Happy Holidays!

We hope everyone is having a wonderful and relaxing holiday season!

The holidays in Chile started out with the end of school for Ella and Mabel!  We were running from class asados (all day family barbecues) to graduation ceremonies.  It was fun to meet more families, even if we were not going to see them again for a few months.  They take celebrations seriously and the first one was Mabel's graduation ceremony followed by a coffee, cake, and candy reception.

Waiting for the big moment

Mabel and AnaMarie (her teacher)

Mabel's whole graduating class, Kinder A

After all was said and done Mabel ended up with a framed diploma, class picture, funny hat, great memory, and another 3+ months of classroom learning.  She seemed pretty happy with it all.

Apparently when you reach 3rd grade you are no longer a child and things happen a little differently.  Ella's class also shared a great Saturday asado at a local park (with pool).  These families have shared the school connection since kindergarten so the event felt like a big reunion.

The mile long picnic table.

More meat at the asado.

 

Though not as well-advertised, Ella's final assembly was pretty formal as well.  Ella was not only promoted to the next grade (luckily) she was also awarded the distinction of "Best Friend" in class 3B.  

Enough said.

Now we are fully immersed in summer vacation!  This also means the solstice/Christmas holiday was right around the corner!  

So we packed the family in the car and explored our first Chilean winery and first Artesanal liquor producer. This had been on our list of things to do but we never made the time. The winery was about 2 hours away and a total treat once we found it.  Now we're inspired to find some more.

Vineyard of Chillan

Our trusty car.

Full Moon over Concepcion on the summer solstice.

We were lucky to share a very special Christmas holiday with our friends Lisa, Roger, and Ruby who came all the way from Missoula, Montana. After a bit of a scare when they didn't show up on the expected flight, things really started to take off for us when they caught the next flight arriving only a few hours later! 

Our first stop was the beach so they could dip their toes in the south Pacific and explore some of the creatures living in and on the rocks.

Ruby finds a star!

Searching for treasure.

Kate, Roger, and Lisa at the beach.

After a little adventure and a great dinner we all called it a night so we could get an early start for our trip south.  On Christmas eve we packed up the rented van and headed 5 hours south to Lake Caburgua.  We rented a cabana only a couple of blocks from the lake and settled in for a few days.

View of Volcan Villarica from Caburgua.

 

Since we arrived late in the day we simply gathered up a few more provisions and cooled off in the lake.

It was already a cloudy and cool day but that didn't stop these girls.

Xmas eve in the lake.

Christmas tree in our apartment.

We brought our tree with us!

A cozy Christmas Eve in the cabin.

In the evening we shared a wonderful mussel stew made by Mike and an antipasto by Kate.  Later the girls set out the appropriate goodies for Viejito Pascuero (aka Santa Claus) and then everyone went to bed.  

Viejito Pascuero found us!

Ella, Ruby, and Mabel in new holiday regalia.

On Christmas day after enjoying a leisurely morning we ended up relaxing in some beautiful natural hot springs, in a place called Huiefe.  It was strange to apply sunscreen on Christmas day but we all adjusted just fine.

Soaking up the sun, poolside.

The day was spent soaking and hiking together. Late in the afternoon we headed back to the cabin for an asado of our own!  It was great to try to emulate the local traditions with friends.  We ate lots of meat and slept very well after a very special Christmas together.  The next day we were all ready for a long hike (and that's just what we got)!

We headed to the closest national park only 1/2 an hour away.

If we had read the hike description more carefully we would have been better prepared for the long hike up to Lago Chica.  All we had to eat were some peanuts, chocolate, and crackers.  As it turned out the views were amazing and the company even better.  By the end of the hike we were all beat, hungry, and happy (I think)!  Remember, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

Yes girls, we're headed way up there!

The whole gang hiking.

A steep part of the trail.

Lago Chica

Muddy banks of the lake.

After all this we headed home, ate a huge snack, and headed down to Lago Caburgua to cool off.  It was a perfect way to recharge our bodies.  The next day we headed back to Concepcion after a little more sight seeing closer to the town of Pucon.

We visited a traditional Mapuche family. The Mapuche are the native people who live in southern Chile. They were one of the only native groups to keep the Spanish off of most of their lands.

Traditional Mapuche structures.

A Mapuche kitchen.

Mike and Roger playing Mapuche field hockey

We made it home to Concepcion safe and sound after an absolutely wonderful time.  It was such a treat to explore more of Chile with great friends!  We couldn't have asked for a better holiday week!  

Roger, Lisa, and Ruby headed up to Santiago and we headed back to our pool.  We're looking forward to a quiet New Year celebration in Concepcion.  If you feel like following some Chilean traditions for good luck here's what we're told you have to do on New Years eve:

Wear yellow underwear at midnight

Eat 12 spoon fulls of lentils

Eat 12 grapes

Bury money under ground (you can retrieve it after midnight)

Walk around the block with an empty suitcase before midnight (only if you want to travel)

That's about it.  You can bet we'll be trying them all. Yes, this could be a snipe hunt but ya never know 'til you try.

As the year comes to a close we have all been spending more time reflecting on the year past.  Though I don't have any great new insights to share I did want to let you all know how much strength and happiness your friendship has given us.  Our adventures away from home have been amazing and we couldn't do it without knowing we are returning to such an incredible group of friends and family.  Thank you for all the emails, Skype sessions, packages, letters, nice words, and support!  You have no idea how important they are to us.  We look forward to lots of long walks and catching up in 2011.

We are wishing you a very happy, healthy, and peaceful 

New Year! 

Volcan Villarica