Setting Summer Sun

OK a dry well here of late but I'm back!

Actually I've had quite an exciting month or little more. At the end of August I won tickets to an ACLTV concert for one of the guys from the Eagles and then about 2 weeks ago I won tickets again to Alabama Shakes! Yeah I know right?! Well I didn't go to the first concert because my concert buddy was out of town and part of the reason I actually go to the concerts is so I get to visit her and her family. Mind you in my 20's I would have probably just gone on my own but age has made me realize that the Eiffel Tower is prettier with a friend. Yup good times :) I also got to meet her son for the first time and he is adorable! The sweetest smile you have ever seen and quite the charmer. It was a really good weekend but that was almost 3 weeks ago!

Since then it's been work, work, work, and sister, sister, sister. Yes I may have a case of sisteritis, spending all of my free time at her house because now my sister lives less than 5 minutes away. I could walk to her house - could, not will. However, I can't even complain about work because it has really been good lately, lots of good results and progress. I haven't had much time to be introspective or look for issues to solve in the personal realm. Obviously I have no dating life and Match.com was a complete bust, so I say with complete confidence romantic relationships are now off the table. Obviously it's not going to happen thus I will employ my time and mind in the pursuit of something equally entertaining. I will let you know when I figure that part out myself. Maybe I'll be better at blogging if I stop thinking about romance? Maybe.

Well other than that life has been hectic with work, family moving closer, friends, and obviously random ticket wins like the past month! Life has been good, over all a good way to close down the summer.  I hope everyone has had a good time of late. A bit of the Alabama Shakes for your enjoyment, who knows you might like their music :)

New Mexico: Land of Hidden Beauty

Ruidoso. A word in Spanish that means very noisy. Also a town in New Mexico. My father took us there this weekend, a quaint mountain town with some fun outdoor activities. We actually drove up a very winding road to Ski Apache because my father wanted us to see the place. He felt it was very pretty and just wanted us to go with him. Once we were up there, all he and my mother wanted to do was sit and talk! My father is afraid of heights, my mother is afraid too even though she won't admit it. I think for him the thrill comes from driving up the mountain and wondering how the truck isn't tumbling down the side as it's a very small road. Thus we drove for 3 hours to get there and just sit and chat! They have gondola rides up to the top of the mountain and the view was beautiful but my parents declined the offer to go up. My sister and I actually want to go back up because Ski Apache has mountain biking and a zip line, totally want to do the zip line!

Looking towards White Sands, another hidden New Mexico gem.

Missing a sister here.

Although I found it a bit silly that my parents drove so long and high for "nothing", it really wasn't for nothing. They just wanted to spend some time with their daughters and their grandson. My sister recently moved, they don't get to see him everyday as before. They've had withdrawals. I guess having us all out of the house has been a strange thing for them; going through a bit of empty nest syndrome. I don't have pictures of them up here on the mountaintop because my parents refused to accompany us :)

New Mexico, so many hidden gems. They really need to amp up the advertising, seriously they have tons to do and such beautiful scenery.

Summer's Wintery Highlight

Hello everyone!

Church waiting to be
rebuilt after the last earthquake.

I was reading through my blog yesterday and I thought what else could I add to my description of Chile? Honestly it was more I got to know a few people and ate out while I was there. Very delicious food mind you, the ceviche is to die for there and coming from a person who doesn't like seafood that says a lot! I'm not huge on seafood but I did enjoy it while I was there. Oh yeah, I was in Valparaiso which is a twin city with Viña del Mar. I guess I can take Viña off my bucket list, I had always wanted to go to a music festival they have there and technically I've been to Viña now. I may not have attended the music festival but I'm going to count it because the festival does not appeal to me anymore. It would be cold, wet, and probably musicians I've never even heard of now. Viña - check!

Quintay, a former whaling village.

Quintay.

Those two cities have a strange dynamic. Viña is nice and posh, very clean, still some graffiti but overall nice. Valparaiso not so nice, not posh, not very clean (public urination is apparently an issue), lots of graffiti but I still liked it for some reason. Perhaps it's because I got to meet a bunch of really nice people who lived in the area and got to walk around with someone who lives there. I think that makes a huge difference in one's opinion of a city. Mind you both cities were amazing and I enjoyed my time there, I really hope I get to go back sometime in the future. I don't think I can add more to my thoughts on this matter so I'll just leave you with some pictures.

Algarobo

Casablanca

Valparaiso

Adventures on a New Continent

Oh my gosh! I am so sorry for not posting before but it has been an incredibly busy summer for me.

This was soooo goooooood!

1. I took a 2 week vacation - more like staycation - because I had to not because I wanted to; had no money to go anywhere. I forced myself to not be productive. 
2. The trip to Chile was finally confirmed - right before my vacation. I returned to work for a week and then left the country. I am currently in Chile! It´s cold.
3. Right now I am working in a lab that is very different but very cool! It´s been interesting. The culture here is very European but they might disagree. It does have its own flavor and is very relaxed. The food is very different from what I´m used to but good. Sandwiches are a staple but very different, they use a lot of avocado (palta here). They don´t use a lot of lettuce and vegetables are limited but I was informed that due to drought most vegetables/legumes are very expensive. Thus limited. 

I think they were cold.

It is so strange to be writing this from Valparaiso but so much fun! The people have been so nice and welcoming. The only thing is that it´s cold, I´ve been invited back but told it will be in summer next time. Thank God! The city is very different and what is acceptable is so strange to me. For example there is graffiti everywhere! I mean everywhere. It´s not gang related and is more artistic in nature but it´s weird to see houses full of random drawings, words, etc. The take away from Valparaiso so far is that it´s an old city fighting to maintain an antiquated vision but moving forward quickly; perhaps too quickly. People here are very intense too, right now they are having lots of demonstrations/protests by students and labor protests. 

Art?

Oh yeah, I have completed another one of my goals! I now have ink! I actually did it in April but it is in a private area, nothing dirty just not something you would see out in public. Mainly because I don´t wear midriff bearing clothing. Scandlous! Yeah this has been a strange summer and year.  When I return I will post more about this trip!

Have a good week!