Pomaire

This weekend I went to Pomaire with a group of 25 EAP students. Although Pomaire only has 1,000 inhabitants, it is well known throughout Chile for it's pottery.
We visited a factory where each of us had a chance to make our own pottery. After that embarrassment, we went into the city and made clay pigs. Pigs, specifically three legged pigs, are considered good luck symbols in Chile.
PS It's finally starting to get warmish. I still wear three layers everyday, but sometimes I don't see my breath when I go outside. YAY! :)
Photo 1: Spinning. Aka failing. It's so much harder that it looks.
Photo 2: Pomaire in all of it's glory :)
Photo 3: Pottery factory. The workers there are HARDCORE.
Photo 4: The finished products. Well the large pots were not made by the gringos. Mine is the ugly one with the folded down edges in the back.
Photo 5: Me and Devyn with our piggies. We made them all by ourselves!

El Teniente Copper Mine and Sewell Mining Town

Last weekend I visited the world's largest copper mine. Woo hoo! I know it sounds really boring, but it was actually a lot of fun. El Teniente Copper Mine is located IN a mountain that just happens to be part of the Andes Mountains. Needless to say, the area was absolutely beautiful. We got in our mining gear, toured the mine, had a miner's lunch (gross), then toured the mining town.
Fun fact: Chile produces 35% of the world's copper, making it the world's biggest producer.

Cajon Del Maipo

The weekend before our semester started at La Universidad de Chile, Liz and I decided to head up to the Andes for a much needed getaway from the smog, overpopulation, and pickpocket-ers of Santiago. Thanks to a recommendation by a group of friends, we stayed at Cascada de las Animas resort in San Alfonso, Cajon Del Maipo for two nights. There was a very fortunate mix- up with our reservation: instead of staying in a hostel, we stayed in a private cabin! We had a great time horseback riding, hiking, and spending time in the sauna-- despite the fact that it snowed two out of three days.
Photo 1: Our private "cabana." So cute, so secluded, but SO COLD. There was a fire place, but the hotel employees had all of the supplies necessary to make a fire. Good thing we came prepared with lots of warm clothes!
Photo 2: Our living room. No big deal. $35 a night? I think yes.
Photo 3: The view from the resort. The Andes are absolutely gorgeous!
Photo 4: The resort itself.
Photo 5: Rio Maipo. We had the option to go white water rafting on the river. However, consider the conditions, we weren't too enthusiastic about that.
Photo 6: Day 2 horseback riding. :) We went horseback riding for two hours with three other people. It was amazing!
Photos 7-8: Beautiful views of the Andes during our horseback ride. These pictures don't do it justice. It's so hard to take pictures while on a semi- out of control horse!
Photo 9: Day 3. Liz and I in front of Cascada de las Animas. We took an hour and a half hike IN THE SNOW to get there. It was worth it though.
Photo 10: I didn't come prepared with snow gear. Thank goodness for my obnoxious umbrella!
Photo 11: On the Indiana Jones bridge that connects the resort to the Andes. Such a great weekend. :)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

We then headed to Buenos Aires for a long weekend. We arrived Friday afternoon and wasted absolutely no time: that night we went to a tango show in our neighborhood. The next three days we visited the National Anthropology Museum, cemeteries, parks, monuments, etc. Super touristy, but also lots and lots of fun.
Photo 1: Liz and me at Homero Manzi Tango Restaurant. It was a shockingly authentic theater. We were the only non- Spanish speakers.
Photo 2: Eating steak at the tango show. What have I become?!?!
Photo 3: Kaleb and me on our tour bus. We reached a whole new low in Buenos Aires: we traveled around the city in a neon yellow tour bus. But hey! We got to see everything that way! :)
Photos 4-5: The Moms and Liz in their matching hats. They bought them at the San Telmo street fair on Sunday morning.
Photo 6: The fun at San Telmo continues.
Photo 7: At La Boca Juniors Stadium in La Boca, Buenos Aires. Oh the things we do to keep Kaleb happy. This is my "Let's make Dad happy that you're taking a picture with Maradona's statue" picture.
Photo 8: SO HAPPY to be at Recoleta Cemetary. All of us got to pick an activity-- mine was going to the cemetery. I was a little too excited to be there.
Photo 9: Our gracious hosts at "Lola House." :)
Photo 10: Oh you know, just being ridiculous at Teatro Colon. Unfortunately the theater is under renovation so we weren't able to take a tour. :( Shucks. That means I'll have to go back :)

The Chilean Coast

After a few days in Santiago, we headed to the Chilean coast. Although we spent two nights in Vina Del Mar, we traveled up and down the Chilean coast on the first day. It was an exhausting, but gorgeous trip.
Photo 1: Possible Christmas card for next year? :) Mom and me in Quintay.
Photo 2: Quintay. A small but absolutely beautiful town. :)
Photo 3: Quisco. Another small, but not quite as beautiful, town.
Photo 4: "The Moms" being adorable after their tour of Isla Negra.
Photo 5: Obligatory group photo at a winery. The moms deserved an evening of wine tasting after our long day.
Photo 6: Sunset over Vina Del Mar.
Photo 7: Day 2, being tourists in Vina Del Mar.
Photo 8: Mom and me in front of Wulff Castle. :)

THE MOMS HAVE ARRIVED

My mom came to visit me in Santiago from July 17 to July 27. We spent the first days of her visit in Santiago. It was sooo good to see here! :)
Photo 1: Day 1 at La Moneda. We are doing our signature tourist pose. The Hallacks teased us for being overly paranoid about getting pick pocketed. Ironically, my wallet was stolen from me a week later. I guess you can never be too careful!
Photo 2: Showing some love to Liz's little brother, Kaleb. I miss him already! haha
Photo 3: Our first lunch together :) Patagonia Restaurant in Bellas Artes
Photo 4: OUR FIRST BREAKFAST! The moms' hotel had a free continental breakfast for guests. Liz and I ate breakfast there almost everyday while they were there. We were so excited to have real breakfast food! :)
Photo 5: Mothers and daughters at La Chascona, Pablo Neruda's house in Santiago.