Valle del Francés Excursion

Our second excursion day in Patagonia was spent on a LONG hike to the Valle Del Francés. Going through these pictures genuinely surprised me — this was a pretty spectacular day. During our hike, however, I was personally exhausted from rushing to get to the glacier viewpoint and then immediately hiking the seven miles back to catch our ferry. Looking back, I'm really grateful we had this day — no matter how tiring it was at the time. It's not every day you get to see several waterfalls and glaciers! 

We started out the day by hiking to the same waterfall we saw the day before. With the rainy weather it was a completely different experience, and the green color of all the plants was magnified and magical. Afterwards we took a ferry across the lake and began our hike! There was some disagreement within the family just how far we had actually hiked at the end of the day, but we agreed it was at least 12-14 miles. I wouldn't consider us expert hikers either — my youngest sister and husband definitely led the pack the entire day! 

And here we all are with the glacier in the Valle Del Francés behind us! While I loved this view I also really enjoyed hiking through the forest where there had been a fire. The burned trees made for some unusual scenery, especially with the cloudy weather. These photos don't really do the views justice, but I'm so happy I have them to remember our crazy hike and all the silliness of the day. Enjoy! 

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Full Paine and Glacier Grey Excursion

Hello, friends! Our first full day in Patagonia was spent on the Full Paine excursion offered by Las Torres. They describe it as the best way to get the fullest introduction to Torres del Paine National Park, and I definitely agree! We began the day walking over the Puente Negro (Black Bridge) and then went on to the Nordenskjöld Lookout, the Sarmiento Lookout, Lake Pehoé and the Salto Grande waterfall. 

After a wonderful lunch at a camp site we went on to the southern shore of Lago Grey. There we hiked across the lake and up to a viewpoint where you could see Grey Glacier. Afterwards we hiked back down and boarded a catamaran to get an up-clsoe view of the glacier. It took an hour to get to there, and then we we spent an hour viewing three sides of Grey Glacier. It was truly beautiful. We learned that Grey Glacier connects to the massive Southern Patagonia Ice Field — it really is impossible to describe its size. One hour later we took a short hike back to the car and we were headed home for the evening! This ended up being one of our favorite days of the entire trip. We had beautiful weather and got to see so many wonderful views of the park in a really short amount of time. Thank you Las Torres! 

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Arriving in Patagonia

After our first day in Santiago we boarded another flight South to Punta Arenas. While in Patagonia we stayed at Hotel Las Torres, a beautiful ranch right at the foot of the Torres del Paine. On our way to the hotel we had a chance to stop at the Estancia Cerro Negro (Black Hill Ranch), which is owned by the same family as Hotel Las Torres. There we experienced a traditional Patagonian lamb barbecue and learned about the farm. 

Before eating we received a tour of the farmhouse and learned about what life was like for the Kusanovic family (they moved to the region from Croatia). After our delicious meal and some time spent at the farm we were back on the road. A few hours later arrived at the park! Our driver was even kind enough to pull over several times for us to take photos of a beautiful blue lake and to observe a guanaco. The scenery was even more beautiful than I imagined, and I can't wait to share our three full days we spent in the park. Enjoy! 

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Santiago, Chile

I'm so excited to share the first of a few posts from my family's recent trip to Chile! My dad lived in Chile for a year when he was in high school as an AFS student and our whole family was finally able to make the trip to meet his host family and see the country.  First up was Santiago: we stayed there for one night before flying to Patagonia. We also stayed for another day after the flight back, so these pictures were taken over the those two days. Because of the New Year holiday I think we experienced a much quieter city than normal! 

Both of the hotels we stayed at were in the Las Condes neighborhood of Santiago, which I definitely recommend! From there we ventured Cerro San Cristobal where there is a gondola to take you up the hill, and also a large swimming pool and zoo. We mainly enjoyed the views from the gondola and from the gardens at the top, but the pool looked very inviting! Afterward we went over to the Cerro Santa Lucia which features the Terrazzo Neptuno. Another favorite of ours was the panoramic view of the city from the Costanera Center! You could see everything, and were lucky to not have an extremely smoggy day. We loved the warm weather in Santiago, especially since it was snowing back home. Next up, Patagonia!

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Diptychs 11

Tropical vibes, winter scenes, confetti & abstract shapes — a jumbled start to a new year. Enjoy!

1 Left | Right
2 Left | Right
 3 Left | Right
4 Left | Right

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Thoughts for 2017

This year, perhaps more than any other year, I have really spent some time reflecting on the new year. While I haven't specifically created resolutions for myself, I have put some thought into different areas of my life and how I can make little changes that better align with how I would like to live. In 2015 (two years ago!) I wanted to spend more time on this blog, focus on fitness, and put more emphasis on relaxing. Last year I made my own 101 in 1001 list, and I am happy to report I have completed just over half of the list! While I enjoyed making that list, and will continue to complete items off of it, this year I went a little deeper. I won't share all the lengthy details of my notes here, but here are a few key points to keep myself accountable! 

Embrace Simplicity

• Like many others, in 2016 I read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Marie Kondo's method did allow me to get rid of unnecessary items in our apartment, but in the new year I would love to place a greater emphasis on what I purchase. I hope to be more considerate, and in general thoughtful, about everything I buy. I want to focus on appreciating and loving the items I already own. Some things that are becoming more important to me are buying locally, considering ingredients, what the environmental impact is, and trying to make less impulse purchases. 

Challenge Myself Mentally and Physically

• This year I am grateful to be starting the year having been more active than I have been in a long time! Going to Fusion Fitness over the past two years really has shifted my mindset — I no longer doubt that I would even be capable of trying a new class. In 2017 I hope to continue working out at Fusion, and I would love to add more Yoga to my life. A few months ago I discovered a wonderful yoga studio in St. Louis where I plan to attend classes at regularly! I also would love to keep reading, meditating, and place a greater focus on healthy eating this year. 

Be Present in the Company of Others

• Daily I notice myself distracted by my phone or pondering the next task I need to complete. I hope to make a more conscious effort to listen during conversations with friends and family, and to focus as much as possible on the moment at hand. 

Remain Grounded in Gratitude

• Both meditation and the Five Minute Journal transformed my approach to gratitude in my daily life over the past year. Moving forward, I want to discover for myself the best way to keep gratitude a part of my life, but possibly in a more natural way. I don't want gratitude to feel like an item on my to-do list. This is one area I will continue to ponder. I can't wait to see what this year will bring, happy 2017!

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