Christmas in Santiago

We had a great Christmas in Santiago and have been trying to visit Nisha's tia's houses. Last night we were at Tia Javi's where we had an excellent asado of Chorripan (sausage in good bread) and steak. Low fat and cholesterol free. Nisha got invited to a sleep-over so Ian is posting today. From here, we're heading to the beach for New Year's. 
And finally, the torch has been passed. After several years of dominating the ugly sweater scene, Ian's sweater will rally on with Uncle Hernan at various holiday events in Chile. Hernan even has plans to show up at parties in May when it's cold here and see if anyone mentions out loud that it's not quite Christmas. This might make for good betting. What's the over/under on the number of minutes before anyone brings up the sweater? I'd wager for certain parties with certain overly-polite company you might take the roses with a zero-mentions bet. However, funny looks are pretty much a certainty.

Vicunas

I can't believe the number of Vicunas up here now. They are becoming like the Pronghorn in Montana. They seem to be quite numerous at the higher altitudes.

Geyser Party

Our last day in Atacacma, and we visited the Geyser field of El Tatio at about 13000 feet. Nisha felt a little light headed and seriously tired. But very cool visit nonetheless.

High Andean Lakes

Here we are some high Andean lakes with our guide Carolina (on the far right). This place is beautiful and has flamingos, crazy seagulls (just 2) which love to beg for food, and 20 vicunas which were really far away but we could see with binoculars. We had a great lunch up here and dumb dad fed the seagulls...duh.

On the Tropic of Capricorn...Right on It!

On the left mom is standing in the tropics I am standing in the subtropics. This marker shows the Tropic of Capricorn. As you can see mom is practically standing in a jungle while I dry out in the desert.

Salty Slot Canyon

The walls in this canyon crackle because even though they look like clay they are really salt covered in clay. As the salt dries it crackles. It also tastes delicious if you can find a spot that's clean...not often.

Flamingos

There are three types of flamingos surrounded by a ginormous salt flat.  They eat brine shrimp for 18 hours a day and only lay one egg a year.  What a life!

Mommy's Moon Rise

At sunset, we caught the moon rise.

Down by the Sea

Ok, it's really a salty lagoon.

Happy Festivus!!!

In the Valley of Moon in the Atacama desert, on Dec. 19,2010, we found a Festivus miracle.

Salt Lick

At an old salt mine they had an entire wall of salt!. I am in heaven!!!

Laguna Cejar

The salt content of these lakes is four times higher than the ocean. You float like a cork in them. The only problem is afterwards, you are covered in salt. Of course for me, this is a good thing.

Pepito like to eat shirts.

I swear Pepito the llama was trying to eat my shirt here.

Atacama Beach

Hmm...shoulda taken this photo from the other direction.

Hangin in the Atacama

This is the Great Dune of the Atacama. After years of people walking across it, it's lost about 40 feet of its orginal height. But you can still walk to it and take a photo. This works because I seriously doubt walking all the way across it buys you any new perspective.

And finally, our room...

A very nice design here. The idea is to keep the interior dark and "refuge"-like because outside it's really really bright. It's calm and the beds are fantastic.

They got six pools!

Pools pools pools...

Cuidado! Haya Llamas alla!!

Meet Pepito...Alto Atacama keeps four llamas and and alpaca. Pepito is a very friendly llama.

Prickly Pear Fun

Nisha licks a cactus..

Alto Atacama Resort

In the North of Chile we are staying at a new fancy schmancy resort called Alto Atacama. It was recommended by my Uncle Mariano whose friend Alvarro works at the resort. It's awesome! Here's the intro video....

Arrive Santiago - Asado Wtih Family

Uh...First, there was a LONG wait in customs...2 hours after a 10 hour flight. This was tiring but we made it. Abuelo greeted us and we went to his house which is really pretty..I'll post photos later..on Christmas.

There were dogs!!! Maya looks like a miniature Husky. Lucy is a brown Chow. And there was a black Chow name Dohicky (ok..i'll fix that later). There was also Jade...a black poodle..my favorite. Maya was a street dog rescued by my tia Valentina. She is very clever. She was sleeping under the piano in the morning and then when we went to leave for the airport to get to the North, she was waiting OUTSIDE the gate. Abuelo's house is surrounded by fences and electic wire. No one knows how she gets out. Very clever.

All my tias showed up with my cousins and we had a Chilean barbque known as an asado. There were empanadas (meat pies)!! There were also beef short ribs and steak. I tried to play soccer with my cousins that speak spanish. All we had was a flat basketball and a balloon. It worked..kind of.

Then I went to bed...very very tired.

Toronto Airport

Our Chile trip began oddly enough in Toronto where we caught our direct flight to Santiago. I've now been on an "extreme" walkway. It goes faster than the ones in Denver. I was inside a cool sculpture that amplified my voice. And daddy orderd the naughtiest food ever Poutine...french fries drenched in cheese and gravy. It was delicious!! Also at midnight it was either this or day old donuts.