Santiago, Chile

 Costanera is the tallest building in South America.  It's a huge shopping mall with an observation deck on top.  We got so lucky, because it rained the day before, so the skies were completely clear.  Usually there's a ton of smog. 

Mom lives on the other side of this hill.  We went up that hill as well a couple days later. 

We visited the Human Rights museum about the dictatorship of Pinochet.  The wall of missing persons is particularly moving.

Near downtown is the Neptune statue at Santa Lucia Hill.  You walk up a bunch of very tall but narrow stairs to Castillo Hidalgo on top of the hill.

From there it's a quick subway ride to Plaza de Armas and the main cathedral.

The hill of San Cristobal is particularly fun, because you take a funicular ride up one way and then a cable car down the other side.  At the top of San Cristobal is the Virgin Mary statue and church.

You can see the smog on this day.  You can't even see the mountains.

We also went to the Pablo Neruda home.  I read a lot of his poetry in college, but I also forget how much of a political leader he was as well.

We Made It!

 Little Man's senior trip is coming a little early, because he wanted to visit Grandma Stuetz on her mission in Chile.  She's working in the Santiago North Mission Office for 18 months.  It's an overnight flight that is pretty miserable but worth it.

The view from my mom's apartment is amazing.  She's on the top floor.  The 13th floor is missing, because it's considered bad luck.

The mission president and his wife are wonderful!  They refer to mom as "La Machina" and "La Tabajadora."  She has an insane work load, but she also thrives on being busy.  We stopped at the temple after the mission office. 

Her apartment building and office are in the old downtown of Santiago.  There is tons of graffiti and trash, but there are people cleaning everywhere you go, and the subway is so clean.  I was really impressed with their subway system.

Double Birthdays

We celebrated BB's birthday early.  A day later we celebrated Little Man's birthday.  BB requested waffles with buttermilk syrup for breakfast and chicken cord en bleu casserole for dinner with a lemon cheesecake.

Little Man's friends sent him on a surprise scavenger hunt that ended in a Sweet 16 birthday party with a fedora hat cake and everything.  He was surprised and loved it.  He also requested waffles with buttermilk syrup for breakfast.  For dinner he wanted dad to grill burgers with smoked mac and cheese. 

It's hard to believe he's already 16.  Now he's busy packing for his South America trip.  Luna wanted to come along.