¡Ah... The Mountains!

BBBbbbbbrrrrrrrr last entry I mentioned winter is around, well yesterday found myself in the thick of it. Slightly different day to when Raul was with me, but nevertheless beautiful. Always awesome to be in the mountains, the gods do live there!

The mission, drive to the dam and then head towards Argentina on bike. A first for me, cycling in the snow. Embalse del Yeso was getting the odd snow flake but further up the valley, where the cycling started, was the land or horizontal snow, the worst kind! Well, I guess not as bad as 5th Ave been walked in for a week kind of snow, nor maybe as bad as the 3 feet that are stopping me get out my house kind of snow... ok so maybe not the worst, but when on a bike... hmmm yes I know, I will stop now as this all points to my mental health.

Great fun, but needless to say the biking was abandoned after a short cold while, before we became statistics, and the exploration towards Argentina was continued in a heated 4x4 (no, not Raul's 206 again, afraid it wouldn't have cut it).

How lucky all Santiaguinos are to have this on their doorstep!

Arrival at embalse del Yeso














BBbbbrrrrrr....


















Tontos...

















Well at least the ones that landed on my jacket were unique looking, but cummaaaan there are billions of them, prove it!

















A swim anyone?

Wishing you some chilly fingers, it's worth it!

Bbbbrrrrrrrr......

This last week winter has finally decided that it should start to make itself known in Chile. Been a wonderful long dry summer, so no complaints, besides we need a little rain to wash the air.

Looking out the kitchen window this morning I can see the first dustings of snow on the hills, not much but I won't rush things.

Not much to share in the way of photos for the last two weeks, but I can tell you that if you get the chance to listen to the Tenzin Gyantso speak, go! Recently the Dalai Lama visited Santiago, and just because it seemed like the thing to do I landed up at his public talk on 'the power of compassion'. What a pleasure listening to a human being! Not a salesman nor politician, no hint of preacher, just a man who seemed to be able to recognise everyone else as just human beings. If I think about it he said nothing new, in fact the important things are so ordinary there is no ways they will make the news or the top 40. Simple enough that not many even pay attention. One of the interesting thoughts: those who use "me", "my" and "I" more, suffer a higher incidence of heart attack. Hhmm, makes you think about what really creates contentment, and probably why so many in the world appear so miserable. Strange thing... being compassionate could be a selfish pursuit.

Can't write a post without a photo, so...

Thought this suited the story as it is along the trail from Tibet, and is also the site of Milarepa's cave. What a spot!!!

Wishing you some compassion.

Dehydrated bovine

Who knows how the stuff grows in Chile, by all accounts the seeds don't exist! At first you might think not a bad thing, as there will be less of those green leaves that taste like stinkbugs, the type TV chefs like to toss on just about anything. You got it - Coriander. Hmmm it should be a happy day that one doesn't find coriander (well the leaves at least), but ever since the Chile custom officials got up my nose by confiscating my biological threat to Chilean agriculture and farming my quest has been biltong revenge. MMmmwwwaaaahahaha! But coriander is to biltong like red is to Ferrari, so the search began.. Supermarkets, ja right... chances! but some little witch like lady who sells stalks and leaves outside knows of a spot near the station...hmmm. After putting out the word, coriander was located in Europe, and then just my luck, a local source, delivered in a small plastic bag on the corner of the street. The merchandise was tested and voila! Coriander in Chile!

Somewhere between memory, internet search and the trusty taste buds the mixture was concocted, marinated and hung. It has been a week, not too shabby, next time less pepper, less sugar and a bit more salt, maybe marinade for longer... nice! Uncannily healthy too, contrary to common knowledge biltong is also very high in vitamin C, well it is when you buy the whole sack of oranges to keep the flies off.

Sack of organges comes in handy, well at least the sack part... can one get a vitamin C overdose?
































Now I just need some good cricket or rugby.

Glossary:
Coriander - Also know as Cilantro this side of the Atlantic
Biltong - South African dried salted meat, an essential sport watching companion. No! not like jerky - that stuff is gross. No! not like charque either - that stuff looks too gross to get close to.