Day 1 and 2

DAY 1

The grandparents have arrived!  They made it to my apartment around 11 and then rested while I finished the work day.  After work we went to eat lunch at Tiramasu (pizza and bruschette) and then stopped by Castano to get some bread and water.

Here they are standing outside Plaza Peru:


Having some coffee:



Magic jack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



DAY 2


Waiting to go into Pablo Neruda's house in Bellavista:

The Green Bike Tour group was there before us. I want to go on one of their tours!

Outside Pablo's house

Outside of the Parque Municipal..or National....I can't remember....on the way to take the tram up San Cristobal Hill.

Inside the park gates

Here it comes!

Steepest tram ride in history probably! It's a little un-nerving going up it because it is SO HIGH!!!  We managed to have fun though.

At the top of the hill

Check out the smog! You don't really notice it day to day...but this vantage point shows you what it looks like!

We bought a Mote con Huesillo (drink that is stewed dried peaches served in a glass with lots of light syrup and a few tablespoons of soft cooked wheat).  It was too sweet for our taste..but the peach was good and the wheat at the bottom of the cup was interesting.

Grandpa surveying the situation

And giving it a try!

We ate empanadas and salad for lunch and plan to head out to the mall tonight for dinner and JUMBO!!

Copiapo, Chile

Heading to Copiapo, Chile for a few days....be back soon!!

Grandparents arrive on Friday!

Birthday fun

For my birthday adventure we went to dinner at Mestizo. It has an awesome patio that overlooks a park. 

A shot of the first folks to arrive...

Vicky sat next to me

Barbara and Rodrigo came too!

They brought me a Feliz Cumpleanos (happy birthday) plate....yum! I never figured out what the yellow berries were. 

After dinner we went to Six Lounge to meet up with the rest of the group and have drinks. 

Maida & her boyfriend

Trini!

Lookin good!

The whole gang

Take a look at Ethel's shoes!

And we were very proud of Kenneth for not wearing white socks!

Thank you very much to everyone who helped make my birthday very special!  I really appreciate it!!

Weekend at Pablo's

This weekend Ethel, Maria, Dorsa and I went to Isla Negra to visit one of the homes of Pablo Neruda. It started off as a rainy day when we left Las Condes for Isla Negra. Here are some pics that I snapped out of the passenger side window, since Dorsa kindly offered to drive.

We took a bathroom break at this rest stop. There were lots of stalls selling random things. They charge 200 CLP....about 40 cents, to go to the bathroom. After you pay the lady your money, she hands you a wad of toilet paper...random! Soap must cost extra b/c I didn't see any in the bathroom. :)  

More pics of the drive and the mountains...

Ethel and Dorsa walking down a dirt hill to Pablo Neruda's house.

Ethel posing at the entrance...

My turn

Ethel and Maria waiting for the tour to start

The side/back yard...or maybe I should call it a garden? Not sure....I think side yard works best since his back yard is the ocean!

View out of his bedroom window

Dorsa posing...

Back of the house

Lots of Aloe and Agave plants

Back of the house

Ethel standing in front of his grave

Rocks on the beach

Graffiti on a plant!

Dorsa holding up the bell statue

I went to go try but realized my head almost reached inside of the bell

I will get more pics from the other girls and post them later...but all in all a great day!  Pablo has three houses in Chile..and so far I've seen two. I will wait and see the third when CG and Paw Paw come later this month.

P.S....I have learned to back into my parking spot...each time it gets easier. I'd also like to report that I made it to and from Jumbo today without getting lost. Woohoo!!