What a treat to spend the Christmas holidays in Chile with Pete, Miranda, my mom, and Denny!
Pete and Miranda live in Lo Baranchea, just outside of Santiago. They both work at the international school, Nido de Aguilas.
Fresh off the plane, we headed north to Pichidangui. Jhan, Pete, Miranda and I spent Sunday kiteboarding.
Kiteboarding in Pichidangui is pretty easy compared to other places in Chile because an island protects the shoreline from big waves, making it easier to get out.
The first week Pete and Miranda were working. I hung out by their pool- I couldn't get over their view!
They live in the sweetest little house perched on the side of a canyon.
The second week Miranda headed back to Wisconsin for the holidays and Pete and I headed to Punto de Lobos, surf capital of Chile near Pichilemu. Unfortunately, there were no waves! We put on our wetsuits (really cold water!) and played with the sea life. We did come back the following week and had a fun surf session when the waves were up.
Peter Gorkiewicz: Huaso de estrella de mar.
escaping from the Lobos at Punto de Lobos
We made a stopover in Los Angeles. Not the one in California. And the ladies had a very different fashion sense, too. The latest rage was pants with an elastic waistband which extended up to the ribcage. Sexy!
We explored Conguillio National Park, just south of Los Angeles. The volcano, Llaima, erupted last in 2008! This road passes through a the last lava field which they have bulldozed to create a path for the next lava path. Lots of active volcanoes here!
"Zona de aluviones"in Conguillio National Park
Pete and I hiked along the side of the Sierra Nevada in Conguillio National Park. Beautiful Araucaria forests.
Coigrüe trees in Conguillio National Park
Pete standing in front of araucaria trees and Llaima Volcano in Conguillio National park.
Bark of the arucaria tree.
Conguillo National Park
We headed down to Pucon for Christmas. It was uncharacteristically grey and rainy. Found some great hot pools (Pozones), though, and soaked all afternoon.
Christmas Eve dinner in Pucon!
We hiked along the side of Villarrica, the volcano which looms over Pucon (and has an active lava lake at it's center!). I was really enthralled by this old lava flow and how you could see previous layers of lava below it.
First time ever whitewater rafting! With all that rain, the water levels were pretty high and we had an awesome time!
The clouds cleared up on our way out of town just in time to catch a glimpse of the snow-capped peak of Villarica.
Mom and Denny came for New Years (and stayed 2 extra weeks after I headed back to Germany). This was about the second day they were here - we drove up to La Parva and Valle Nevado, the closest ski hills to Santiago. They are about 3,600m and take about 1 1/2 hours to drive from the city.
We watched a large group of Andean Condors soaring in the air currents - really impressive birds.
The condors don't seem so big from far away (their wingspan is up to 3.2m!) until you compare their bodies to the size of the windows!
Pete, Mom, Denny, and I went on an all-day horseback adventure in El Cajon del Maipo. We rode up to the El Morado Glacier - standing behind us. The peak, El Morado, is 4,600m!
Hiking up to the face of El Morado Glacier
...where the glacier meets the water...
Our very own Huaso, Luis, might just be the best mule rider in the world.
What a rough trail!
Typical houses in El Cajon de Maipo
We spent New Years in Valparaiso - what a crazy night!
Checking out the beach at Cachagua, just north of Valparaiso.
The beach at Cachagua was beautiful, but even better: a whole island of Humboldt penguins! (And pelicans)
And, of course, we had to swim out there and check them out from a better vantage point.
...a wetter vantage point.
Great swimming in Cachagua
Zapallar = The Harbor Springs of Chile. Really super beautiful beach community which, I think, you have to own a diamond-studded bathing suit to live in.
Back in Valparaiso after the wild crowds and chaos of New Years Eve.
Valparaiso is full of street art.
Why not just mod podge your whole apartment?
In Chile you are 90% of the time driving up or down or on a narrow, winding road. Mom gets car sick. This is her solution which makes her less drowsy than dramamine.
Mom and Denny relaxing after a good trip in Pete's back yard. Thanks for the great adventures, I will remember them forever!
My flight home included an 11 hour layover in NYC. Chelsea just happened to be there and we met up at the airport and had lunch with our good friends all the way back from childhood, Alison and Julia!
We also visited our Uncle Frank, who has lived my entire life in the middle of Manhattan. He has the most incredible collection of African death masks and Moroccan rugs - a whole museum crammed into his little apartment! He is a true inspiration in adventure and spirit, one of my childhood heroes.
