Greg's Trip to Chile

He was gone for 2 weeks and came home about 2 weeks ago but I wanted to post some pictures and tell a couple of funny stories about his trip-some about the trip and some about while he was gone.

I am happy to report that in spite of heavy rains and 2 floods in the house, we survived Greg's 2 weeks in Chile.  I also thought I had locked Ashley and I out of the house one morning when we took the boys to the bus stop-and no one else was home.  However, we did find one of our many doors that had accidentally gotten left unlocked so we were able to get back in.

Greg had good business meetings in the Chile office and I wanted to share some of the pictures he took while he was there.  He was also thankful for Marcos-a native Chilean who was traveling with him-since he doesn't speak Spanish-except a few words learned on Sesame Street!

Greg enjoys the travel part of business travel-just not being away from us!  and he tries to see something of the place he is in if there over a weekend.  He thought he had booked a hiking trip for one day and it turned into a tour of a winery-communication problem????  That got even funnier when 1.  you know us and that we don't drink and 2.  when you hear that because Greg was the only English speaker on the tour, he got a private tour with an English speaking guide.  He said that made it interesting and he got to ask lots of questions and the place was beautiful.

barrels for wine storage


where the grapes grow

Some pretty places around the winery-Concho y Tora winery-I was really impressed that the wineglass Greg received and packed carefully made it home in one piece in his checked luggage

 Around Santiago

 The track of the funicular that Greg rode up to a park overlooking the city-text stolen from Wikipedia
Cerro San Cristóbal is a hill in northern Santiago, Chile. It rises 880 m AMSL and about 300 m above the rest of Santiago; the peak is the second highest point in the city, after Cerro Renca. Its original indigenous name was Tupahue. It was named by the Spanish conquistadors for St Christopher, in recognition of its use as a landmark.
At the peak, there is a church with an amphitheater, and a 22 metre statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary donated by France in the 1920s. Pope John Paul II gave mass there in 1987. The spot is a superb location from which to view the city - when the smog permits it (usually in the summer or after it rains

 The view is beautiful

 Some llamas that Greg saw-the kids always ask for pictures and Greg does a great job finding interesting and unusual things that they would enjoy!

 Greg did also go on a horseback riding tour up into the mountains which he enjoyed!

 Views while riding

I have never been to Chile but it looks like a really neat place.  Greg also went to dinner with a couple who have, since he returned from his trip, moved to Manila for the husband to work here.  They have 3 boys-4th grade, 1st grade, and 10 months old.  Greg said he really enjoyed them and is looking forward to us meeting them-more about them later.  Great Trip but we were all glad when he got back home with us!