Trifter

“Man, I was really wasted.  I am so sorry I passed out on you.”  I said with fuzzy eyes and a dizzy head.

“You WEREN’T wasted! My husband scolded.  “You (expletive) fainted!”

Getting the Party Started

It was New Year’s Eve day.  12 hours to go before the party started in downtown Santiago, Chile.  We have been in the country for almost one hour and our hotel room for 10 minutes.  It was a trip of a lifetime and I got things started on a low, but ramming my bum knee on a desk and passing out cold.  James always said I know how to kick things off.  Here we are,  in a foreign city, I am the one in the couple that can speak the language and truly we have no sense of where we are since our short arrival.  I don’t blame him for being upset and ultimately pissed that I am laid out unresponsive on the hotel floor.

I am relieved (as his he) that I came too quickly.  It was obvious that in my unconscious state, I was thinking of the evening and the party ahead.  Now the pressure is on to convince him that I really am fine and we can start our vacation.

“I am fine,” I plea “and I am so, so, sorry.”  We have been traveling for 20 hours straight, surely suffer from a bit of dehydration and we’re both hungry.  I convince him I am back to my normal self and we should good find some lunch.  Being the constant cheerleader and cruise director, this seems to convince James that I will not pass out again and now, we can start our vacation.

Seeing a Bit of Santiago

Santiago houses a terrific and active pedestrian mall that travels for about a mile.  The street is lined with retail and few push cart vendors selling beverages and snacks.  We make our way to the produce/food market and can’t help but notice the huge sale of party hats and noise makers.  Our trip to Chile was to fly-fish, bird watch and mountain climb.  Santiago was a stop over for one evening as we planned on going south to Patagonia.  We were not aware of Santiago’s reputation for a fantastic New Year’s Eve Party.  The prolific sale of hats and party supplies was our first indication that this town really lived it up on this evening.

The market is a must do in this town.  It welcomed us with open arms and endless options of fish, produce, baked goods and snacks.  Rows and rows of ice showcasing the prizes of the sea.  The center of the market houses a couple restaurants/bistros that serve the freshest offerings from the neighboring vendors.  We had a nourishing lunch of grilled sausage, muscles, warm bread and our first local beers, Escudo, which we were never short on the rest of the trip.  As we watched the merchants around us, we also saw the merchants sell crates of champagne…Everyone in the market had at least two bottles of bubbly.  This only surprises us because sure, we see champagne enjoyed during new years eve, but not at this volume.

Our typical dinning conversation includes planning our next meal.  Since it is a well exercised holiday in Chile dinner reservations are a must.  We managed to squeeze a seating in at the hotel to sample our first South American dinner.  The tables were decorated with party hats and noise makers.  Again, we certainly have seen such party swag, but never used them.  The patrons were dressed fine and even in their dapper threads, were sporting the paper party hats.  Wanting to be part of the crowd, we proudly put on our hats and enjoyed our fine cuts of beef and washed it down with a pisco sour.  Pisco is a Chilean liquor that mixes well with a sweet and sour mixer and an egg white.  Not terribly potent, but addictively delicious.  After this fine meal we headed to the town center about 11:00 PM.

Party in the Plaza

The street is buzzing.  Music in all directions, champagne bottles popping every 30 seconds.  We walked to towards the crowd that was facing a giant state with super sized projection screens.  Salsa dancers, singers, bands. Pure entertainment.  When I think of Urban street parties, I get nervous.  I would never think of it as a family event.  In Santiago, everyone is with their family.  Every other shoulder has a child sitting atop for a better view of the action.   Balloons, more party hats, and beer vendors abound.

We found a place to loiter.  We look North American, mostly due to our coloring and were not advertising with Nike shoes. Plus, we just came down during our winter and were pasty white.  We were constantly approached by neighboring bystanders asking us about us.  Where we were from?  What our plans were?  How did we like Chile?  There was an overwhelming sense of welcoming and national pride.  It was such a lively and friendly scene.  I think back to watching the fire works in Detroit and more concerned about getting tangled in a nearby brawl than ever considering chatting it up with the stranger next to me.  The bottles of champagne were passed around and everyone’s cup was full.  The music was loud and you had to be lame to not move to it.  It was vibrant, safe, and a really a great party.

Almost Midnight

The hour was coming to a close and the count down began.  As the new year arrived the expected cheers and noise started as every child let a balloon go.  The sky was filled.  This was followed by hugs, kisses and pictures. Every one hugged and kissed…we were certainly included.  We were asked to take pictures of others, than asked to join them in their family photo.  They asked us where are children were for our picture.  When we admitted that we were a dog family only, 3 babies came pushed our way, “Here hold mine for your picture!” 

Then the fire works.  It would be hard to find a longer fireworks display than this one.  The Beijing Olympics might be a runner up.  A pure 30-45 minutes of tantalizing fire visuals keep our attention as we finished off the thousands of bottles of champagne bottles sold.

Country with Open Arms

Hugging strangers, holding their children, and feeling completly comfortable in a crowded scene was just a small taste of this welcoming nation.  Starting a trip with such a festive new year’s eve party is a great way to kick of your Chile vacation.