Christmas in Chacras

Happy Christmas Everyone!

Hope that you are all enjoying a good Christmas period and the excess eating and drinking is under control??
I am planning to have a "dry" month in January to detox from the excesses of December.

All is very well and I´m going to fill you in on the time I spent staying with my Cousin and her family for Christmas.
Chris (my Cousin) and her family (Hugo, husband; Danni, 14yr old son; Becky, 12yr old daughter) live about 15km outside Mendoza in a village called Chacras.
Chacras had everything you needed and was very pleasant (the Hampsted of Mendoza so I´m told!). I was fortunate enough to be staying in my own private cottage (available for rent if anyone´s interested!) and it was certainly the extreme opposite from Hostel life!

I made the most of my time with family by being spoilt rotten and recharging my batteries from the previous adventures.
My greatest pressure was the stress of trying to predict the date Honey (a Boxer)would give birth and to how many puppies. Honey obliged with seven gorgeous puppies on Saturday 22nd; my guess was 5 and the 20th respectivley.
Apart from this I simply enjoyed glorious lazy days spent by pool (because I was labelled a milk bottle), eating and drinking well (especially Fernay Coke, thanks Hugo).
Peace was shattered occasionally when the neighbours 5yr old triplets came round to play and ended up causing bedlam in the pool.

I learnt a great many things about life in an Argentine family and feel privileged to have been give the special insight. There were many occasions when I was shown the sights and welcomed into strangers homes that would not happen in the UK. I enjoyed fantastic Asado (BBQ)with so many different cuts of meat all cut with exceptional care and preparation. Never have I had so much meat!

On Christmas Eve we had our Christmas Dinner (Asado) and when Midnight arrived we were able to watch the hundreds of fireworks going off before swapping gifts and celebrating.
Then a little reminder of England as the heavens opened to give us a good soaking!

Anyway now heading further south, to the southern tip of South America, Ushuaia to see in 2008 in style. I will give you an update with all the gory details once the hangover has cleared!

Best wishes and good luck for 2008,

JP

P.S. Massive thanks must go to my hosts (The Roch family) who made Christmas 2007 one that I will never forget. So thank you all very much indeed.