The Los Libertadores Pass on our way back from Mendoza
Some final quotes collected along the way:
Elisa: A few months ago, Elisa, who has been the silent one through most of this adventure simply said "When you go someplace for a year, you make friends and you feel like you should stay there." I said "mmmmm" and we moved on. So different from a twelve year old.
Jonathan: This week I saw something out of my school window that I'd never see out of my Kennedy (school at home) window - mountains with snow on them!
Sarah: Wow, look at the mountains! Come on, Renee, you have to admit that they are gorgeous.....
Rob: When asked what food he will miss in Chile all he could think of was a cortado and alfajor. So much for his love of cochayuyo!
Renee: It's over.
Summer awaits us - Tuesday's forecast in South Bend - Partly cloudy. High of 97F- oy!
In between all of our trips we spent our last two weekends in Santiago mostly just hanging out at the Estadio and purging our apartment. Never ones to sit still we also ran around a bit:
Elisa attended her youth group where she was honored one day with holding the flag (it says the Hebrew School, Santiago, Chile)
We checked out the Natural History Museum which recently reopened after renovations after receiving earthquake damage over two years ago.
Went on a paddle boat in Parque Quinta Normal
This was actually a few weekends earlier but had to fit in somewhere. We didn't take enough advantage of our 12-year old babysitter but we still got out.
The kids are going to miss running to the "corner store" to pick up things for me (and them) and visiting the dog there.
and the cats on the roof at the store.
Some of the wait-staff at the Estadio. It is nice to just nod your head and your cortado grande con leche descremada just shows up.
It's all about the condiments - can never get enough mayo - ugh.
A goodbye coffee at the Estadio with the swimming crowd
Dinner with Caro, Manu, and Gabi
and Luli (that would be pizza dough on Renee's hand. Don't ask)
A final asado with Rob's colleagues and family - Alejandra, Gonzalo, Sandra, Pablo's Dad, Pablo and us
For our last hurrah and to finish Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire before heading home we drove six hours to the Valle de Elqui or more specifically to Pisco Elqui a town renamed at one point to emphasize the region's major industry - Pisco production (I already blogged on Pisco).
We thought we'd leave hosteling behind for our last trip and instead rented a house near the town.
It doesn't quite look like this in late Fall.
View from the bedroom window
It was warm enough to read on the porch
Making breakfast
On our first day here after being woken up by the roosters instead of the bus traffic, Rob, Renee, and Jonathan decided to do yet one more horseback riding trip through the mountains while Elisa and I preserved our backsides for the long flight home the next Monday but Elisa jumped on just to try and get over some fears.
Valle del Elqui
We also visited several Pisco distilleries that reminded me of my undergraduate chemical engineering distillation courses. In order to make the classes more interesting the problems were usually about making some type of hard alcohol rather than a random chemical product. We were warned not to try it in the dorms.
The first one was Los Nichos which is the oldest active pisco distillery in Chile and the last craft winery that protects the traditional formula of making pisco and sweet wines. Rob, Renee, and Jonathan approached it on horseback and we drove there.
Besides Pisco, the region is known for its clear skies and, as a result, observatories. There are several research observatories in the area. We could not view the Transit of Venus in South America so we decided to at least have our own once-in-a-lifetime experience by visiting the local tourist observatory, Mamalluca. We couldn't really take photos but we did a least get one shot of the gang getting use of our Andean hats once more. The coolest part was seeing Saturn through the telescopes and learning about a really cool astronomy website that lets you see the sky anywhere in the world, at any date and time along with the constellations pointed out - check out stellarium.
We spent a lot of time just hanging out which is what a vacation is about!
OK - she hasn't gotten the reading bug yet. Soon, hopefully.
The second day we check out an artisan "village" that is probably a lot more interesting in the tourist season. It is mostly a benefit to be here off-season because there are no crowds anywhere. We also headed to our second distillery, DestilerÃa Mistral, which is located in the center of the town of Pisco Elqui. We ended up with a private tour in English because nobody else was around. The guide was great and tried to gear things to the kids.
Distileria Mistral
While waiting for the tour to start we finally got Elisa on video singing one of her rhyming games in Spanish. We know her fluency will probably fade no matter what we do so at least we have it documented.
Elisa and Jonathan entertaining the staff (and themselves) with their version of Chilean folk dancing. Too much pisco???
On Friday, we headed back to Santiago with a stop at the biggest and most modern distillery, Pisco Capel, which is in the town of Vicuna.
We then headed straight back to have energy for our last day at the Estadio and for a marathon packing session this weekend!
Update: I spoke too soon. Looks like she may get the reading bug soon enough...
Okay. Today it's Jonathan writing. I've decided to write my own post about what I think about our trip to Chile. I've had a good time overall and I'll miss everyone (well maybe not EVERYONE) and everything (almost). First I will tell you guys about some of my friends. Here they are:
1. Tommy
2 .Miguel
3. Ben
4. Ari (new kid born in Chile coming home from nine years in the States)
5. More Roberto (are all music teachers always sooooo good?)
6. Mora Mane (I've always had good connections with librarians)
7. Mister David (english teacher)
[Key - More (Mister); Mora (Miss); Mister (More)]
I usually get along well with everybody in my class- I said IN MY CLASS.
As we get to the end of our year, I am realizing how many things I'll miss besides taking an elevater to get to our apartment, annoying the people in the apartment below us, being close enough to my sisters in the car to hit them, etc., etc., etc. And they are- drum-roll please:
1. The mountains
This morning's sunrise from our apartment
2. The view at night 3. The smog(not) 4. Playing soccer at school 5. Great soccer games- Chile beat Venezuela 2-0.Wooooohooooo!!!
I'm going to be sad to leave but I look forward to seeing my friends in South Bend.
