and some things never change, such as our trips to Lider Express, our local grocery store where baggers expect a small tip, shoppers weigh and mark own produce, and where we can find most items we are used to at home. We have lots of busloads of people from a distance as well as local Santiaguenos at the temple. Some of the streets are closed on Sundays for all the joggers, cyclists, families pushing strollers. It is a safe and pleasant fairly affluent neighborhood, on the surface much like home. People are polite and helpful, most things run"on-time." Two favorite trips this past week have been to Vina del Mar and to Santiago's La Moneda Palace (changing of the guard and Rome exhibit).
Yesterday (Monday, January 29, a few of us took the metro then the bus 1 hour and 40 minutes to Vina del Mar, northwest of Santiago) for a fun day. Vina is know for its beautiful parks, manicured subtropical boulevards lined with palm trees. It was the hacienda of the prominent Carrera family who sold it to a Portuguese businessman in the mid-19th century. It became the playground of wealthy Valparaiso residents, who built elaborate Victorian mansions which today have either been restored or fallen into ruins, The beach is popular, but water very cold! We enjoyed a delicious traditional lunch under the trees at a sidewalk restaurant. See the link for more photos of Santiago and Vina del Mar:
Yesterday (Monday, January 29, a few of us took the metro then the bus 1 hour and 40 minutes to Vina del Mar, northwest of Santiago) for a fun day. Vina is know for its beautiful parks, manicured subtropical boulevards lined with palm trees. It was the hacienda of the prominent Carrera family who sold it to a Portuguese businessman in the mid-19th century. It became the playground of wealthy Valparaiso residents, who built elaborate Victorian mansions which today have either been restored or fallen into ruins, The beach is popular, but water very cold! We enjoyed a delicious traditional lunch under the trees at a sidewalk restaurant. See the link for more photos of Santiago and Vina del Mar:
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| Pablo Neruda and Gabriel Mistral, NobelPrize winning beloved poets of Chile are honored in the Quinta Vergara park in Vina del Mar, as everywhere. |
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| Down Libertad Boulevard in Vina towards the Plaza Mayor |
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| We enjoyed our p-day trip to Vina del Mar yesterday, via bus northwest of Santiago, and twin city to the flamboyant Valparaiso. The beach in Vina is popular, |
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| Rocky shore with lots of pelicans. Humboldt Current keeps the sea very cold! |
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| Plaza Mayor |
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| Casino of the Del Mar Hotel is a bit run-down |
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| Castillo Ross 1908 |
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Vina del Mar's famous clock  |
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| In Vina, the Hurleys, Schultzes and I met two great sisters from Texas and Guatemala serving in Vina del Mar. |
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| Lider Express checkout |
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The Changing of the Guard by "Carabineros (military police) takes place every second day and lasts from about 10-10:30. The band plays military and other music and is quite spectacular. |
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| Laocoan and others are mostly reproductions, but well-done. I especially enjoyed the sarcophagi. |
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| On our way to the metro we enjoy the shady canopy of Pedro de Valdivia street and the universities and beautiful homes that are sometimes now embassies (below is the Embassy of Uruguay), schools, the University of Chile (below) and various businesses |
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| It is always exciting to watch the exuberance of the full-time missionaries as they finish 3 or 6 weeks training before they go out to serve in various parts of Chile. They are young and fun-loving, but well-prepared to serve the Lord, to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They have a new and wonderful MTC President Carmack and his lovely wife. |
Life is good. I continue to learn about the people of Chile who love their progressive democratic country and hope for the best in president elect Pinera, who takes over soon from current popular President Michele Bachelet. I love serving in the temple,balanced by working with Pathways English learners (great young people) and the chance to travel and visits sites of interest. We should be busy this week as the temple closes for the next two weeks for maintenance every 6 months. I'm thrilled that my daughter Anne has announced her engagement to Neil Chandler and will have a summer wedding in England, where Neil is from. I love and miss my growing family, especially as their lives change so quickly at this stage. I love you, my friends near and far, and am grateful that I can keep learning from those I meet, for you who have and continue to serve and support me. I know the Lord loves each of us and wants us to look to the future with optimism and faith. |
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