Chile does NOT disappoint!

With a coastline that is almost 2,700 miles long, you've got to expect that there are some quiet, serene and secluded beaches in which to explore.  If you're a surfer, you might find yourself wondering if there are secret point breaks, either unknown or rarely surfed, along this dramatic coastline.  From our experience, in the central region of this country, Chile does not disappoint...

Picture Big Sur stretched out for hundreds of miles in both directions without the tourism and paved roads.

Long, secluded sandy beaches,

dramatic headlands, morros sticking out the water,

lone, long point breaks,

rugged coastline in every direction.  It's got it all.

The best part is, no people either.  We've found ourselves on beaches with absolutely nobody around us in any direction.

Are there secret spots?  Sure!  But I'm good at keeping a secret....  These picts are from our weekend jaunts into the unknown.

Hmmmm!

YESSSS!

Penguins and Porpoises

Yesterday morning I was out surfing Punta de Lobos.  That's nothing new.  I've been surfing that spot almost everyday for the last month.  The great part about yesterday and the reason I'm writing about it today is two fold.  First, I had an incredible surf session.  I paddled out with two friends and we were the only ones out on a world class break for almost one and a half hours.  It was incredible conditions too.  The water was glassy, the sun was breaking through the morning clouds and the waves were 2 -3 feet over my head and consistent.  It was kind of like a dream come true.

Then the whole morning took a turn toward the sensational.  I saw my first South American porpoises.  They were cute, very small dolphins.  They looked more like channel dolphins but even smaller.

A wave or two later the penguins showed up.  You know the water's cold when you're surfing with penguins!

I haven't mentioned much on the wildlife here in Chile.  It's pretty great.  We've seen many animals.  Lately I've been taken by the large flocks of birds flying south for the summer.  Sometimes I feel like I'm on a Discovery Channel show.  I'm also impressed by the colorful insects and beetles that fly around everywhere.

I've also had a run in with a beautiful snake and an extremely small scorpion.  The snake was cool, the only problem was that it lived in a roof that we were trying to take off.  We were as gentle as we could be, as snake sightings seem to be fairly uncommon in this part of Chile these days.  Unfortunately, one of my Chilean colleagues got a little overzealous and the snake didn't fair too well.

As in most places, the ocean life has dwindled around civilization.  Punta de Lobos means point of sea lions (Sea Lion Point).  I've only seen a handful of them since I've been here.  Apparently they disappeared when the fishermen overfished the area.  This seems to be a common problem everywhere in Chile.  They have rules against this but it's hard to police such a long stretch of coast.

Anyway, the beauty and grandeur of this place never ceases to amaze.

The techie traveller

Kate and I have gone on numerous trips in the last ten years.  This is the first trip that we decided to bring along our computer.  The are numerous advantages and disadvantages to being a techie traveller.  

The advantages are obvious, we can tap into wireless networks and use our computer for all sorts of things.  We skype with our family, letting them see Jaden grow up.  In fact, they probably see him more now than they would if we were in Santa Barbara.  We email and call friends (gmail phone is awesome, 1 cent a minute to call the US from Chile).  We check Facebook and we stay up to date on world and US news.  Kate stays on top of her picture album projects and I update this blog when I can.  We also use the internet to study Spanish and learn about the Chilean culture.  Overall it's a wonderful thing right?

As great as it is, there are some pitfalls traveling with technology.  On previous trips, Kate and I spent a lot of time talking, reading, playing games and exploring.  We still spend a lot of time exploring but we find we spend a lot less time reading and playing games.  Why?  We have the ability to connect with friends and family, watch TV, movies, etcetera at our finger tips, all the time.  We found that after the first week or so of traveling that we really wanted to watch our favorite and only tv show (not to be revealed due to embarrassment).  We accessed www.hulu.com and realized that due to copyright issues we couldn't watch that show or any show on hulu out of the country.  Did that stop us? I don't think so.  I went to the Chile forum, which is a forum for foreigners in Chile.  I queried how to watch US shows in the Chile.  I quickly found that I could download a program that would route my Chilean IP address to a US IP address before accessing any US Internet sites.  10 minutes later we were watching our favorite show.  Two nights later, after a long day of traveling, we thought we'd watch a movie.  Easy!  

Recently, two days ago, I realized that I was watching more TV here than we ever watched in the US.  That coupled with the easy access to the internet and all the wonderful connections we make in email, skype, facebook, etc... we weren't talking as much, playing games, or reading like we use to or would like to.  That said, we've decided to make more of a concerted effort to stay away from the pitfalls of the computer.  We'll still skype, email, blog and facebook.  But we won't be watching TV or downloading movies from the internet near as often.  It will be a tasty treat to relax to on occasion, once a week, but not a staple of our daily diet.  

Hopefully with that in mind, the computer will only enrich our adventures, not take away from them.  We're here to do something different and immerse ourselves in a different culture, not that of the good ol' USA.

As promised here's a little treat from Jaden to you...

In a country where we saw a man cut a sizable lawn with scissors, you've got to suspect that a construction site might not be using all the latest technology to build a house.  I'm learning first hand how to build a house the old fashion way.  We leveled the foundation with a hose, we cut wood with a handsaw and we recycle as many nails as possible, straightening them against the ground.  It's been a backbreaking and entertaining experience.  I'm learning some spanish and fine tuning some of my carpentry skills.  The Chileans that I'm working with are ingenious, problem solving in ways I couldn't imagine.  They are used to making things work without the right material or tools.

I'm not belittling the way in which things are done here.  In fact, I think the house that we are building will be strong, last a lifetime and withstand any earthquake.  They do things really well here.  I'm interested in seeing how the finer details of the house, the finish work, turns out.

Speaking of work, it turns out that Chile's normal work week is 45 hours, rather than our 40 hour work week.  They work 6 days a week for 7.5 hours or 9 hours a day for 5 days, rather than 5 days a week for 8 hours.  Maybe that's one reason their economy continues to grow while ours has stagnated and even lessened of late.

That's all for now.  I've got to get back to work!

What an adventure!

In the documentary 180 degrees South, Ivan Chouinard said that he thought people overused the term adventure.  At the time, I agreed with him.  An adventure should take one to the brink or edge of human possibility.  Now, however, I'm of a different mind.  Adventure is something that I think is accessible to all people and in many different ways.  You don't have to go to Timbuktu to find adventure or jump off the tallest buildings.  I think adventure lies to the side of the path you currently take.  All you have to do is veer off your routine to find adventure and the joy of discovery that adventure gives you is, and most likely will be, attained.  That said, having a child is an adventure!

We are having a grand adventure here in Chile.  We are learning to think in a more Chilean fashion.  For example, I wanted to get my paraglider from Iquique to Santiago in one day (a very gringo thought).  I asked all the bus companies and shipping companies if this was possible and I was stonewalled (not possible).  Then I realized that I wasn't thinking like a Chileno.  I went to one of the bus companies again and explained my reason for needing to send my paraglider by bus... I have a baby that can't go on the bus with me etc...  I was immediately given a ticket for the bus and my glider was on its way.  I had to think Chileno before I could access the obvious.  The nuances of life here are very different than the US.  It's not better or worse, it's simply different, and that is where the adventure begins.  Finding out how to do things and to operate within a different system takes us in funny circles, sometimes around the whole city once or twice.

On a personal note, the family is doing great.  We arrived in Pichilemu on Monday afternoon after a few days in Santiago.  We will be here for the next 2 months or so, which is exciting.  We want to sink our roots in and give Jaden some stability for a while.  We are staying in a Cabana on the hill with the most amazing view of the ocean.  We live next to the owners of the Cabanas Buena Vista.  They have two children with which Jaden can play.  I'm working construction within eye and ear shot of the house.  It's literally a perfect setup.

I'm going surfing tomorrow and from my living room window it looks like it's going to be big.  Kate starts Spanish classes next week and Jaden is going to have his first babysitter for a long time (since Dia  and the Grandmothers).  We are excited to give Jaden some more exposure to Spanish.  He is so amazing.  He learns new words everyday.  Unfortunately one of those words is "no," but that's okay I suppose.  He's starting to let us know what he likes and doesn't like.  It's simply amazing watching him grow up so quickly.  If you'd like to take a look, check out the youtube videos found here:

www.youtube.com/user/katembarker

Having fun in Iquique!  Flew over the city countless times!

One of Jaden's new tricks! Funny boy!

Jaden loved playing with the fountains in Iquique!

I love chocolate!

More flying

Jaden checking out one of the wonderfully busy parks in Santiago.

We had a great hike in the city.

Another great view of Santiago!

Our new place in Pichilemu. Jaden's chillin on our deck.

Our front yard, with the construction job behind the palm tree.  We ripped down that shed today.

Spring flowers are going crazy everywhere!  Jaden calls them "caca."

Back to work.

What a looker!

Just having some fun on the beach.

The seafood is delicious here.  Argentina is famous for their beef.  Chile is famous for their seafood.  Mmmm!!!!

realities

We're up in the North of Chile in the Atacama Desert.  It is the driest place on Earth outside of Antartica.  It receives rain every few years and only very little at that.  The average rainfall per year is measured in millimeters. I'm flying once, twice, three times a day now.  The lift is everywhere and the flights are exceedingly gorgeous as I fly over 1000 ft sand dunes and the city to land at the beach.

We are starting to realize how difficult it is to travel with a baby.  I know that all babies are different and it might be easier to travel with one baby over another, but I also know there are some universal realities to traveling with a baby that makes it more difficult.  Number one, they are heavy.  Anytime you move cities, places to stay, etcetera you must not only carry your 20+ pound baby, you also need to bring all their stuff.  As we don't co-sleep that includes a baby crib, on top of the clothes, diapers, wipes, toys, and food that you need at all time when traveling with baby.  While traveling with baby, one must also consider nap times and schedule accordingly.  Does this flight leave before his nap, so he can sleep on the plane or after his nap so he can sleep at the house?  Or will baby simply go without nap (a daunting thought)?  All of this adds up to spending more money.  When traveling with a baby I can guarantee that you'll spend more money.  Your not going to want or be able to hunt down the cheapest deals when arriving at a new place.  So instead you find a comfortable place to set up and if it's too expensive you'll end up hitting the streets while baby naps.

I'm not saying that traveling is a bummer with a baby.  I think it is a wonderful adventure.  I appreciate the process that we go through to ensure that Jaden feels comfortable and secure at all times.  That said, I'm excited to settle down in a couple of weeks in a place where we plan to stay for at least 2 months.  I'll be working construction, building a shed and cabana with a Chilean contractor for a couple of gringos.  It's a two month job that gives us free living and a ride to the surf a few days a week.  Plus I'll get the added bonus of working in the spanish language, while learning some more building skills.  I'm excited about it.  Kate will be staying home with Jaden, taking Spanish classes and doing some babysitting on the side.  We are making it work out here and are still hoping to find English teaching jobs some point in the future.

Here are some more picts!

Jaden meeting a couple of Carabineros on caballo(police on horse)

Shopping in Santiago

Plaza de Armas Santiago: A clown making some money making fun of everybody, including Jaden!

The clown took this picture as he pretended to run off with our camera. The whole crowd was dying of laughter

During Siesta hundreds come to play chess! Young and old, it's pretty cool!

The castle in Santiago that was built by Validivia the conqueror of Chile

From the top of the castle we got a spectacular view

There are stairs and archways everywhere.

Modern, airport art!

Our place in Iquique is a converted shipping container.  It's pretty nice, really!

The sand dunes above our hotel!

Jaden's getting better at walking, but he still thinks an orange is only a ball!

Family photo

We find some interesting signs around here.  These are posted in all ocean cities.  Evacuation in case of Tsunami.  Unfortunately the guy in the picture didn't get a big enough headstart.

Iquique

Sand dune fun!

Yeehaa down a steep dune!

Nice playgrounds around here

Yeehaa!  Some flyin!