Here we are on our first day in Chile (notice how exhausted I look-- that was a VERY long day!). We went out for completos with Carmen and Miguel. Ben met them when they were just little kids and he taught their family on his mission. They are awesome! We stayed with Carmen for most of our trip and she really watched out for us and made sure we had a good time while we were in Chile. It was about twelve thirty when we went for hot dogs--I learned very quickly that Chileans like to stay up late!
Ben with his enormous completo. He was so excited for the hot dogs in Chile. These ones were bigger than the average, but they were all smothered with globs of mayo, mustard and guacamole and piled high with tomatoes and onions. They call this "Italian" style and we wondered why for the whole trip until someone finally told us it was because of the colors on the Italian flag: red, white and green!
Ben and Miguel chowing down.
There are dogs everywhere in Chile... and they don't belong to anyone. This wasn't even the most we saw in one place--I think we saw about seven once just laying in the street. Luckily, they pretty much just lay there and don't bother you.
One of first days in Chile, we traveled to Rengo for a baby blessing. It was Saturday and lots of people were traveling, so we had a heck of a time getting there! First, we tried to take a train from San Bernardo, but it was so crowded we couldn't even get on. We then attempted to catch a bus, but all of them were full as well. We finally decided that our only option was to back track by bus to Santiago so that we could get on the train at the Central Station where it started.
We finally managed to get seats on the train in Santiago 45 minutes before the train left. By the time the train departed Estacion Central this is what it looked like inside. It was so crowded, but at least we got to Rengo!
In Rengo, we stayed with Pamela, a girl that Ben taught when he was on his mission. She was 10 at the time, now she's married and has a 5-year-old little girl, Emelia.
Pamela thought it would be fun to make Ben "king for the day" by dressing him in Eme's dress-up clothes. She was quite the character!
This is Ben with Pamela and the Bustamante family. Their two families were good friends and were both taught the gospel by Ben and his companion. It was so neat to get to know them and hear about their conversion and memories of Ben. They were all so awesome and still so strong in the gospel!
We had a big barbecue with our Chilean friends in Rengo and stayed up till one in the morning partying!
The town square in Rengo.
The Catedral Metropolitana in Santiago.
Carmen making sopaipillas. So yummy!
Getting on the train. Our trip included lots of train, subway and bus rides!
We went to the coast for a night to a tourist town called Vina del Mar. This is Ben outside the hostel where we stayed. It was our first ever hostel stay!
The inside of our room--there was double bed and a set of bunk beds. We joked that we could have practically fit all of our kids in with us (or at least Carmen and Miguel). It was here that I got my first cold shower in Chile!
Ben in front of the Reloj de Flores, or flower clock--a big tourist site in Vina del Mar.
We didn't get to visit Easter Island while in Chile, but we did see one of the famous Easter Island moai which stands outside a museum in Vina del Mar.
We walked several blocks to the beach to find it was crazy crowded!
We went to a restuarant in Vina called El Guaton which means "big belly". Of course, we had to order their signature sandwhich "the guaton". It was so huge! Ben and I shared it along with a ginormous plate of papas fritas!
The Catillo Wulff in Vina.
There was a little lookout point off the courtyard of Wulff Castle overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
In Santiago, we rode the funicular to the top of Cerro San Cristobal. This was the first place that Ben went when he came to Chile on his mission. It was a tradition to take the new elders there.
On our way up the hill....
The view of Santiago from the top.
At the very top of the hill is a 45 foot statue of the Virgin Mary.
Here we are at the mission reunion with Carmen and Miguel. We had a great meeting where several converts who were baptized by West missionaries bore their testimonies. Miguel was one of them. I heard this young man bear his testimony twice while in Chile and even though it was in Spanish and I couldn't understand the words, I could definitely feel the strength of his testimony and his love for the gospel. Miguel left on his mission just about a month after our trip.
Group photo of all the West Missionaries at the reunion.
We happened to be staying in the same hotel with President Walker and his wife for our last few days in Chile. It was pretty cool because they had rented a van and offered to give us a ride to the mission reunion events so that gave us chance to visit with just them. After getting to know them a little better, I realized what an amazing mission president Ben had. He had a talent for inspiring those missionaries in such a way that they truly caught fire. Awesome!
Carmen and me in front of the hotel. I love this girl!
In honor of our last day in Chile, Carmen and her family worked very hard to make this delicious authentic Chilean dish, pastel de choclo.
Here is Ben with Carmen and her husband.
Eating watermelon for dessert on our last day.
Brigham's attempt at a smile. It was so sad-- we came home to a very sick Brigham so he actually didn't even go to pre-school that day. We did send his superhero valentines with a friend so that he could still participate in their exchange. He also loved the soccer shirt and hat we brought him from Chile and insisted on wearing them even though he wasn't going to school that day!
A very happy Rachel wearing her scarf from Chile and showing off her cute gumball machine valentines.
Eliza wearing her Chilean headband and scarf with her glowstick valentines.
Emma was all decked out in her headband, scarf and earrings from Chile. She made cute swedish fish valentine's that said "Of all the fish in the sea, I'm glad we swim in the same school!".
