Discovered: Chilean Cuisine snacking style!

My time in Santiago has opened up my taste buds to the Chilean cuisine; bland, and a tad on the unsophisticated side although, I judge from a completely unilateral and vegetarian perspective. Suffice to say, Chileans have really mastered the art of satisfied snacking. Here are a few simple recipes that will change your life!
(Photos aren't mine).

1. Pebre

A concoction of diced tomatoes, onions, coriander, garlic, chillies and olive oil. I like to add some lemon juice, salt and black pepper to taste. Just throw it all into a bowl, mix well et voila! You have yourself a great dip for different breads, nachos or romain lettuce for something a little more on the healthier side. My staple once* - it's so delicious, I can't get enough of it!

2. Salsa de Palta. (Avocado dip)
La palta salsa which literally translates to avocado sauce, is more of a dip. It's the most basic recipe - no genius is required! Just mash up a few avocados, add some mayo and bob's your uncle! Another great dip to spice up a packet of walkers ready salted or on top of bread.

3. Sopa de Papas. (Potato soup) (serves 2) 
I actually learnt this recipe of one of my best friends mother here in Chile. It's a great, super easy, quick and delicious way to warm the soul on a winters day.

Ingredients: 
3 potatoes
3 spring onions (finely chopped) (normal, round onions will do if you don't have spring onions.)
2 green/red chillies (finely chopped)
3-4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
handful of coriander (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil potatoes in a large pot of water. Once cooked, drain potatoes keeping hold of the potato stock in a jug. 
2. Empty the jug of potato stock back into the pot & add the remaining ingredients.
3. Simmer till the stock acquires the taste of the other ingredients.
4. Serve hot.

4. Apio Palta (Celery & Avocado salad)

I was literally obsessed with this salad for months on end and found myself reaching for it every chance I got. It's zesty, refreshing and perfect for summer.
Simply throw into a bowl some celery and thick chunks of avocado. Drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over the salad and add salt and pepper to taste. 

5. Terremoto (Earthquake).

Something I wouldn't drink myself but have heard a lot about, the infamous terremoto drink is a staple in Chile. Word has it, it'll leave you feeling shaky un controllable, like an earthquake. 
It's a mixture of pipeño (sweet, fermented wine) served with a dollop of pineapple ice-cream on top. 

6. Pisco Sour

A popular Chilean cocktail; pisco, lime juice, sugar & one egg white shaken together.

The Real World.

Inbetween the wonderful world of a first-time traveller and a full-time student, I have come to the realisation that the world outside mine sucks! My pretty little bubble of an expat life has been bursted and my reclusive yet enjoyable holiday has come to end. I'm set to return to Santiago soon and instead of enjoying my last few days catching up with friends, chowing down on all of my favourite foods, I've found myself as the baby-sitter of the family business whilst my parents are away!

You see there are a a myriad of differences between my life and the rest of the worlds. Their lives are so systematic, mine is so spontaneous. And now that I have been deemed the rightful baby-sitter of the business, I have also unwillingly caved. I wake up at the same time everyday and more or less sleep at the same time everyday. I have no time for food, work has absorbed my life and I'm pretty sure the only decent meal I've had is dinner. All this and I'm working from home.
   It's tough to be the boss. There's all these decisions to make, people to please, bills to chase. Yet 2 darn weeks of it has left me flabbergasted at the amount of things my parents handle within a week. You see, having your own small business with limited staff is a completely different ball game to working as a top employee for Henderson Global Investment or interning at The Times. You have to actually care. That loss you make, you aren't just chasing it because you'll be in a hell of a lot of trouble if your line manager finds out, but, you're chasing it because it really matters to you, and the fact that you could make a loss is eating away your insides, taking you into a state of paranoia and suffocating the life out of you. There is no room to breathe. it's just WORK WORK WORK. 24/7.

This at the same time as stepping in as the mother/wife role for the family. Technically anyways. It's just the children, oh, I mean siblings I'm running around after. My weekends and weekdays have been dominated by football games, weekly shops, washing the bros clothes (in time for university), cleaning and cooking dinner for my sister just as she arrives from work. Yep. I am the woman of all women. I have succumbed to the whims and woes of a 30 something year-old young mother and I am a living example of the ultimate wonder woman; housewife and breadwinner. *rolls eyes* And yet, I just don't see myself living this way in the future. I want there to be some sort of adventure and resistance to the real world. I'm a dreamer and an adventurer. And perhaps the only way I can gain some sort of satisfaction in the future is by combining work with my ideal lifestyle. The chocolate business is something I would never allow my parents to give up, nor would I give up on it, but let's just say maybe there is a way I can create my own real world and dabble in a bit of everything. Or is that too ambitious…?

If heaven was a place, Iguazú would be its name.

If heaven was a place, Iguazú would be its name… literally! The earthy smell, the sound of water plunging vigorously into the river, the sloshy mud between your feet and the never-ending jungle neighbouring both sides of the Misiones River is what I would call breathtaking. An oxymoron in itself as the same place which can take my breath away lands me in it's heaven! (haha) (ok, my jokes are lame I know!)

Let alone the beautiful waterfalls, residing in Iguazú is an experience in itself. Looking back on my decision, I am extremely happy that I chose to stay on the Argentinian side of Iguazú rather than on the Brasilian side. To my dismay, the town of Foz do Iguaçu (Brasil) was a little disappointing in comparison to Iguazú (Argentina). Foz do Iguaçu boasted concrete roads and moderns buildings, which was not the type of town I was expecting, especially in the heart of the Misiones jungle. Iguazú on the other hand was fairly natural with its woody-lodge style buildings, clay roads and greenery. Overall, the feng shui feeling of Iguazú Argentina delivered a healthy balance between jungle and town. And for those who'd rather stick to something a bit more metropolitan like, don't be put off by this. I still stayed in a hotel, had wifi and taxis were easily available.

Visiting Iguazú has made me appreciate nature and the jungle on a whole new level. No longer are crystal clear beaches with soft white sand the epitome of heaven. And well, if it has to be heaven, then Iguazú is… GOD! There's a real sense of tranquility and serenity by the waterfalls where humans and many other different species cohabit ate, live in harmony and respect each other. A great place for reflection!

A MUST for all visitors:
The Jungle experience boat ride is A MUST for anyone who is planning a trip here. Your trip will not be complete without this. I opted for a boat ride + jungle safari combo. The boat ride which lasted around 15-20 minutes takes you around Misiones Jungle with a few trips to some of the waterfalls surrounding the jungle. What actually makes the trip so worthwhile is the fact that the boat sails through, in and out of these waterfalls leaving you drenched and showered. I cannot explain how exhilarating and free you feel. It's like being on a roller coaster at Disney World but just a 100 times better!

The safari was exquisite! Especially since it gave me time to dry off and explore. Although the sun wasn't out, the sub-tropical weather was perfect and I was instantly dried.

 Stepping out of Iguazú airport to this beauty.

 On the way to "La Garganta del Diablo" (Devil's Throat).

 La Garganta del Diablo