The Americas are a buzz right now following the soccer tournament “Copa América”, this year hosted in Argentina, where national teams fight it out on the field for the chance to call themselves “the best” of our lands. But while Diego Messi, Arturo Vidal and other international stars show their skills in Argentina, we got our own taste of international talent from international soon-to-be stars right here in Viña del Mar.

This past weekend, Saturday the 2^nd and Sunday the 3^rd of July, Universidad Viña del Mar organized Copa América UVM, where exchange students from different countries represented their national colors on the soccer field, in an instance of sportsmanship, healthy living and competition.

The event was officially inaugurated by Mayor Virgina Regginato, who stressed how the City Hall is making a stand on the need for a healthier life style, and how they are working to promote this by building more and better bike paths, public gyms, and supporting other healthy initiatives, like this tournament. This event was a very positive instance for exchange students to meet and create new bonds, and of course, enjoy a new side of the Garden City.

The organizers said they were happy with the success of the tournament, and are already planning the next round of Copa América UVM, with more teams and a women’s bracket, since this time was only a male tournament.

Our congratulations to the Brazilian team who won this edition of the tournament. Will they be able to retain their championship the next time? We’ll have to wait and see.

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This past weekend, a very special contest started in Valparaíso. It’s got nothing to do with sailing, music or art, well, at least not in the conventional way. It’s a food contest! But not just any food contest, it’s to decide who has the best “once” in the Port City.

For those of you who don’t know what once (pronounced ON-SAY) is, be sure to check out a little about it’s history in our earlier post.

Seven restaurants and cafes offered their best selection of once fare, and we, as the committed news team that we are, picked out a place and got to enjoy the unique experience that is having an “once” on a Valparaíso afternoon.

Our first choice was Café Bijoux, located in Cerro Concepción. Even with our extensive knowledge of Valparaíso’s culinary offerings, this was our first time at Café Bijoux and we were pleasantly surprised! As at most places in Cerro Concepción, this restaurant is small, just a few tables, with a nice view to the bay, and a very cozy, sea themed atmosphere.

One of the first details we noticed was that the head chef comes out to great all of the visitors restaurant. Not only does he welcome you to his restaurant, but he sits with you and explains all of the mouth watering options on the menu, talking about food, Valpo and life.

The “once” itself consisted of a wide selection of tea or coffee, fresh made fruit juice, fresh bread with butter and jam, an egg and mushroom omelet and, to end the course, a moist liquorish flavored cake. Everything was very fresh and tasty, and I found the flavors remarkable. And since it was a very tiring experience, we decided to add a glass of red wine, which was prepared by a local winemaker!. A very interesting experience indeed, all for the reasonable price of $3,500CLP.

While enjoying our “once,” a local band played traditional music to the delight of all of the guests. They played a mix of Celtic and local music, explained the different instruments used, and even gave some the opportunity to try them after the show ended… Only in Valpo!

Guests are asked to fill out a short survey with their experience after the meal is over and the winner will be announced at the end of the week once all the voted have been tallied. While the contest continues, we are eager for the next visit to try a new “once” and pick out our winner.  But, to be honest, I believe that the winners are everyone who gets to enjoy this amazing treat in Valparaíso!

Traditional once in Valparaíso. Photo Credit: Gonzalo Mena

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It took me some time to focus the camera and be able to take a good picture of the shiny lights decorating the stores and restaurants on Cerro Alegre. Not only because I’m an amateur photographer, but because of all the lights and people walking around and taking in the views. That’s because this last Saturday was Noches Luminosas, a once-a-year event in the hills of the Port City where many businesses hang colorful lights and decorations on their windows and stay open past their regular hours to attract visitors and to light up the cold Valparaíso night. The result was quite amazing.

Families and large groups of people walked through the crooked streets while gazing at the lights in one corner, a group of tourists looking at a high window where a musician plays famous ballads for all to hear. Restaurants and cafes featured their best recipes while wine and locally brewed beer warmed the crowd. The light displays hung on the streets were part of a contest for best decoration. We are waiting for the final decision, but in the end, we all enjoyed the view regardless of the competition

2011 was the fifth year that the Noches Luminosas took place in the region, and every year it has attracted more people and attention from the media. This year it also coincided with a competition for the best once in the area as well as a local fashion event that entertained everyone for the whole day.

This initiative started as a way to get more people to visit Valparaíso at night, to really enjoy and discover the even more bohemian side of the town. It also is not a bad opportunity to watch the sunset and see the stars against the background of the beautiful hills.

If you had the chance to see Noches Luminosas for yourself let us know what you thought! If you didn’t, make sure to check it out next year. You won’t regret it!

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Shopwindow at Noches Luminosas. Photo Credit: Gonzalo Mena

By Amanda E. Coldewey

One of the most well known characteristics of Chile is the “bad Spanish” supposedly spoken here. When I told people I was coming to live in Chile, it was met with, “Ooh, you won’t understand anything”, or “Chileans speak the worst Spanish.” One ex professor even went so far as to tell me, “You will ruin your Spanish in Chile.”

So, what is it that makes Chilean Spanish so distinct from other countries? Here’s a quick guide to some things Chileans either leave out or add that makes Chilean so recognizable;

What Chileans don’t say:

‘S’

Especially at the end of a word. Example, un mes (one month)= un meh

‘D, V, B’

Especially in the middle of a word. Example, nada (nothing)= naa

What Chileans do say:

‘Po’

Added frequently after si and no and sprinkled about everywhere else for no apparent reason.

Verbal ‘voseo’

Wandering the streets of Chile, you will most definitely hear a distinctly Chilean verb conjugation for the second person. ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?) changes to ¿Cómo estaí?. ¿Quieres un pan?(do you want a piece of bread) becomes ¿Querís un pan?.

Not to mention, tons of idioms. For a thorough list plus explanations check out “Cachando Chile: Reflections on Chilean Culture.” Here are some to give you an idea:

English                        Standard Spanish                    Chilean Spanish

Right now                         Ahora                                          Al tiro

Party                                   Fiesta                                          Carrete

Go commando                      /                                              Andar a lo gringo

Get it?                              ¿entiendes?                                 ¿Cachaí?

What I think:

No dialect is intrinsically better or worse than any other if it communicates the same thing. Modern Spanish came from a language mash-up called Vulgar Latin, a mixture of latin and the pre-romanic languages of the Iberian peninsula. In the 400′s, germanic tribes invaded current day Spain and left behind bits of their language. In the 700′s, the Moors took over leaving thousands of Arabic based words in their wake.  The first attempts to standardize Spanish, or Castellano (formal Spanish originated in Castilla), occurred in the 13th Century. One could say that Spanish is “bad latin” or at least that’s how it started. Today, Spanish borrows heavily from English, especially anything having to do with technology. Every language evolves with each generation but that doesn’t make it worse. Chile’s Spanish has developed into a delightfully colloquial dialect that makes you feel part of the club when you begin to cachar (understand) what’s going on.

My host sister Maite proudly says that she speaks Chileno, not Spanish. I think she has the right idea. Si po!

Amanda Coldewey is a guest writer contributing from her blog http://amandacoldewey.com

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The epicenter was located 64 kilometers southeast of the Amutka Island,  with a depth of 46.8 kilometers into the Earth.

While the United States has declared a tsunami alert for the Alaskan coast, the Chilean agency SHOA has announced that no alert has been raised for the Chilean coast.

It is undeniable that Chile’s main port city, Valparaíso, has a certain something,what the french call that “je ne sais quoi.” The intricate roads up the hill, the amazing sightseeing with ships and boats in the bay, the beautiful sunsets, the small shops and the people in them. You can go on and on about what makes Valpo special. During next weekend, we’ll have another reason to add to this magical list: Noches Luminosas.

Noches Luminosas is an initiative that started five years ago in the hills of Valparaíso, when most local owners and residents realized that tourist and visitors were leaving the places very early, and weren’t fully enjoying the bohemian side of the city. After some thought, out came the amazing idea: Noches Luminosas, a weekend where pubs, cafes, clubs, shops, restaurants and hotels will hang lights and decorations outside their windows and in their gardens to invite people to stay after sunset, and enjoy special offers and discounts to celebrate Valpo and the bohemian night.

Noches Luminosas let’s you enjoy and try different places in one night, using this opportunity to both  visit and try new places, while experiencing a unique and marvelous sight of Valparaíso that most haven’t seen. Not only this, but there is also a contest between the participating businesses for the best light decoration. So keep your eyes open and pick your favorite.

The festivities will  run June 24, 25 and 26.

For more information, chech their photoblog at www.nochesluminosas.blogspot.com

For those of you who have already visited Valparaíso, you know that aside from the culture and sightseeing, there is one other thing that draws tourists and residents alike to its small venues and shops: the food! Valparaíso is a a culinary hotspot for completos and chorrillanas, anticuchos from street vendors, coffee places with scented beverages, and restaurants and boutiques with new culinary inventions mixedwith traditional Chilean cooking. What’s not to like?

Valparaíso has even more good news for Chilean food lovers. The city will host the 5^th Annual Once Completa Contest, in honor of the Chilean answer for dinner.

The competition will determine which venue in the city serves the best once. Café del Jardín will defend its title against six new contenders on this occasion, offering their visitors the best possible once combinations. Sandwiches, coffees, eggs, emapandas, manjar and other goodies can be found for CLP$4000 each. This is your chance to try out all those places you’ve been thinking of visiting, and of course, enjoy one of Chile’s most respected traditions.

The follow venues will participate. See you there!

Plan
Café del Puerto (Embrujados)
Cochrane 823, Valparaíso
Hours: Monday- Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Traditional once:
Hot chocolate with vanilla, tea or coffee
Natural juice of the day
Sandwich: chicken with pepper or avocado
Choice of pancake, chocolate or cherry
One side: Coconut anjar coco, nut manjar, traditional manjar

Cerro Alegre
Café del Jardín
Urriola 564, Valparaíso
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-Midnight

Traditional once:
Coffee or tea, milk optional
Cold mate, can come hot
Scrambled eggs with bacon
Assortment of goat cheese, tomato, oregano and olive oil
Basket of bread (pan amasado) and cookies
Fig jelly with nuts
House desserts: Brazilian chocolate cake, fruit mousse and condensed milk pudding

Cerro Concepción
Restobar Bijoux
Abtao 561, Valparaíso
Hours:  Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Tuesday, Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Traditional once:
Loose-leaf tea, coffee, hot chocolate
Natural juice from seasonal fruit
Two homemade dinner rolls
Cheese and spinach omelette
House butter and jelly
Nut and anise cake with rosemary

Cerro Concepción
Café Brighton
Paseo Atkinson 151, Valparaíso                                                                                                    Hours: Monday-Thursday, Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-midnight, Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 a.m.

Traditional once:
Tea or coffee with milk
Homemade cake
Fig empanada
Toast
Eggs with ham
Sopaipillas pasadas

Cerro Concepción
Café con Letras
Almirante Montt 316, Valparaíso
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Sunday, 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

Traditional once:
Hot chocolate, tea or coffee (with milk or espresso)
House juice
Basket with sweet bread and salty bread and two scones
Side of quince jelly, cheese and butter

Cerro Concepción
Café de Iris
Paseo Atkinson 110, Valparaíso
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 4:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

Traditional once:
Specialty coffee
Porteñitos
Sandwich “Iris”
Merengue chirimoya cake

Cerro Concepción
Sabor Color
Templeman 561, Valparaíso
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 5:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Traditional once:
Tea with milk or coffee with milk
Juice of the day
Bread (pan amasado) with avocado
Chilean cake
Chirimoya ice cream

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When asked about places to stay while enjoying our region, most would answer, “Look for a

A bedroom at Posada BellaMare, Photo Credit: Posada BellaMare

place in Viña del Mar or Valparaíso” straight away. Few would consider looking for alternatives outside the city radius. But after visiting Posada BellaMare, I would say think again.

Located on the outskirts of the hill that connects Reñaca with Concón and its dunes, this new concept of hosting, at least in our region, amazed me. This “posada” or guesthouse, looks rather humble from the outside, like a big house.

The first surprise came when the owner, Peter Crass, greeted me and showed me around the place.

Everything in this posada is how it is supposed to be in terms of providing a quality and nice hosting alternative. It was warm, clean, decorated with good taste and well located, among other things. All the rooms have a great view of the ocean and Playa Reñaca. Some also provide a  view of Valparaíso.

The art decorating the rooms is the work of the owner’s sister, who also designed some of the dresses that are sold in the reception area. The furniture is well maintained and pretty, enhancing the rooms instead of making them appear smaller.

This place als offers complementary breakfast, alongside other dining alternatives if required. Guests can enjoy a relaxing day walking on the beach and then dining with a beautiful sunset before getting a deserved massage to end the day.

I can go on and on listing the great things about this guesthouse which offers a romantic getaway for couples and families, but their main asset is not the infrastructure, but the reasons and motivation the owner and the staff have for their work.

Peter told me during my visit that he is looking to implement a style of working with tourists not common in our region: He wants to make the guests feel like they are at home, and being hosted by a friend. The moto of Posada BellaMare is, “Give the warm impression of staying in the house of a friend who has mastered the art of hosting.” This sums the idea the place pretty well.

The owner told me that, aside from the services he offers in the posada, he also likes to help his guests to get to know the region better. He enjoys giving advice on how to get to certain places, recommendations on restaurants and tips on surrounding cities. He has even driven guests to their destinations and had dinner with them, if the situation called for it.

As I said before, the list of reasons to choose BellaMare are extensive, and there are many more that you should discover for yourself if you can. If you want to leave Chile not just having had a good lodging experience but also having made new friends, I recommend Posada BellaMare.

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The Ministry of Health sent out a warning after an increase of RSV cases, Photo Credit: Gobierno de Chile

respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. The undersecretary of health care networks, Luis Castillo, announced that 117 specially equipped hospital beds would be dedicated to addressing the respiratory virus. Extra care will be given to the health concerns of infants.

An anticipated drop in temperatures in the central regions of the country created concern in the ministry. Over the past week, an estimated 2,500 more respiratory cases were reported than at this time last year. The subsecretary of public health, Jorge Diaz, said that RSV sparks around 80 percent of complications in respiratory cases, prompting the government’s special focus on the disease.

Castillo told the press, “The cold wave that will arrive this week is expected to cause a considerable increase in the number of doctor’s visits from the respitory disease. In this scenario, the public as well as private health sector will find itself under a lot of pressure.”

Those with type A FONASA will have special access to private health centers in the case of mild respiratory cases in children under 15 years of age. The “Bono de Consultas Médicas Respiratorias” will become available starting July 22.

Symptoms of RSV include difficulty breathing, blueness around the mouth and mucous membranes, lack of appetite and retraction of the ribs. In the case of such symptoms in children, the ministry recommends getting in contact with Salud Responde at 600-360-77-77 for professional assistance.

This article appears here as part of our partnership with I Love Chile.

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If you want to learn more about Chile’s history and traditional culture, you should visit the “Ruca Mapuche“ in Villa Alemana. The Mapuche are a group of indigienous inhabitants of Chile, who speak their own language, Mapudungun, and have a very distinct and unique culture.

Eye on Viña asked Mapuche Orietta Curihuentro Catalán about their beliefs, their food, their clothes, their life in an urban city, and their problems in modern Chilean society.

If you want more information, or would like to visit the Ruca Mapuche, contact Orietta Curihuentro Catalán at oriettasonia@hotmail.com.

The Ruca Mapuche in Villa Alemana usually opens on weekends.

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