We Have a Zoo Too!

There is not much to eat in the Atacama Desert so the few animals that do live here drop by for a few scraps of food each day. The Foxes or Zorro's shows up most everyday about the time we finish eating so they can have a few left overs. I am not sure what they eat when we are not there. I have not seen any thing else that they could eat besides a small lizard. The workers say that there are mice in the hills but I have never seen one. There are no bugs, no vegetation nothing it looks like the surface of the moon. We leave a bowl full of water out for them to drink but they don't require much water.

The bird that is pictured showed up one day and I hurried and snapped a photo. He went to the food bowl and began squawking at another bird just like him across the ravine. He chocked down some food. All of a sudden the other bird flew in and the two began sparring on the ground. I had just put my camera away and I missed a National Geographic moment. The two continued to fight and then they flew off pecking and squawking at each other in the air. There was a third bird involved that was smaller, he had been watching the scuffle and as soon as the other two left fighting he flew over and finished off the food. Pretty smart bird.

Good Stuff

Chile has lots of good stuff to eat. We found this delicious treat at the giant new grocery store called Jumbo. If you show up at Jumbo in the evening you can see most of the residents of Copiapo there shopping. It is like trying to get on a ride at Disneyland. We like to go look at all of the items that we are not familiar with. Raenada has become pretty good at cooking with ingredients that are available here. One of our favorite things at Jumbo is the fresh hot bread. The people hover around the bread bin until the hot bread is ready and then they use tongs or plastic bags over their hands and grab as much as they can. We walked by one evening and I said to Raenada that it looked like a bunch of sharks going after fresh meat. After they get their bread bagged they stand in a line and a attendant weighs the bread and attaches a bar code with the price of the bread so you can pay at the front of the store.

You would think that the Chileans would be large with all the bread and pastries they eat, but most are very thin. They eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. Most do not own cars so they walk long distances to catch a bus or collectivo.

Doctor Chapatin

The Cat Operator, Francisco, showed up and immediately earned the nick name of Doctor Chapatin from the Mexican situation comedy "El Chavo del Ocho". Ricardo pinned it on him because of the shape of his mustache, and it stuck. "Dr. Chapatin" is 74 years old and jumps off and on the Cat like he is 15 years old.
He was quite an interesting character. At lunch he always had two plates full of food, so now when ever anyone gets more to eat they get called "Dr. Chapatin.

Dr. Chapatin's sidekick was the mechanic who went by the name "The Italian". His family immigrated to Chile generations ago but he is still proud of his heritage. He is pictured in front of his white Kia truck that could go anywhere. Funny looking truck but it got the job done. We found out that the "Italian" was a member of the church, so his new name became Hermano Italiano. The Italian and Dr. Chapatin are pictured in front of the Kia pickup.

The other photo is of Dr. Chapatin and Luis checking out the road construction.

La Chinita gets Hitched

Sebastian and his younger Brother Isaias built a custom tow hitch for the Chinese pickup. These guys can make anything from left over parts and pieces.

I wanted to buy a hitch and receiver but they do not have them for sale here in Copiapo. I was grateful that they volunteered to help me out.

Sebastian is a Mechanical Engineer and Isaias is a college student. Sebastian would love to open a fabricating shop someday to build and repair mining equipment.

Santiago

Lots of modern shopping and real cool old buildings that have survived many earthquakes. This is a great city. Clean, safe but a little spendy.

New Obsession

We have visited every yarn store in Chile!!!

No joke, Raenada has been busy during the day at home in between cooking, cleaning and gutting the fish(jk), knitting baby blankets, hats and sweaters. She is actually pretty fast and is teaching herself different styles and techniques. I really did marry Molly Mormon!

Vaca Gorda (Fat Cow)

On a street called "Cienfuegos" in the old part of Santiago is a little piece of Heaven. Look at that hunk of meat that Chase is about to devour. Along with the meat you can get a Chilean Salad which is thinly slice tomatoes and onions with oil and salt. Simple but delicious. The meal also includes all the hot fresh bread and mini empanadas you can stomach. Of course you need to wash it down with Coca Cola or Agua con Gas. You can't eat here everyday but once in a while is good for the morale of the troops!