Family Time

Sorry for the lack of updating lately, I was fortunate enough to have 3 sets of visitors to come to see me in Chile so I've been super busy since Christmas enjoying the summer here with friends and family. As you saw in earlier posts, one of my super bff's and her hubby came to visit me over their winter break. We brought in the New Year properly and then they made their way back to the States in time to start their respective second semesters.

A week after M and J left, the other M and J came down, my mom and step dad, that is. My step dad had bypass surgery in June so it was great that we were able to hike all the way to the top of Cerro San Cristobal...

We also took the tour and tasted some wine at Cousino Macul...

Then my Aunt Dawn and Uncle Tom came and we maximized the space in the casita...

Ita and Sole put together a delicious meal to welcome them...

And then the guitar playing and singing began...

Even Otto joined in...

The next day we climbed the other cerro, Cerro Santa Lucia...

The view from one cerro to the other...You can even still see a couple of snow capped mountains lingering in the back drop...

I feel very lucky that my friends and family were able to come all the way down here and share this part of my life with me, and in two weeks I'll be re-joining my aunt and uncle down in Punta Arenas for the next phase of the adventure!

Christmas with friends

This wasn't the first Christmas that I have spent away from my family, being that we are spread all across the country and sometimes being together on the actual holidays doesn't work out exactly right. I always have friends at home who take me in and for that I'm forever grateful. This year I was lucky enough to spend Christmas with M and J, my first two visitors!

They came prepared with the essentials, summer clothes and Santa hats

 

It is difficult to find restaurants open for dinner on Christmas Eve since most people are home with their families to eat a late dinner and open gifts at midnight. Since M and J were staying at a hotel, they got some recommendations and we chose this place, Los Adobes de Argomedo. It caters to tourists and serves some "typical" Chilean food. They were offering a set Christmas Eve menu and show representing typical music and dance of the different regions of Chile.

Luckily Christmas turkey was on the menu

Christmas decorations and Chilean flags

Even Santa stopped by to play the sax

And the show begins

And the crowd goes wild!

Everyone hugging and celebrating after the countdown to Christmas at midnight (so it felt like New Years Eve to us)

Since all of the celebrating and gift opening happens at midnight, Christmas is more like a day of rest. I slept until 11:00 yesterday morning without even waking up. It was by far the quietest day since I've been in Santiago with absolutely no noise to wake me up. Happy Holidays everyone!