just because it is Sunday and I am groggy with too much sleep and drinking delicious coffee, I shall now post even more pictures of the trip to San Pedro de Atacama.

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There is nothing that can be said that cannot be said better in pictures. True? or not?


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I'm sitting pretty, and somewhat dusty here in San Pedro de Atacama, together with Clarabr at a verrrry slow cybercafe, and I have the following to report. You know how the Atacama is the driest place on earth? Well, it really, really is dry. Like no water. No rain, no humidity dry. And it occurs to me that I take really incredible care of my lips ( Read more... )

Do you know how good spinach salad with sliced mushrooms and hardboiled eggs is? Do you? Have you tried it, with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil on top, and maybe a scallion or two thrown in? Have you? Because I have, and either I am starved for iron and magnesium or I have died and gone to heaven ( Read more... )

It's been an inauspicious last twelve hours here at camp summerless_year. It all started when I was lying in bed, drifting off to sleep, and the phone rang. With a little bear named Osa on the other end. Left her keys at work. Clearly, this calls for a sleepover. So she came over and we pretended that I wasn't already half asleep (no frog pajamas ( Read more... )

Today for the first time, I cooked a certain tuber, called topinambur+. Let us say that this fake artichoke flavored tuber is really starchy, and has a somewhat tough outer layer. I think it must be something that people eat so they can say they've eaten it, and not because they really love it, maybe akin to papa de apio++. Anyway, apparently ( Read more... )

Who do you trust? I mean for important things, like food and drink recommendations? I trust Mr. T for all things Italian and Asian. I trust my sister and P for most other food recommendations. This means that if they recommend the best place to get funnel cake or kway teow or anything in between, it really will be good. I have had to learn the hard ( Read more... )

What does this word mean to you? For a description of what it means to me...

Okay, so you know how in the United States we play "rock, paper scissors" to decide who will go first, or who will go last, or who has to go down to the kitchen to get the heath bar crunch ice cream?

Well, this game is played here in Chile, too. Usually to see who has to ( Read more... )

Do you know who Toby and Lulu are? I didn't either, until recently. It turns out that the comic strip "little lulu" has had some lasting impact on the Chilean psyche and culture. Those of you that know me, or have a good eye, know that I have curly hair. To have curly hair in Chile is to be called "La pequeña Lulú." No way around it. This I have ( Read more... )

I don't know if you've noticed this, but as soon as I get one wound on my hand, others flock to it like moths to a flame. To wit: two weeks ago I burned my right ring finger knuckle while cooking. Then I burned my right middle finger, also while cooking. Last weekend, I peeled a piece of skin off of my left thumb, while peeling squash with a carrot ( Read more... )