lunes, 21 de enero de 2008

ALGARROBO

Algarrobo beach is where my family's cottage is, in a condo called "San Alfonso del mar".


Here is an aerial picture of it.


The path from the Condominium to the beach.


Leaving my imprint on the sand.


Kevin looking at the beautiful houses uphill.


Here's my favorite one: A boat-house right on top of a cliff.


The patient fishermen. I've never seen them catch anything but seaweed, but they are always there, looking for "pulgas de mar" (sand fleas) to use as bait. The first time we told Kevin that we have bugs in the sand he didn't believe it until we actually catch one.


A chilean sand flea!!! They make air bubbles in the sand when the waves retrieve, so if you dig fast enough, you can catch them . Apparently they also make a very good soup. I haven't been brave enough to try it yet.


Never underestimate global warming. BE SAFE!
(Just as a note, chilean people are not as paranoid as this guy, he was probably just trying to even his tan. You have to have lots of personality, though!).


Vera "on the rocks".


The chilean coast is full of these big wrinkled rocks, as if they were covered in elephant skin. They are so much fun to climb on!


The fury of the PACIFIC OCEAN, presumably "the most spectacularly misnamed of oceans".


Kevin showing off at the Condo's big lagoon. Beside this water trampoline, there's also a huge water slide and a temperate indoor pool. Did I tempt you enough yet? Are you coming?

domingo, 16 de diciembre de 2007

Hasta la vista! Mexico...

We left Mexico with the sweet, sweet taste of having spent 2 months and a half in the most beautiful city in the planet. We will definitely miss the permanent smile on people's faces, the chaotic traffic, the "chips with picante", the shocking pink everywhere and Taco Bell (Ha! I almost got you there... :D). Here are some random pictures from our last days.


Spiderman? Wait a minute... Aquaman? Mexico can be SO confusing.


A beautiful, beautiful mexican toy I got for my Birthday.


Our last museum, Dolores Olmedo.





These dogs were the only true mexican poochs, before new kinds were introduced by the conquistadores. They are the ugliest thing, but super popular. Picture Gremlins meet Fraggle rock.


More peacocks! This one was showing off.


On the way to the airport, PACKED to the bone inside a Kamikaze mexican cab. ADIOOOOOS!!!

jueves, 13 de diciembre de 2007

"MEXICO LOCO"/ A collection of bizarre behaviors never displayed before

This is what Mexico will do to you (Don't try it at home).
















And you thought canadian squeegies were aggressive.

TEOTIHUACAN

MAGNIFICENT Pyramids.


This is the view of the complex taken from the pyramid of the Moon (45 m high). The Pyramid of the sun is in the far left (And even higher) and the road ahead is called "Calzada de los muertos" ,or Avenue of the Dead. This avenue is 2 km long and we were beat by the end of the day with all the walking and the climbing of these huge structures.


Colossal Quetzalcoatl heads (Feathered snakes)






Hugging in the ruins...


Okay girlzzz, say "Cheeze"!


CHEEZE!


We made it to the top of the pyramid of the sun! Please disregard my purple cheeks... all these tacos are certainly taking a toll, man!


Kevin being one with the walls.


Inside the temple of Quetzalpapálotl there are eyes carved verywhere. You sure feel observed...

The Museum of Popular Art

WARNING: If you don't care about crafts, don't even bother. Scroll right into the next entry.


Entering with grrrreat style!


One of the amazing pinatas that you can find all over during christmas time. We found out that here the pinatas have 7 spikes, which represent the 7 mortal sins. The stick that you hit it with represents FAITH and thus you have to be blind in order to hit the pinata with it. Once you defeat the sins, then you get the goodies!


Speaking about sins...


Old toys. Drool... contemporary mexican crafts are great, but nothing is the way it used to be done. Sigh.


I swear, one day my house will be filled with this stuff (Don't tell Kevin!)


Colorful musicians.


These are worn over man's shoulders for one of their festivities. They have firecrackers attached to it and people run with them through the city.


Arguably, the best devil I've ever seen!

A polish, a turkish, a chilean and a canadian in Mexico!

Mexico didn't see it coming... Marta and Andrew arrived in grand style, perpetrating, rampaging and befriending the locals. And we RECORDED IT ALL!!!


Mantyka shooting the "wall of warriors" at the Templo Mayor. Every time a warrior lost a battle, his skull was added to the stone.


A maquette of the ground that we were standing on, the way it must've been before the Spaniards turned it to dust.


One of their crazy Gods.


Mantyka letting Mexico know that she's here.


Kevin, the wind and the flag.