Tunquen on the Pacific coast

The Varelas have a house on the Pacific coast in Tunquen where Chilean architects dream of building their magnum opus. The house water is pumped from a well and the stove and the fridge are gas powered. The beach meets a rivermouth nearby and you can swim in either (the river being notably warmer than the Pacific, which pounds the shore with large and icy waves).

We took a supply of books, Pisco and parilla meat and spent a blissfull weekend on the beach or on the deck with a group of Chileans who patiently coached me in Spanish and never tired of repeating the comments made in English so I could take part in the conversation. What most struck me about the Chileans after 9 months in London was their effortless friendliness and social ease. At first acquintance everyone gets up from the table to greet everyone else hello with two kisses and immediately upon meeting you they incorporate you into the conversation. There is no warm up period, just warmth.

So we spent warm days and cool nights eating more amazing meat, sipping Piscola, watching the sunset.