The beginning our looong 23-hour bus ride to Santiago - here passing through the driest desert in the world.
dry!
Our mini hotel apartment in santiago.
two rooms - luxury!
santiago is a much prettier, more pleasant place in the spring. last time we were here it was cold, grey and desolate-feeling.
after the salar trip and all the bad food, we celebrated with an excellent steak dinner to rejuice the batteries.
looking like a man who hasn't seen steak and potatoes in months- scary!
talor opted for the much more sensible salmon carpacio.
we enjoyed santiago so much more the 2nd time around...
especially meeting up with our firends the Torreses...
their lovey daughter, Belen.
we had such a good time, and spent the entire day with them.
Peek-a-boo. Patty was preparing a delicious lunch for us. Marco and Erik drank beer...
what a feast - and a good bottle of wine to boot!
Belen liked erik's much-too-long hair.
And Martin enjoyed the juggling balls we'd brought him from bolivia.
belen had fun with the juggling balls as well...
she was a real poser!
And “onces” (tea) with Patty's parents. What a warm reception.
like father like son.
juggling lessons...
and cute dogs as well.
cute dogs with puppies.
waiting for the very modern subway on the way home. santiago's transit system is excellent and very technologically sophisticated. Much more so than new york's.
christmas in summertime - odd combo.
flowers and parks everywhere.
even the churches are more appealing in the spring.
Plaza des Armas.
Jazz in the metro entrance - reminded erik of living in paris.
Street art.
one of the biggest chinese restaurants we'd ever seen.
Modern metro station...
Youth art center in the park.
The tiny lake in the park. Not really worth renting a boat- there's nowhere to go!
sad little fountain in a big park.
and one of the oldest barber shops in town. (couldn't convince erik to go in.)
skyping home from a wifi cafe.
cute muts and sculptures in plaza brazil.
sidewalk beers on a sunny day - nice combo.
