There is a small town in Chile, untouched by the Google Maps car, that holds the setting for a beautiful, otherwise unassuming ranch. This ranch was built from the ground up, by hand, and grew into the splendor it is today.
Anna's grandfather was master builder and architect of this establishment and created this place as a private escape from the outside world. Within the fence that surrounds the compound, there lies an exotic zoo.
A collection of lions, tigers, pumas, and jaguars live in enclosed compounds next to emu and water buffalo. White elk, llamas, and ostriches decorate the open fields of wild flowers. Each of these creatures lives in enclosed areas throughout the ranch and those who live and visit there are able to freely walk around the cages, take “up close and personal” pictures with, and, occasionally, feed the animals.
It is truly a world of its own, with large open spaces and the constant soundtrack of exotic birds and the roar of wild cats in the background. Isolated from the rest of the world, this ranch not only acts as a home for many of the species that live there, but also as an escape, for the people who visit, from the outside world.
Anna spent time every single summer since she was born on that ranch. She was born not long after the arrival of many of the animals so they all essentially grew up together. It is her home away from home.
A house was built at the highest point of the ranch and they all live and coexist alongside each other, animals and humans alike. This unconventional living situation has become very ordinary for her. There is a wonderful sense of isolation when Anna stays at the ranch. Being completely cut off from the rest of the world and completely connected with the nature around is one of the best parts about staying there.
Retreating into her own thoughts without the influence of the rest of the world's opinions, Anna uses the place as a time and a setting for introspection.
The ranch helps put things in order. Seeing the stars and the vast expanse of nature around allows for the mind to put things in perspective: the stupid little things that may have been done in the past year are exactly that, little. And there is comfort in being small, being little against the vast expanse of space and time.
