First Night in the New Flat

After having traipsed halfway across Santiago (and back... several times) looking for the perfect flat (which we found on the 2nd day, manifested in the unattainable upstairs floor of a downtown Starbucks), we chose the first departamento we'd visited. Typically, this first of many was by far the best in terms of location, interior and neighbours. Having said that, the title of 'best' isn't so difficult to obtain when most of the competitors we visited were blighted by massive internal cracks, remnants of the earthquake (terremoto) earlier this year, or otherwise rendered unsuitable by either a) being located in what was essentially a shed at the back of someone's garden, or b) being inhabited by what I would term 'junkies' suffering from interminable hangovers.
The first departamento, which had initially seemed imperfect and easily beatable in our Ikea-loving eyes, suddenly seemed like our little corner of paradise in this city of earthquakes, sheds and junkies. The kitchen is now where we drink our tea and eat Nutella on toast, rather than a tiny galley of lurid green cupboards. The water, which is most frequently lukewarm for showers and washing up, feels positively boiling in comparison with the icy water of our previous accomodation. They even put a bed in my room!! 
So it seems A and I have found our home for the next 6 months on Avenida Holanda, a short(ish) walk from Tobalaba metro station and a slightly longer metro ride to my university. In fact, we have been very lucky in finding this departamento, mainly because of our extremely friendly neighbour and all-round caretaker, Alejandro (feel free to insert a Lady GaGa lyric here). Yesterday afternoon, he and our Brazilian flatmate Cris(tina) cooked a mountain of traditional Brazilian and Chilean cuisine for us and the new tenants upstairs, including blood sausages, pan amasada, farufa, tomato and onion salsa and steak. I have to admit, I did sneakily donate my Chilean black pudding to A's plate, but the rest was absolutely delicious, and we couldn't have felt more welcome.
It's A's first day at work today, so I am left to fend for myself- luckily, our friend M has arrived from the UK and has a couple of weeks left before she starts work, so we are planning trips to the ski slopes and thermal spas to occupy us for a while. Today, we're off to explore the shops in Parque Arauco, where I hear Toy Story 3 is playing in the cinemas... My nephew may well be jealous!!

Besos,

La Entusiasta
xxx