Family Time

On Lago Todos Los Santos, we make the lake look good.

Beers, Juices, and Sammies @ Ciudad Vieja NOM!

   Hey; Matt here.  Howzya doin'?  It's been a while since we've talked and Sara and me have been up to a whole bunch.  My family was visiting for the past few weeks, which gave us opportunities for great food, good drink, and new adventures.  It was very fun to have them here and sad to watch them leave.

The stairs outside our place in Valpo.  Fun and tiring.
Dad looks ready for adventure.

   We had most of my family down (except my sister, bro-in-law, and niece & nephew - all sorely missed) for 2 weeks.  Sara organized a killer itinerary for our trip that was just the right amount of stuffed.  After a day or two in Santiago, we all went down the the Lakes Region to stay on Lago Todos Los Santos.  We had a great cabaña with excellent views of Volcan Osorno.  While there my dad, Sara, my brother (Dan), and I went on a rafting trip and then a canyoneering trip.  I thought both were super fun, Sara likes canyoneering more as we get farther from it.

Check out my side-boob

   The family then drove out to wine country in Casablanca (home to many excellent white wines).  Everyone had an ordinate to slightly inordinate amount of great wine and food.  The pool at our hotel that night was, to quote Sara, "AWESOME!"  We then had two days at an apartment overlooking the port in Valparaiso y Viña del Mar.  It was very relaxing.

3rd winery, feeling/looking good.

   We wrapped up with a trip to Pablo Neruda's home in Isla Negra, which was interesting, followed by lunch in Pomaire, a clay-ware town.  It was sad to see my parents and sister-in-law leave shortly thereafter, but there were more adventures ahead.

Dan's smile did not improve post-rope break.

   After their departure, Dan and I headed up the Cajón del Maipo for some Andean Adventures.  We wanted to climb Cerro Morado and Cerro Cortaderas, but Morado was too time-consuming and dangerous.  It sure is exciting when your rope breaks at 4000ish meters!  Through perseverance, calm, care, and plenty of fear-sweat, we were able to descend safely and look back on a successful adventure.  Dan also got to see some condors.  

Terremotos effect people in crazy ways
@ La Piojera

   With all that, the summer is almost over for me.  I have to go back to work on Valentine's Day.  Sara still has another 2 weeks of summer vacation.  She's planning on taking some Spanish classes (¿Cómo se mejora la que es perfecta?).  Many thanks to Natalya (frisbee buddy & FU alum) for coming down and bringing coffee, to my family for resupplying me with pants and shoes (no Matt sizes here), and Megan for watching the cat while we were away.  
   We're really looking forward to seeing folks when we visit stateside in July.  If you have something that you want to do with us in particular, let us know ASAP; we're not that cool, just in the US for a limited time.  You are missed, let us know how you are.

Mom and her baby bunny.