FAREWELL TO FRIENDS, FAREWELL TO THE COAST

Yesterday I said my farewells to my friends Diego and Luisa Savignone, who are the caretakers who run the quiet and peaceful little collection of cabins known as Las Siete Cabañas on the central Chilean Pacific coast at El Tabo, the modest-sized resort hamlet just south of Neruda´s Isla Negra and due west of Santiago. It was the end of practically four full weeks of rest and relaxation for yours truly, and a sad moment for all as we bid adieu before my final drive into Santiago. During that time, I´d enjoyed the full gamut of the famous Chilean hospitality from these two wonderful hosts, especially the many good times spent chatting, joking and laughing over morning coffee, during Luisa´s famous almuerzos (lunches), or just out and about on the grounds of Las Siete Cabañas.

It was also my final goodbye to that little dog, El Negro, as well as to Diego and Luisa´s daughter Connie and her boyfriend Bastien, and goodbye to my own Cabaña No. 5, which had been my home for the entire time since my arrival on December 19th. Unfortunately, I was not able to take a last look out to view the waves crashing on the long sandy beach belowthe cabañas, because the morning fog was so thick yesterday morning. But that´s okay.

I did spend a bit more time with Luisa, as she took advantage of my return to Santiago to hitch a ride along with me for free so that she could see a doctor about some muscle problems in her hand. She rode along with me as far as my friend Andres´ office here in Santiago Centro, from where she took one of the city buses to her son Alvaro´s apartment, where she is currently staying until Friday.

So today I am ensconced here in Santiago, taking full advantage of my full access to the web on one of the computers here in the offices of Andres´ businesses, ChileCellRent, Lys Rent-A-Car and AbsolutChile, his travel agency. It looks as if my last few days here, staying in one of Andres´ apartments over on Calle Mosqueto (on the other side of the block here in Santiago Centro) will be peaceful and completely uneventful as I enjoy the food, sights and sounds of the Chilean capitol during the lingering days before my flight back to the USA leaves on Saturday night. Whether or not I will be posting anything more here on the blog before my departure will depend on if, for some reason, something worthy of writing about occurs. But I have my doubts.

It´s been a different sort of trip, of course, largely thanks to that nasty explosion that happened back on December 11th. If that had not happened, I´d have gone forward from San Pedro de Atacama and crossed the cordillera into Argentina to experience whatever sort of adventures I´ll never know of now. But I would not have been able to spend such quality time with such fine people as Diego and Luisa Savignone. Memories of that time spent will stay with me forever, and will certainly stand out as the highlight of this, my fourth visit to South America.