Cajamarca Reunion in Tunquen, Chile

The weekend of February 19th, we escaped Calamaland by flying to Santiago, renting a car and heading to our friends Miguel and Eliana's home in the Chilean coastal community of Tunquen (south of Valparaiso for those who are looking at a map.) We had visted Miguel and Eliana last March so knew what we were in for and very much looking forward to it!

Once we crossed the coastal range, we dropped down into the Casa Blanca Valley known for producing many of the fine quality Chilean white wines. Below is a photo of the Veramont Winery where we stopped to purchase some wine for the weekend as well as enjoy a tasting.

And what a tasting experience it was! I liked how they put the bottle of the wine you were tasting in front of the corresponding glass.

We then headed down the road stopping at the Indomita Winery to lunch. We had lunched here with Miguel and Eliana a year earlier and remembered well the food as well as the view.

The purpose in this particular visit to Tunquen was to reunite in South America with our friends that we had originally met in Peru. Miguel and Eliana graciously offered that we all gather at their home in Tunquen for this reunion. The reunion was made possible in that Billie and Laurie's husbands are working on a project in Cajamarca so we all find ourselves living in South America again. Miguel and Eliana are from Chile but have spent a lot of time living/working in the U.S.

(l-r: Billie Briggs, me, Eliana and Laurie Hubard)

Laurie, Eliana and I all lived in Cajamarca, Peru, back in the early 2000s. Billie was lucky enough to live in Lima during her Peru experience but ventured north to Cajamarca to visit us every now and again.

Eliana and Miguel had arranged with their neighbors (who happen to be in Hong Kong) for we three couples to stay at their home while in Tunquen. Thanks Miguel and Eliana! and you sure have nice neighbors! This was a view of the coast right by the house we were staying in.

(l-r: Larry, Simon Briggs, Laurie and Eliana)

And this was the home we stayed in. Miguel and Eliana's home is on the other side of the road.

This photo was from one of the three porches on this house.

On Saturday, Miguel prepared a seafood paella - what a process. It looked beautiful and the part I had (anything that didn't have clams!, mussels! or squid!) was delicious. I was told the seafood part was very good.

The newest addition to Miguel and Eliana's family is Triago - the 9 month old son of their daughter and her husband.  What a cute kid!

We ended our stay by baking homemade pizzas in Miguel's new pizza oven. Sure hated to leave but all good things must end -- but why!?

(l-r: Mike Hubbard, Larry, Simon Briggs and Miguel)