Our first visitors!

As would be expected, our first visitors are Abuela y Abuelo (Gilly and Alberto Nerenberg) who only had to fly for two hours from Uruguay to get to us.  They arrived with Rob to the Estadio while the kids were snacking before their activities and Gilly decided to indulge in a palta on toast (very traditional in Chile).  Meanwhile, Alberto was more intrigued by the latest ipods that the kids have.  

What I did not know was that when Gilly's family first moved to Argentina from Romania (via Switzerland) her father acquired the rights to import what is called foosball in the States, tacataca in Chile, and metegol in Argentina.  Tacataca tables are all over the kids' school and the Estadio and almost everywhere we go where kids are playing  Given Gilly's history and her experience playing it as a child, she may have been the first abuela to partner with her grandson and take on her son and husband in a mean game of tacataca at the Estadio.  Who knew I married into such talent?  For a full video experience check this out  http://youtu.be/zQ7YOf7RLwE

After a good night's sleep at Rentaparts, an aparthotel close to our house where hopefully all of our visitors will stay, and hanging out while the kids were in school, I picked the kids up with Abuelos and they were treated to the final cueca (Chilean folk dance) at the school assembly for Fiestas Patrias.  Apparently, they spent most of the day playing games and in the assembly.  We continued onto our apartment where the ipod lesson continued and with girl time on Renee's bed.

The shabbat meal was a cazuelo prepared by Marcela (the Nana) and an apple crisp prepared by me (with a few other things thrown in).

Skipping fast to today's post Estadio lunch, the main excitement was the Chilean dessert which was miel de palmas with banana.  We had this at somebody's house already once and decided to try it here.  In all of the grocery stores they sell miel de palmas next to the bananas.

It is loosely like maple syrup but from a Chilean palm tree.  Of course now that I am researching this I just found out that it comes from the endangered Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea chilensis).  OK - now I feel guilty.  I promise I'll never buy it again.....

What we didn't realize when we planned the visit was that everything is closed on September 18th for Fiestas Patrias and on September 19th for Día de las Glorias del Ejército (Army Day). Unlike in the States, this is not the time for extra sales at the mall but two days to spend with families and watch parades.  The supermarkets are not even open.  So we plan to spend it with family and watch parades.  I am sure some photos will follow.

P.S.  Rob is glued to ESPN gamecast "watching" the ND vs. MSU game - so far 14-10.  Tough year so far.