If you’re ever thinking of getting married, make sure you have Lenny, Donna, and Marina organize it for you! We had the most magnificent Patagonian-Jewish ceremony today with picture-perfect weather and a backdrop of the gorgeous Torres del Paine mountain range. Our wedding was held on the terrace of Explora on the shore of Lago Pehoe. The hotel manager said it was the first wedding ever at the hotel.

Donna and Lenny created a perfect wedding, incorporating all the Jewish rituals – including a chuppah (wedding canopy); a ketubah (wedding contract); the 7 blessings, circling each other, and, of course, David breaking the glass. Surrounded by new friends and some of the Explora staff, Lenny officiated and 4 guests held up the chuppah, made with Lenny’s tallit (prayer shawl), and 4 walking sticks provided by the hotel.

A beautiful Navajo poem aptly expressed the meaning of our union and the connection to the place. Donna and Marina recited the 7 blessings; and 11-year-old Daniel acted as ring bearer for us. It was a tense moment as he removed the rings from a small box used to house our nightly bedside chocolates, as we were standing on a slatted wood platform with rather large spaces between them.

I highly recommend spending one’s honeymoon with Donna, Lenny, and Marina. We’ve been having the best time this week, hiking and exploring Patagonia’s sumptuous landscapes – and extreme weather changes. Yesterday we had a chance to enjoy how well the rain soaks through one’s Gortex jacket and boots as one walks along the river’s edge; and today we felt the delicious warmth of the sun rays as we hiked along the park’s edge among hundreds of guanacos (llama-like creatures found only in Chile), 5 condors (!!!!), and 1 fox – with the granite towers in full glory to guide us to an estancia (ranch) for a barbeque lunch with real Chilean gauchos (cowboys).

It will be quite difficult to leave this majestic and inspiring part of the world. David and I are seriously considering not returning home and rather continuing around the world until we’ve had a wedding ceremony on every continent. 3 down, only 4 to go!

Jessica