
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