by Javiera, age 9, asks Viejito Pascuero did a toy store in Santiago name you back in 1905?, about the Andes Mountains, and why Chile is so long and narrow
Dear Viejito Pascuero,
My name is Javiera and I am 9 years old. I live in Santiago, Chile, where my family eats Christmas dinner outside in the warm summer evening, and the mountains behind our house still have a little snow on top even in December.
First, did a toy store in Santiago name you back in 1905?
Second, a geography question: what mountain range runs the whole length of Chile?
Third, a school question about my country: why is Chile such a long, narrow country?
I left you pan de pascua, a spiced fruit bread, and a glass of cola de mono, a creamy holiday drink.
Love, Javiera, age 9, Santiago, Chile, Santiago, Chile
From the Desk of Viejito Pascuero
Dear Javiera, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Did a toy store in Santiago name you back in 1905?
There are a few different stories about how my Chilean name came to be, and a toy store is part of one version of that history, though the full story has grown a bit fuzzy with time, the way old traditions often do.
What mountain range runs the whole length of Chile?
The Andes Mountains run along nearly the entire length of Chile, an extraordinary towering spine of rock and snow, and flying beside those peaks on a clear summer night, stars overhead, is one of the most striking parts of my whole South American route.
Why is Chile such a long, narrow country?
Chile is squeezed into a long, narrow strip of land between the towering Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, stretching over four thousand kilometers from its northern desert to its southern glaciers, giving the country an incredible range of climates and landscapes.
Feliz Navidad, Javiera.
Ho ho ho, Viejito Pascuero
