The dogs of Santiago

That Santiago has a dog problem is not really a secret. Nor is it the first time that we are writing on this. Remember the stories of Mario,  Coffee or Margarita? Many locals don’t know that it is a problem, or play it down or try not to think about it. But then I guess many folks from over here simply haven't enjoyed the luxury of travelling outside South America very much and therefore may not have had the chance to experience that dog poop everywhere or sick animals in the street is definitely not normal.

Termas Colina and Glaciar Nieves Negras

Last weekend we enjoyed one of those trips that remind us again of why we decided to move to Chile. We took Friday off and combined trekking, spending some quality time with our dogs and flollopping in some hot springs, which is actually very easy to do when you live in Santiago. One should really do it more often... :o)

Fusion Cuisine Gazpacho

The autumn is now arriving in Chile but for those in the northern hemisphere, here is a very simple and fun summer recipe - Fusion Gazpacho

Indian recipes - The world at your doorstep via CouchSurfing

Now and again it is nice to meet different people. The variety of our social interactions seems to be determined by many factors (like level of education, age, nationality, languages you speak, social strata or circles you move in) and as you get older the opportunity to meet different people seems to narrow. CouchSurfing is a way of adding some variety to your social interactions. The idea is simple: there are travelers who can benefit from meeting locals and there are locals who may find it interesting to host travelers: enjoy the cultural exchange and perhaps get something out of some the "pay-it-forward" or "gift economy": Both of us have experienced random acts of kindness by "strangers" that have made our life much richer - they may not need repayment but we can help others to get the same experience and make the world a little better.