After the wedding – Week 2
Campinas (Brasil)

Alex and Karen returned from their honeymoon and we were treated to a session of viewing photos from their time away. Very nice. It is very tropical in the north of Brasil, somewhere I think I would like to visit. I think seeing the photos made it more clear to me that I should go, if I get the chance. We, as in Nashi plus Sophie, E with Victoria and Michael, Lori, Alex, Karen, Daniel and I (maybe one or two more), also spent time at a small village near Sao Paulo, called EMBU. It is a small artest village, where there are loads of stalls, arts and crafts and of course food and drinks. We also spent an afternoon at a doctors resort near Campinas, where we swam, played tennis and just chilled out. It was a lot of fun.

What else did I do for the week….

I was staying at Paulo and Lorena’s house and it was a full house. There were people everywhere. Alex and Karen were downstairs, as a few more things needed to be done at their apartment, Ana in one room upstairs, Daniel and I in another and the three boys wherever they could find a place to sleep. It was a very multi-cultural house, people from Brasil (of course), Chile and Australia. Fun times… I think I was the butt of most of the jokes, as I didn’t quite understand what everyone was saying. We also went out for Ice-cream and it was great. Yoy take a bowl and help yourself to as much ice-cream as you can eat. The catch is, you pay by the weight, which is a typical way of paying for food here in Brasil. That said, it was fantastic ice-cream.

I was introduced to a friend of Lorena’s, who was travelling to the north of Brasilia, the capital of Brasil, for a week to go walking in a national park. I was asked if I wanted to go, I was given 10 seconds to think, like the TV show Temptation (Aussie viewers would know what I mean). I think I even heard the chime sound. An answer was given and I decided to go. Get out and see a bit more of Brasil. It is just a little bigger than Australia in land size, so there is a lot to see here.

We also celebrated Andrea’s birthday. (Andrea is Karen’s sister, one up from her). It was a lovely night at the folk’s house and Rogerio, Andrea’s fiancée did a wonderful effort of organising things. He made it a very special night for everyone and the food was great. I think that this is typical me, always remembering the food that I ate. They make these fried cheese balls, which are just delicious. If you ever get the chance to eat them, you must, even if you are on a diet. However, be warned, once you start eating them, you can’t stop... take it from me…

I also organised my trip to Brasilia with the travel agent, all in very bad Portuguese. So now it's off to Brasilia.

After the wedding
Campinas (Brasil)

Alex and Karen were on their honeymoon and I was able to spend a bit of time with Paul, Danni, Natalia, Papi and the boys before they were to return to Chile. Brasil was playing Chile in the soccer, Copa America, which is a very good competition. You have all of South America playing, plus all of North America. It is a very good competition. So we went to a local pub to watch it and had fun giving and taking banter from some locals, who were supporting Brasil, of course. It was good fun, even if I did struggle to understand what people were saying.

I also had to do some work at Alex and Karen’s Apartment. Someone had fixed the plumbing for the upstairs apartment’s shower and never repaired the hole in the ceiling. A hole about 50cm by 60cm in size and right in the corner, which makes it harder to repair. I had spent a bit of time with Alex buying some items to repair the hole and Karen’s sister, Lorena, had a few other bits, so in total we should have had it covered, but as always, there was a few key items missing, which always makes a job harder to finish. Not to worry, Daniel, Karen’s cousin from Chile, gave me a hand to get things going and after a day or two, we had the majority of the hole fixed. Here is Daniel and I working.

I even managed to get out by myself and go for a walk around the local park, called Parque Taquaral. It is a bit of a tourist attraction for Campinas. Apparently they have big rat like animals (they have a special name, but I don’t know what it is) that live in the park, but I haven’t seen any, so I don’t have any photos. I enjoyed my walk, as it gave me time alone to think and ponder life. It was also the first time that I had been alone in Brasil and I really enjoyed the space. I had a wonderful time walking along the paths, seeing people running, walking, talking and sharing a kiss or two. There was even a homeless guy, who wanted to have a chat with me. I think that the people here know the dangers that could fall upon a gringo, but I think I know when to walk fast and when to shut up.

So all up, it was a bit of a quiet week. I even went to Sao Paulo for a day visit but I think I would have preferred to stay in Campinas and relax. Go and have coffee with new friends, instead of going to a big city of something like 15-20 Million. Ohhh Yeah, I even went out and ate FROG!!! I think I may just be the first in my family to eat frog. I can tell you that it is a mixture between Chicken and Fish. (I just kept saying, it's only chicken...)

Wedding - Campinas (Brazil)

Yes, I have been a little slack with my Blog updates. So all you people out there who are complaining that you haven’t received your latest fix of El Mundo de Leigh, well here it is…

The Wedding… What a wonderful day/night. We had gone through rehearsals about 2 hrs before and things were starting to shape up. I was partnered with a friend of Karen’s from University, whos name is Gabi. The photo here is of her and I at the end of the ceremony. We didn’t say much to each other, as I think that both of us were freighted by the language barrier, plus being introduced as the Gringo who doesn’t speak any Portuguese doesn’t help. I found out later on that she understands a little English and can say a few words her and there.

OK, less about me and more about the wedding, what it looked like and how things went.

Firstly I must state that Karen did a fantastic job at arranging everything, with a little help from those around her. Various people running garden lighting cables, wiring up BBQ houses, building platforms over pools, Wait, that was me….Sorry Focus…
The girls helped out with the tables, chairs, flower arrangements, fire poles, screens, etc… Although this picture is a little fuzzy (night shot) it gives an indication of what the scene was like.

The wedding party was large. I think that there were 10 couples, 5 on either side. On Alex’s side were his parents (Luis & Anita), Paulo and Lorena, Paul and Danni, Gabi and I and Coki and a cousin of Karen’s from Chile. On Karen’s side were her Parents, Her eldest sister Natasha and her husband and 3 friends from University and partners. Her other sister, Andrea and her brother Alex performed musical items. They are all very talented. It was a lovely ceremony, even if I understood 1 word in 10 (my Portuguese is bad, but getting better and it is a lot different to Spanish. I now understand 2 words in 10). Karen’s little nephew, Andre was the page boy and her niece, Sophie, did a little dance to Guy Sebastian’s “Angels Brought Me Here”. Being part of the Party, means that I don’t have to many photos, but I hope the ones here do justice. Hopefully if I get a few more from other sources, then I will add them to my blog.

I think that the photos of Karen and Her Father tell the story of what the night was like. By describing her dress, I would only do an injustice, so I hope the photograph tells the story. Even Alex scrubbed up for the event and looked the part. Everyone looked great and I think that everyone enjoyed themselves. I know that I did. Check out Anita (mami) and I. Typical me, am I ever serious???

It was a lovely evening and I even had to give a speech, with 5 minutes notice. I gave it in English and Karen translated for me into Portuguese. Thinking back, there were so many other things that I wanted to state, but just did not think of them at the time. Karen said that she thought what I had to say was perfect, but I know I missed a few topics that I thought were important. I met a lot of wonderful people at Karen and Alex’s wedding.
Please click on the following link for more photos of the wedding, www.akneumann.blogspot.com

DAY 13 - DAY 21.
Santiago (Chile) to Sao Paulo (Brazil) to Campinas (Brazil)

I few out of Santiago on Friday the 22nd of June on the 2pm flight with LAN. I flew with Ana, as she had changed her ticket so that we could fly together and make it easier for people to collect us from the airport. The flight over was a very enjoyable one and I wondered around the plane and chatted with Ana and Caroline (the girl from my Temuco flight). I think that Ana was very excited about the flight, as she had not been to Brasil for about 20 years, I was excited because I was going to Brasil for the first time and had heard so much about it. The flight over is about 4 hours long, but the most difficult section is the section crossing the Andes. It was a little bumpy.

We arrived in Sao Paulo about 30mins early and got through customs with very little fuss. However the customs officer was a little gruff. I guess that happens when there is a communication barrier. I had arranged with Alex to meet us the airport, so it was good to know that I would be alright on the other side, but thanks to Sao Paulo traffic, he was late. Karen’s parent’s house, near Campinas, is about 1.5hrs drive away, depending on traffic. Now in Sao Paulo, it can get very bad. 15 Million (Basically Australian’s population in one city) all trying to get around on the same roads can lead to a lot of traffic jams. It’s a regular occurrence. As we were flying over Sao Paulo, the city just kept going and going… we came in on sunset and it was just one huge light show… Alex and Karen were late because traffic on a Friday night is just the worst. I didn’t care, as it meant I could just relax a bit after the flight and get my first taste of Brazil. In Brazil they have what they call Bread Cheese. It’s basically bread infused with cheese and eaten heated. It’s great, but not good for people with that gluten disease (lucky I don’t have it..!!!)

The drive to Karen’s House was just amazing. Cars, Buses and trucks changing lanes everywhere and no one was fussed about it. One good thing is that truck and buses always return to the far right hand lane (they drive opposite to Oz), which I think is great and should be enforced in Australia. Alex was driving and doing the same, it felt like we were racing car drivers and racing along the freeway. I think that everyone here thinks they are Aryton Senna or Rubens Barrichello. Ohhh, they have tolls here too, with the strangest values. I always ask, “Why the 30 cents, or 90cents, why not make it a round figure?” I just get strange looks from people.

Karen’s parent’s house is beautiful. It’s in a ‘country’ estate, where the blocks are bigger than average, but your neighbours are still right next to you. It’s about the same size house as my parents place and I felt at home straight away. I have noticed that houses here have a lot of marble or tiles on the floor. There isn’t much carpet and I think that it’s because it gets real hot here in the summer. The days here are averaging 20-25 deg C. so I am loving it. I met Karen’s parents, one of her sisters, Andrea, and the old lady that lives with them, they call her Grandma, but I don’t think she is. The next day we had a bbq and most of the rest of the family came over. There were kids everywhere, then I realised the extent of the family. The parents have 5 daughters and 1 son. The 3 eldest married daughters have 8 kids between them and the son has 1. Andrea has a boyfriend and Karen has Alex. It is a big family, but I love that, as I grew up with a big family too (just not as big as theirs).

They are building a bbq house on the property and have engaged a builder, who knows his stuff, but he’s just very slow. It looks like he was half done when I arrived and he had been at it for 3 weeks. Something like that, Dad and I would have had finished in that time. However I guess it’s just they way things are done. I did scratch my head when he kept asking Manuel (Karen’s Dad) for tools. Sub-contracted workmen in Australia always have their own tools. The electrical wiring fell to Alex and I to do. Now this is something I don’t understand. They run 2 power sources here in Brasil, 220Vac and 110Vac both at 50Hz (I think). They say to get 220Vac; you just add 2 phases of 110Vac together. Now I always thought that power on different phases, where on different phases and couldn’t be added together (maybe I’m a bit rusty with my electricity knowledge). I think that they are using the wrong term in ‘phase’. I think that they are the same phase, just a different source. Maybe someone can send me an email to clarify it for me. I confess that I am a little confused about that one.

Alex and I had a list of things to build or wire to get things right for the wedding. Wire the BBQ house, wire the garden for lighting and build a decking over the swimming pool, etc. The deck was for the wedding ceremony so that Karen, Alex and the 2 Ministers (Pasters) could stand on it for the ceremony. It just seemed that nothing ever was struck off the list, as new things kept being added and focus was shifted. Focus people… Please!!! Alex and I also drove to Sao Paulo for the day to drop off an ultrasound machine for repair for the Mum (she is a Doctor) and for Alex to go for a job interview. I was the navigator with a street directory that was valid for 1995. After his Interview we had 4hrs until we needed to be at the airport to collect Paul, Danni, Natalia, Papi, and the boys from Los Angeles (the guys I met in 2000). So Alex and I put the road map book away and ‘went for a drive’. Where we were going who knows…. Turn left, now right… go straight… now right…. “Where are we?”, “who knows who cares!!!!” It was a fun 1-1.5hrs…We then thought, it’s time to go to the airport.. Where is the sun? Ok to head north, keep the sun to our left and eventually we will hit the freeway we need for the airport. Great fun… even when we got wrong directions from other drivers. I love this kind of activity.

As a group, we also went to a Churrasqueria for lunch. Now this place is a restaurant where it is all you can eat and they bring the meats to you. You only need to get the salad. Most people don’t eat the salads. Different meats form different animals, one after the other. It never ends… You basically point out the slab of cooked meat you want and they cut it right there and you just keep eating. I was getting more meat on the plate than what I was taking off. So much for the diet… What diet, you’re in South America, you don’t need to diet, you need to eat… It was a lovely meal and I think that it only cost us about $10 Australian dollars each, which included our drinks.


All said and all activities undertaken, we got the job done, with about 5 minutes to spare, just enough time to have a shower and a shave and to get dressed into my suit for the wedding. I will put more info about the wedding on my next entry.

DAY 11 - DAY 13.
Santiago (Chile)

I arrived back at Paul’s apartment in Santiago to be greeted by Ana, Paul’s Mum. Ana had arrived from Australia 2 days earlier and was really enjoying the time with Paul, Danni and little Natalia (her first grandchild). It was Paul’s birthday, so it was hugs all round and birthday wishes. It was a lazy afternoon catching up with Ana and Paul. Hearing all the stories from Australia about the folks and family as well as sharing some of my experiences in the ‘South’. I think that Ana is really happy spending time with her family, a family she rarely sees due to distance. I think that Natalia is also enjoying the added attention from Grandma. She is similar to my own Mum when it comes to her and my brother’s family. You can see the joy in their faces, both Grandma and Grandchild.

That night we had a birthday celebration for Paul. The dinner was beautiful. We had Pastel de Coclo, which is like a Shepard’s pie, but instead of mashed potatoe you use mashed corn. I think that it is a traditional meal for Chile. It also contains boiled egg and whole seeded olives. I think that you should try it some time. We also had a cake and this is where the fun began. We put a load of candles on the cake and lit them all up. Now after we had sung happy birthday in both Spanish and English, Paul ‘tried’ to blow out the candles. Every time he did, they came back to life, but they were not the party candles. There was so much smoke in the place, I thought we were going to set off the fire alarms and have a visit from the guys in Red, well here in Chile, I think they wear grey. The cake was delicious. It was basically 20 pancakes stacked up on each other with orange marmalade as the ‘binding’ agent covered in icing. Check out the photo... Hmmmm very nice. They really know how to make things sweet here in Chile. It was a quiet night and a time of reflection and story telling about growing up, family, friends and the dreams of tomorrow. It was a very enjoyable time.

I just spent the rest of my time in Santiago trying to keep warm. The only part of me that felt cold was my feet; the rest of me was fine. However, when my feet are cold, I am cold. Ana was enjoying the time with Danni and Natalia. I think that it is good for the three of them. They were in and out of that apartment like it had a revolving door. I even went to a meeting with Paul for some work related issues. It was a wonderful experience of going to a business meeting and listening to the conversation in Spanish with the occasional words of English thrown in. I did understand some of it, but it was good to have Paul do some clarification translation or I would have suggested using 1,000,000 metres of cable instead of 1,000. (In Spanish 1 mil = millones and 1k – mil. Ok they look a little different but when you say them with an Australian accent, they sound a little similar to the listener. Opps…). It was enjoyable and I had realised how much I had missed being in the action, after only one month… What am I saying!!! Get back to holiday mode….!!!!!!

So on the 22nd of June, I packed my bags in Santiago and began my next leg of the trip, my trip to Sao Paulo, Brasil. Ana had changed her ticket, so that the two of us could fly together. When we left the apartment, little Natalia realised something was happening and the water works started. I guess that is little children, when only an hour before, she was helping me pack, by throwing things into my suitcase, laughing and then pulling everything out again… Charlotte was the same when I was packing for my African trip 6 months ago and also for this one. Paul was left to mind Natalia as Danni was going to see us off at the airport and then catch a bus back to visit her father. The taxi ride over was enjoyable, but a little squashy, having 3 suitcases and 2 hand luggage bags. I only had the one case and was travelling longer than Ana, so it was going to look strange if they asked me to open a suit case in Brasil to only find women’s clothing and shoes. It was due to an issue with Ana’s ticket. But hey, I’ve been told I look good in a dress (Sorry Rachel…you never wore that dress again, did you?).

My time in Santiago was peaceful and it was great to be able to spend time with Paul again. I guess some people think it strange that two best friends could live on the other side of the world, not see each other for some time, but still feel as if it had only been a week since our last time together in person. I guess it was good that the girls were out so often, it meant we could do a few blokey things and not worry about who was about or listening…. You know…guy stuff…

Goodbye Santiago and Chile and Hello Brasil…. Oooo Lay O lay O lay o lay, feeling hot, hot hot….

DAY 9 - DAY 11.
Los Angeles (Chile) to El Campo (The Farm - Chile)

It was a case of getting up this morning and rushing, as I usually do. Jess actually woke me up and got me going, which was a good thing, or I would have missed my bus to Gorbea. As we were driving to the bus terminal, some Brazilian music was playing and it was a very emotional time, due to the music. It was quickly changed. The drive over was a quick one and it seemed a little strange. This small country town flashing by, with daily activities continuing as per normal as my life was beginning to slow down. At the bus terminal I said my goodbyes and said to Jess that she now needs to come to Australia, as I have been to her house twice now. She said that I was welcome at her place anytime. I was sad to say goodbye, but know for every goodbye, there is a hello coming soon.

Chile has a very good bus transportation network, being that it is the shape of a pencil. People travel large distances by bus, unless you can afford to fly. Some buses are better than others, but all are of a high standard, as I find that people take more care of other people's property and know that they would like to find it the way they left it, so to speak. Here is a photo of the bus that I caught for the 3.5hrs trip from LA to Temuco and then onto Gorbea. Gorbea is the home town of my friend's (Paul) Mum. We stopped at various little towns along the way where 4 or 5 would get off and the same number would get back on. The same happened at the main stop in Temuco (Which is next to the Crematorium), however more got off than those who got on. So our numbers dwindled the further south we went. During the trip "Papi" (Paul's Dad) called me on my loan mobile. I confirmed that I would be arriving in Gorbea at 2pm. I think there was a bit of confusion on the phone, but it was alright.

The bus arrived 10mins early and there was a guy I recognised from my previous visits. He was wearing a "MANTAHUE" cap. Mantahue is the local indian name for the area. We discussed about Paul's dad and then I realised where the confusion was, we was sending this guy to meet me, in case he was going to be late or I was going to be early. Not long after Papi arrived in the 4x4 Ute and we were all on our way to the farm, another 40mins along access roads for the logging tracks, as people grow trees for the paper mill as a source of cash income. We chatted most of the way, talking about how cold it was, how it was good to see him wearing his Aussie Scarf and hat. Just general chit chat. It was good to see the farm again and notice the little changes that have been made to help with the running of the place. It is still a pictures place and a place that I find very relaxing, even though last time I was driven mad by fleas. I think the dog was the problem, but he is no longer there.

On arrival, it was the start of the feasting season. I think that since being at the farm, I have put back on all the weight that I had lost over the last few months. I don't think that I stopped eating or if I did, it was to sleep. Anyway it is a peaceful place and a place to just chat with the neighbours, drink a cuppa and watch the trees grow and the sun go down. BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! Well, that is basically what I did on the first day at the farm. Not much. I did play with the little boy Diego, who is the son of the house girl. He would be about 4 and she would be in her mid 20’s, if not younger, as a guess. She is the daughter of the guy who met me at the bus terminal in Gorbea. She is a single mum, which is common in the more remote parts of Chile, who lives in the house above the kitchen with her son and works from the moment she gets up to the moment she goes to bed.

The next day, 19th of June, was Papi’s birthday. I didn’t ask how old he was, but it is somewhere in the sixties. Being a Tuesday (I think), it was just like any other day. Got up, had breakfast and tried to stay warm. The sun did shine, which was good, so I took a few photos of the place, like this one here. Don’t you just love the rolling foothills of the Andes with all the trees and the little farm house with the smoke coming out of the chimney. Some of the locals came over to visit, the guy from the bus stop and one of the old farm hands from years ago. They basically do a bit of work for the old man, who pays them with either smokes or bottles of the local brew, Chicha. It’s basically an alcoholic apple cider, without the bubbles. I tell you what, it isn’t a Strongbow. The professionally made stuff is really good, but this stuff is just not so sweat tasting coloured water. However the local guys love it. Fact: A lot of the locals are from German decent and the German they still speak here is from the 1900’s. I think someone from Germany once came to study them. Well that’s the story I’ve been told.

Once the guys herd it was Papi’s birthday, then they had to stay and help him celebrate it with the roast meal and a few glasses of Chicha. I stayed with the Coke. Wow, was this meal fantastic. I ate way too much again, but thought that I would walk it off later. I never did, as I couldn’t move once it was finished. Can I just say that the caramel cake they make here is just fantastic. I hope the photo does justice. Not much else happened other than a million phone calls to Papi from family and friends wishing him a Happy Birthday. It was a very tranquil time in the country. I even had conversations with Diego and I think enjoyed having the company too.

On the 20th of June, Paul’s birthday, we had to leave early, so we could drive to Temuco, so 80km up the road. Now my flight wasn’t until 11, but it took us 45mins to get to the main road and then another 15 to Gorbea. From there we could get onto the main Highway and drive the 40km to Temuco. Plus the rain had been bucketing down all night and the roads may have had issues. It was a quiet drive to Temuco, but I think Papi was surprised when I asked for clarification of the issue they were discussing on the radio. It was the same as last time, Peru wanting the most northern region of Chile, which Chile won in a war against Peru and Bolivia about 100 years ago. It was controlled by Spain after the 3 countries gained independence, but they pulled out without indicating who was in control. I think that they are arguing over it because think that is where one of the worlds largest copper mine is. Run by BHP, I think... At the airport Papi and I shared more stories and generally discussed Alex’s (his other son’s) wedding, the one I am in South America (Brazil) for. It was great to spend the time with him again and he too had thought that communication would be difficult, but in the end it wasn’t too bad.

The flight up was great! I don’t know what it is like for you, when you fly, but I never get to sit next to someone I want to talk too, unless I already know them. Well, this girl wanted to talk to me, which was great, as it helped pass the time. I found out that she was from Brazil and that she would be on the same flight to São Paulo on the Friday. I think that I had just made a friend. One thing I have noticed about South American people, they are very easy to become friendly with and they are very open to conversations. I think that it was made easier that she spoke Portuguese, English and Spanish. Sorry people, only a photo of the plane I travelled in. I love planes...

DAY 5 - DAY 8.
Los Angeles (Chile)
On the 14th of June, I few to the 'South of Chile' to a city called Concepcion. My destination was Los Angeles, a small city on the Southern Highway on the way to the far south regions, which include the region of Patagonia. Anyway, I flew LAN for the hour, but was 3hrs late for my friends waiting for me. Change of schedule from the time I brought my ticket and finally flew. The other issue was that at the last moment we were asked to change gates at the airport, due to technical issues. This added about 30mins to the lateness of my flight.
Upon arrival, I was met by my friend Jessica and her Dad Antonio. I hadn't seen them for about 7 years and it was like no time had passed. Yes, we were all a little older and time had physically changed us, but we were still the same people.
On the right here is a little photo of Jessica and I. As usual my eyes are half closed. Initially it was difficult to communicate, as my Spanish was still rusty and Jess doesn't get to speak English with a native speaker all that often. I just told her to relax and we'd get through it with a load of laughs. She then produced her best friend for the next week, her Spanish / English Dictionary. The drive from Concepcion to LA was great and the three of us chatted for the whole 2hrs. It was a good test for me and made me work my 'Spanish' brain.
Jess' home town of Los Angeles has a population of about 200,000 and is a local hub for tourism and farming, both crops and lumber. Lumber is required for the local paper mill, which, I think, is about the 5th largest in the world. So nut bad for a little town. Jess lives is a 'suburb' of LA known as Villa Santa Fe, which is located to the North West of LA, as indicated in the Google Earth photo, with the yellow box.
The houses here remind me a little of Europe, where there a rows of houses that are basically identical, only the tree in the front yard and the car in the driveway is different. That said, it is a very comfortable neighbourhood where a security guard rides his bike around just to make sure all is going well. I think he may be a little slack at times, as people still have their homes broken into. To the left is a photo of me in front of Jess' house. The Lounge Room, Kitchen, Bathroom, Dinning Room and Master Bedroom downstairs and two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.
I met loads of Jess' friends and those of her parents. One guy, Matthew, grew up in Sydney and is employed as a translator at the mill when foreign guests are looking over the plant. I also had dinner one night with some of Jess' family's friends. One of the couples is involved with Jewelry and I'm not sure about the other, but they had their twin daughters with them. I think I did ok during general dinner conversation when you can explain the events at Cronulla last year. Not bad when you have a limited vocab. One thing I found too is the stigma of hanging out with your folks and with your friends is not here either. I suppose that it is something I am used too, but it's not the norm in Australia. One night Jess, her boyfriend, an old school friend, her Dad and I all chilled out chatting, eating, playing Jenga, etc. It was a great night, until Nicholas (School friend) spilt the drinks over the table. I guess that happens when you tell stories in a very animated way, specially ones about 'Chillian Rodeo', where you are the local champion.
The days were very restful, as the nights were jam packed in LA. On Saturday night Jess and I drove out to her friend Nicholas' house. It was just going to be the three of us, which was good, as I think that 1 girl and 3 guys would have been strange in dynamics. Anyway we shared stories of both current and x-girlfriends, school holidays, trips abroad, etc. Jess didn't say much about x-boyfriends, maybe it's just a girl thing. It was a wonderful night in front of his open fire and I had finally started to feel warm again after a week of being cold. To the right is a photo of Nicholas and I, sharing a moment for the boys... At about 12, I got my second wind and convinced the others that it was time for the Disco. Arrrrh, I think now I will highlight the night by saying, I had a nice chat with some of the girls who serve the drinks, more chatting with Jess and Nicholas and had a great time dancing with Jess, South American style. Ask me about it some day, that's if I don't (guys only...!!! hehehe). Well Jess and I returned home at 6am, knowing that we had to get up get going soon for lunch at a friend's house for Father's Day.let's just say that I think Jess and I made the family a little late for lunch.

I must say that people here in Chile know how to eat. I don't think I have stopped since getting here. I wake up and have breakfast, then an hour later I have a cuppa tea with bread, cheese and cold meets, then an hour after that it's Lunch. Lunch is at about 2pm, so we have a light snack at 5 or 6 and then main dinner at about 9pm. I don't think that I ever stop eating. Anyway, Lunch on Father's Day was no different. The spread of food was huge. Jess and her family (4) plus couple 1 and 4 Daughters...(poor Dad) and then the host, his wife and the twins. Oh...me makes 15. I was still a little tired from last night, as was Jess, so we didn't say much during lunch and I was told to 'eat, eat. take more...' The food was lovely, I just couldn't eat. Plus the red wine with lunch was just perfect. They heat the red by the fire until it is warm and better to drink. I was so tired I kept zoning out and I think that Jess realized this, so suggested that we go to the other room to get warm by the fire and chill a bit. I think she was feeling the same. It was a great start to the my last night in LA. Jess and I chatted the night away. I spoke about my recent trip to Africa and she asked to see my photos, which I have on my external HDD. We also spoke about our dreams of the future and about life and family in general. She asked about my x-girlfriends and I told her the stories. She and I have similar stories and I think therefore a special bond. It was great to chat with her like this, but also sad, as I knew the next day I was leaving to go further south to visit Paul's Dad, just south of Gorbea.
My belief, that two people from different cultures, who speak completely different languages and can communicate with patience and laughter, can still be Very Good Friends, has been strengthen, once again... Siempre Jess, yo pienso tambien! Muchos Gracias por tu tiempo cuando yo viva en tu casa! Un beso para ti y tu famalia! Mucho amor. Leigh