Wow - My note was published in Wendy Perrin's WOW Christmas newsletter. May 27, 2023
"Chile: glaciers, hiking, & a Hannukah to remember"
Boat ride on Lago Grey in Patagonia
Barbara Schoenfeld and her husband on Lago Grey in Patagonia on Christmas Eve. Photo: Barbara Schoenfeld
“On the day of Christmas Eve, we took a boat ride on Lago Grey in Patagonia to see the glacier. The boat pulled close enough to the shore that we were able to observe the deep blue fissures in the ice. A few of the crew disembarked onto the beach, hacked chunks of ice and hauled it up onto the boat on their shoulders. When on deck, they shattered it with picks and packed most of it up to transport to the hotel. They set aside a stash for the boat’s bartender to use for drinks during the return trip. I’m sure my pisco sour would have been delicious anyway, but it was super-special served over ancient glacier ice. I chose the pink one, flavored with the Rica-Rica herb that grows in the Atacama desert. At dinnertime back at the hotel that evening, the only decision we had to make was the meat menu or the vegetarian. I said no thank you to guanaco carpaccio and went with the veggies instead.
During the day on Christmas Day, my family split up among different excursions. On one extreme, my son and girlfriend did a 10-hour hike up a steep hill, while I chose a pretty flat hike in the morning followed by horseback riding in the afternoon. My hiking trail led me by the vista depicted on the 1000 peso note. The money shot!
We celebrate Hannukah, and our first night there was December 23. The hotel served a barbecue of roasted lamb in one of the outbuildings on the property. I had packed a small Hannukah menorah and perched it on the edge of our table. We lit the candles and recited the Hannukah blessings with the other family in the barbecue — turns out they were Jewish as well. Small world.” — Barbara Schoenfeld
This trip was arranged by WOW List Chile expert Tom Damon.
wendyperrin.com/wow-christmas-experiences-how-your-fellow-travelers-have-spent-the-holiday-abroad/