We enjoyed Thanksgiving at the CS North Mission home. Here is a peek at the lovely grounds and home. It was built in the '60s, and is a tudor style, complete with very large kitchen, formal dining room, many bedrooms and a lovely old German made grand piano, which I enjoyed playing for a bit. The food was scrumptous and the company delightful. The day was perfect.

The two Elders who taught them the gospel are on each end, the ward mission leader and his wife are standing in the center. Both of them are returned missionaries.

Our first taxi driver's wife and daughter were baptised into the church. We are so delighted for them. Compare these photos to the ones earlier on their first Sunday at church. Aren't they beautiful on this baptism day!!

Here is another shot of the little white flowers
that grow randomly in the grass here.

Aren't these sidewalks beautiful!

The cobblestone streets were a surprise to me. They must be very old. They look like blue stone to me. I "heard" that Spain requested Chile send back to them all the blue stone they shipped over here back in the day when they conquered and began developing the land. Don't know that it's true. Anyway they make for interesting bumpy bus rides and are noisey too. But it wouldn't be Santiago without them.

This darling little girl was dressed for the holiday and was admiring the little white flowers that grow in the grass everywhere in the spring. I started taking pictures of her as she was picking the flowers. She noticed me and stood up to be photographed. Afterward she walked right up to me, opened her little hand in front of me and offered me a single flower!. She couldn't have been more than four years old. I was stunned. She is like most Chilenos I've met - very giving, friendly and helpful.

Chilean Pageantry

Here are some pictures of the Padre Hurtado Park rodeo and fair we went to on Saturday. It was so fun to eat, shop and see the pageant which was a depiction in dance (including dancing horses!) of Chile from the time of the indiginous people to the present day.

Cueca dancing at the Barrio (ward)

September 11 is the biggest holiday in Chile. It is their Independence Day. It is a grand celebration, starting the week before with a celebration at the church meeting house followed with a beautiful catered lunch at work, with speeches, singing of the national song, cueca (kway-kuh) dancing (the national dance), and lots of music everywhere; singing with accordians, guitars, drums and primitive resonating music boxes we'd never seen before. Everywhere there were decorations in the street, beautiful food, fairs, pageants and rodeos. The week before the celebration is a re-enactment of the "coup". It's best just to stay inside that night, because it is not pleasant with a lot of looting, etc. But the following weekend is the most wonderful celebration. Friday morning begins with a great military parade and cueca dancing in the street.
You better sure you bought all your groceries the day before, at 4:30pm everything closes to make ready for a full day of celebration.