THE ATACAMA VIAJERO - IN RETROSPECT

PHOTO GALLERY: HERE IS REALLY WHY I LOVE SOUTH AMERICA

Okay, so I call him my agent, but he is really my dear friend - perhaps ,one of my best friends in this life, my amigo Chileño, Andres Gabor. He sent me this series of pictures a couple of weeks ago because he thought my definitive descriptive blog on my South American adventure needed to have pictures of me, not just pictures of the places I'd visited or people I'd met...

So, here is a small gallery of photos, compliments of my friend Andres, showing (mostly) me hanging out and enjoying life with Andres and his wonderful family...

That's a picture of me with Andres, taken in 2007, with his young son Cristobal sitting on the rock behind us.

Above is Andres with his beautiful kids: (L-R) Matias, Andres, Cristobal and Constanza

Here I am with Matias and Cristobal in the cabaña Andres and his girlfriend Cecilia (aka Chica) had rented in the coastal resort community of Maitencillo, just north of Valparaiso.

Here I am, outside of the same cabaña in Maintencillo. The red pickup truck to my right was to be my touring vehicle that year.

From Maintencillo, we all went together to visit an interesting coastal site known as the Cementario de Zapallar. Here is a picture either Andres or Chica took of me photographing one of the landmarks of the cemetery.

Next image above was shot by Andres. It shows me on the left, with his kids and girlfriend in front, heading for the walkway that leads to the rocky coastline below the cemetery.

Another image of me - this time photographing a particularly interesting gravesite.

Andres, Chica and Cristobal - on the rocks above the shores of the Pacific Ocean at Zapallar.

Andres' daughter Constanza (L) and Chica watching the waves roll in at Zapallar.

Here I am, with Constanza (L) and Matias (R) walking back through the cemetery from the rocky Pacific shoreline, with Andres in the background. Taken by Chica.

Here I am at the placid harbor of Papudo, a rather posh coastal resort just north of Zapallar, at dusk.

I think this shows me with Andres' lovely daughter Constanza on a rock above the harbor at Papudo, just celebrating being there.

Again with Constanza, likely back at the cabaña in Maitencillo.

An earlier time, and an earlier trip to South America, found me as Andres' guest at the resort known as "Las Dunas," just south of La Serena, in northern Chile. Constanza and Matias are alongside on the railing overlooking the sea with me.

Here's a last picture sent by Andres. I'm taking in the place and the ambience at Zapallar.

Now a note. Maybe this will not come as such a surprise to many of you, but I am once again beginning to contemplate actually moving to Chile. Yeah... Earlier tonight I discussed this idea with my daughter Sara over the phone, and she really believes I would be a lot happier living there...it is a complex idea and I will want to consider it further, and will keep all who visit here informed.

In the meantime, I apol;ogize for not continuing so rapidly with my actual retrospective. I've been a bit distracted of late, especially with the process of preparing my 2009 income taxes. I will hope to re-convene with my dialogue on my late 2002 adventures in the next few days. In the meantime, I do hope that all who visit here will enjoy these fine and warm photos sent by my friend Andres Gabor...