Locos y Asados

8 de agosto 2009: Maria Bingemann



You run into all kinds of characters in Portillo, ranging from the fur-and-diamond clad to those trying to 'bring back' the onesies. The other week, we had a group that arrived with an old Easter Bunny costume, the wearer claiming that it kept him just warm enough to attack the Traverse. You can imagine that this group of guys hailed from the States in an attempt to cut loose for a week in Chile. With a bottle of whiskey and wide smiles, they showed me videos they took via helmet-cam of the infamous Va-et-Vient. They captured the essence of the experience and they generously let us add it to our facebook page.




While the bunny-costume indicates an international presence in Portillo, there are some traditions that are distinctly local. On Fridays, ski staff and selected guests form a 'bajada en torcha' or torch-lit run down the mountain as guests watch from the hotel deck. It's a beautiful site, and a great way to kick off the evening.



Probably my favorite tradition- and that is perhaps a new tradition for the ski school- are the asados. An 'asado' is like a barbecue, with the meat cooked over the fireplace. So far we've had three in La Posada, the staff bar, and they are starting to become popular with the guests. Maybe it's because of the meat, or maybe it's because of the copious bottles of red wine, but it looks like we're due for one tomorrow. Vamos a ver.