Happy belated Thanksgiving

Yesterday Dave and I took a morning bus from Puerto Natales to the Punta Arenas airport and arrived in Santiago in the late afternoon. It is so hot here compared to down south - between 70 and 80 each day and the sun still doesn't set until about 8:30. It was more like 9:30 or 10:00 in Punta Arenas. I'm not sure how I will deal with the abruptly short days upon return to the U.S.
For Thanksgiving dinner we went to 'the most famous vegetarian restaurant on the continent' according to my guidebook. It was fantastic - no stuffing though...
Today we went up into some hotsprings in the mountains. It was a bit expensive and a bit less than what it was talked up to be. Nonetheless it was worth it to see the mountains in person rather than through the smog of Santiago. We enjoyed the drive up through the city and foothills. The Andes are huge and not far from the city. Still tons of snow up high. This is a skier's paradise.
The hostprings were just some clay pools in the side of a barren hill with guys at and 'entrance' asking for money to use them. Somewhat questionable, but warm and relaxing. I think we got burned between the sun and the hot water. We had to keep moving to cooler pools. They view was the best part of the day.
Well, things here are wrapping up. Tomorrow we will do some shopping and museuming in the city and then catch the plane for the red eye to Dallas.
A lot has been seen and enjoyed and learned in the last 40 days.
p.s. I got word that I can work for NPS during our week in SF!