Tanto Tiempo!!!

Ok.... I know, I am a terrible blogger, I apologize. So where have I been since my trip to San Pedro at the end of July? Here is the update....

August I met Mom and Earle in Buenos Aires. We had a fabulous time, and I took every advantage of the fact that I was staying in a reputable hotel and not some crappy hostel where you have to rent a towel. The food was outstanding, there was no such thing as too much meat. The city, absolutely gorgeous, very hip. The tango, unbelievable. We then headed back to good ol' Santiago and to Valparaiso before they went went back home. It was some G rated fun for all. Pictures from that:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2343496&l=d0544&id=907196

When and where was my next trip? Only to the greatest city in South America! Back to Buenos Aires to hang out with Nicole and Rachel, for some... um. PG-13 fun. Just as much meat, but more going out.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2343509&l=e4af4&id=907196

2 weeks later, 18 de septiembre! Fiestas Patrias. The July 4th of Chile, except bigger and better. Lots of drinking, lots of dancing the cueca, and lots of kites (some with razors to knock out other kites.... that's not a joke). I was invited to my friend Carolina's parents house. In typical Chilean fashion, we had super late lunches, with lots of beer and lots of meat. All fun things.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2343514&l=d4a58&id=907196

Did I tell you that I learned how to surf? For those privy to surf culture, I went to Pichilemu, the best surfing in Chile is here. In fact, the national championships are held here at Punta de Lobos. I took a lesson (not at Punta de Lobos, at a place with baby waves), I was up for about a half a second once, and that's questionable. Was I successful? Not quite. Was it fun? Hell yeah. The lesson was kinda funny. The instructors held the board for you so you didn't have to bother doing the turn and the paddle thing. It felt like back in the day when I had to use chopsticks with the rubber band on top to hold it. I wasn't really using the chopsticks, but I felt like I was. When I was "surfing", I didn't have to think about which wave to take or anything. They held the board with me on it, we would sit there chatting, and when there was a wave worthy of attempting, they would say "ok, go!" The super sexy pictures of me in a wet suit aren't on my camera, I apologize.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2342062&l=bb22b&id=907196

And finally, the most recent trip: Puerto Varas and Chiloe with Jamie and Horner. Jamie and her boyfriend, Horner, came down to Chile for a little visit to see me (ok, they also had a wedding to go to...) anyway, so the three of us, and a bunch of Horner's friends headed down to the Chilean Lakes District and had a great great time. We went hiking on the Volcan Osorno, which was so damn windy and cold and it was hailing. Mind you, the weather that day wasn't bad, but high up it was a little problematic. Then we went down to the island of Chiloe, which is absolutely gorgeous, very picturesque. I kept wanting to jump out of the car and pretend I was Julie Andrews for a moment, and sing at the top of my lungs, "The hills are alive with the sound of music...!!" Seriously, look at the pictures, you will understand. Gorgeous scenery, old wooden churches that are all brightly painted, good fish, AMAZING ceviche. We saw Palafitos, houses built on stilts in the water, and cemeteries with more color than you would possibly consider normal for a cemetery, which by the way, faced the water. For a cemetery, it wasn't dark or sad, it was very "tranquilo".

Then, we went rafting and canyoning in Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales which which was awesome. I highly recommend canyoning, this included natural water slides down little waterfalls, jumping into pools of water, and also repelling down a 100 foot cliff next to the main waterfall. We had crappy weather most of the time, and then the day we went rafting and canyoning it was gorgeous and warm. What luck!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2342055&l=6c00b&id=907196

What's happening with me aside from my travels? I just finished giving finals, and now I am just hanging out in Santiago, saving up a little more money, working a bit in my other jobs, and getting ready for New Years Eve in Valparaiso and my trip to Southern Patagonia. I am going to Torres del Paine and then working my way up north through Patagonia crisscrossing between Chile and Argentina.

I promise, once I am traveling I will post lots of updates! Hope everyone is well.

Besos!

Lauren