MagAO Commissioning Day 29: The After Party

We’re off the mountain! Laird, Katie, Jared and TJ finished putting MagAO to bed yesterday, and made the journey down to La Serena. We spent one night there, and with Laird’s folks took some time off to celebrate.

We stayed in the beach town Coquimbo, right next to La Serena.
After a relaxing day of snoozing, exercising, and enjoying the beach, we headed out on the town.
After a wonderful dinner, Laird asked if anyone had extra sugar packets for his te'. The entire table contributed.
The official MagAO hotel in Coquimbo is the Casino Enjoy, which is right on the beach. None of us are big gamblers (Tyson left a week ago), but we did visit the floor to see what was going on. Here Katie poses next to a patriotic slot machine.
After a good party and a long sleep, we went into La Serena and played at tourist. Here we're waiting for Laird's dad Nick to park the car.
We hit La Recova, a place to buy local wares. Lots of Christmas shopping was accomplished.
The Plaza de Armas of La Serena.
We are on our way home now.
We've made it as far as the admiral's club in Santiago. TJ and I are looking a little fried here - been a long trip.

Katie Morzinski, Sagan Fellow, passed out in Santiago.

The PI catches some z in the Santiago admiral's club. Might as well start catching up early.

We have a long overnight flight to Dallas ahead of us, but we’re almost home.

Some quotes from the last couple of days:

“Can you guys stop talking?” – Katie (to Laird and Jared)

“I gotta admit, I like strawberry margaritas…yes, I want a margarita, but do you have strawberry? Damn. Ok, just give me the fruit.” – Laird

“We all have these subtle emotional IQs, and because we’re astronomers we’re all a little screwed up.” – Laird

“Laird is a bright boy.” – Jared, quoting Tibor, a friend of Laird’s dad and occasional MagAO fellow traveler.

“LCO is a great place, if you’re into guys, right Katie?” – Laird

“What are you doing in my room?!?! I’m El Presidante!” – Laird (the maids at Casino Enjoy can be . . . persistent)

“Between scotch and fruit cups there are many layers. And one of them is raspberry mojito.” – Katie

“It’s ok. I’m American.” – TJ, to a policewoman.

“Bear Down!” – random stranger, to TJ and his A jacket.