Viña del Mar

     Holla friends and family! We are some lucky students! Viña del mar is our newest location, reminding us of Miami with the lively streets, tourists and crashing ocean waves.  There is a salty smell and the temperature is perfect for a beach day. With the afternoon off a group of students decide to walk over to the beach and take advantage of the little time here in Viña del mar. Sunscreen is a must as some of us already have sun burns. The beach was completely packed with vacationers and the waves were ginormous! Still some boys were daring enough to swim in the ocean despite the waves. Other students enjoyed views from the rooftop pool at our hotel. Sarah went to el mercado (the market place) and found great hand made souvenirs to take home like bracelets and small glass decorations. Our afternoon off in Viña del mar was very enjoyable and gave us time to really explore this beach area.  
     At night we had a group welcome dinner planned which we were all looking forward to. It was a short walk from our hotel in the casino.  On that walk some of us got sprayed from the giant splashes of the waves!   The restaurant was called Santa Brasa and the dinning room had windows with ocean views surrounding the room. I don't think feeling hungry on this trip is something we feel often. The food has been amazing in both Argentina as well as in Viña del mar, Chile.  During dinner we enjoyed empanadas, meat plates, sausage appetizers and for the main course we had either ribs or sirloin.  Dessert was also served with a choice of ice cream or flan.  One high light  to dinner was singing Taylor happy birthday ! (Feliz Cumpleaños Taylor!!)  We also shared some laughs together as a group trying out the spoon challenge of hanging a spoon on your nose. Srdan was quite good at this game.  We were a well behaved group at dinner and then, Mike managed to take Steve's chair away right as he was about to sit and Steve fell (it was a good laugh). I believe we all enjoyed the time spent together at the dinner table. In South America meals are very important and are looked at as a time to relax, socialize and to fully enjoy your food.  I think we have grown to appreciate meal time more and to taste your food rather than rush out of a restaurant.  I know we will all be sad to leave the beautiful Viña del mar but we are excited to see and explore the city of Santiago! Keep following us for updates on our amazing journey in South America!

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