Torres del Paine National Park

 

The following day we took a 24 passenger Jeep tour to Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.  The pictures below tell our story. 

 

                               The two very small birds seen flying high below the clouds are condors.

Right in the middle, obscured by fog and clouds, are Torres del Paine mountain peaks.  As the day went along the clouds cleared and we were able to see them.

                              We passed this herd of guanacos. They're part of the llama family.

We loved seeing the back side of Torres del Paine. 

These peaks are known as The Horns.

Our walk back to the Jeep took us by this waterfall.

                                                                      Another blustery day.

                              On the way back to El Calafate, Torres del Paine came into view!!

The next day we flew to Bariloche, a beautiful mountain resort, and stayed a couple of days. We totally enjoyed our visit there and if we can find some pictures, I'll add them to the post.  Unfortunately, we started having problems with our camera and may have lost the pictures.  Guess we'll just have to return someday...  :o)  I must admit our hearts and thoughts were still on our dear friends in Catamarca and La Rioja.  We attended church in Bariloche and as I was playing the piano for the ward we attended, I wondered how Ambato Ward was doing without any music for their Sacrament meeting.  I wondered who were bearing their testimonies and who had come to the meetings that day.  I thought about the members who were struggling with their various challenges and trials and kept them in my prayers.  When we flew back to Buenos Aires we were able to attend the Buenos Aires Temple, which had been rededicated in September 2012.  The picture on my computer screen came to life as we arrived!  Another tender mercy for us was knowing the brother who conducted our temple session, Brother Frol.  We knew him when we'd served our first missions and I had lived for awhile in his mother's home.  Our living arrangements in her home had been the nicest on my mission.  When we were living in El Dorado Hills, CA, Brother Frol had come to the states for business and had called to see how we were doing.  And now here we were with our last few hours in the country, and we were able to see him again.  He, of course, was much older and rather frail looking.  He said he had some upcoming surgery and we knew his time on earth was limited.  How special to have this little connection with all our missions. 

Since returning home we've been able to visit and be with all our children and grandchildren.  What a special blessing to spend time with them.  We love them all so dearly and are grateful to see them doing so well with their lives.  We'll be home for awhile and then plan on leaving once again to serve another mission.