Things are looking up

Yesterday I went to Plaza de los Dominicos where I was told there was a good artesan center. I finally found the music store that had traditional south american instruments with Mapuche (Native Chilean) horns that I'd never seen before. The storeowner apparently was out to lunch so I just took some pictures and kept walking around. When I passed the store a second time I felt like I was being followed. That person finally asked me if I was looking for him. Since I had no idea who he was I said no. But then I found out that he was Enrique Rebolledo, luthier! We had a short conversation about the instruments before he left for lunch.
The interesting part is that he was warned about some guy taking pictures (me) because there have been times when Chinese people visit, take pictures and then make copies of the crafts that they find.
Things look good because when I return from my trip I might be able to help him out. We'll see how things go.

"Papi yo soy gay...no mijo, tu eres un pobre..."

Last weekend I went to visit Santa Lucia, which is a small hill in the center of the city. On the way I crossed Alemeda street, but to my surprise there was a gay pride parade. Props to the people.

Naranjitos de Maipu

The turist office of Santiago put on a turism fair. This included having groups perform in front of the building. The group above is Naranjitos de Maipu that performed dances from all over Chile. Afterwards there was a group from the island of Pascua. I was a bit emberassed when one of the dancers (the one with the coconuts) pulled me up to dance. This is one of the times that traveling alone is a problem because then no one documented this moment.

Los Blancos

Tonight I went to EL UNIVERSO AUDIOVISUAL DE LOS PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS at the Cultural Center of Spain (http://ccespana.cl/).
I saw a documentary (Jaguares) about indigenous groups in Brazil. It was really sad about how they lost their culture due to the blancos (white man, the priests) and how they are just now returning to their traditions.
The other film was about the Jaipo group in Colombia that was protesting to gain more land. Before I had to leave to take the bus back to my apartment, I saw images of police cruelty against those people, chanfle.

Look mom, I can make tortillas

In spain I didn't really complain about not having tortillas because I went out and got fresh baguettes every day. I tried the bread here in Chile, not my favorite...so now I really have the cravings for my tortillas. The first batch I made I used a glass cup because I didn't have a rolling pin. Maybe the third time I try they will come out more round instead of square. Buying some bakeing powder might help also.

Latin people are passionate

I'm sitting in the Santiago Library (where I can get free internet) and there is a couple sitting across the tabled from me "reading" a book together. All of a sudden I glance up and see the guy kissing the back of her neck. She looked liked she was going to melt or faint. Just and observation.

This song is dedicated to...(love you mi reina)

Band: Sinergia
Song: Te Enojai Por Todo
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBxllb_ZxfE

Last week while I was waiting for Movistar to register my new cell phone number, I watched TV in their waiting room. At noon on channel TVN music videos are shown. I really liked this band, Sinergia, even though its very 'ordinaria' and could even be considered 'flayte' (lower class). Which brings me to the point that there is a lot of class division in Santiago. From plaza Italia to the east (towards the Cordillera) is the barrio alto of the upper class. On the other side the lower class whose slang and customs are called flayte.

Artesania of diminishing return

I went to the artesania market today and there was a discussion where an artesan was saying how now a days the artesans in Santiago (or in general) are becoming more like merchants and less like craftspeople.

In other news: reggeaton is BIG! I heard it in Spain and now its even more popular in Chile. When I went to a fonda for independence day celebrations I danced cueca (the national dance since 1974). Immediately after that dance I remember that the dj put on a reggeaton song. Even someone's grandmother was dancing to this music! That's a big difference I see here, old people listen to it. Today I also went to a folkore show at the santiago tourist office and the sound engineer put on some reggeaton to sound check. The group was composed of elderly women from comuna florida here in Santiago and when the music came on they began to dance to it, oh snap. Daddy Yankee would be proud.

Thank you google maps

Between the time I left Barcelona on my trip to Andalucia and right now, Google has updated their maps to include Chile!!!! Now I hope that by the time I get to Argentina Google will update those maps.

Down with the Sickness

I made it to Chile....brrr its cold. I hated going from a nice 30 to a max of 10. Well, I got sick and made myself bedridden. But, before that I was able to take part in the fondas, ramadas and dance cuecas in the independence day celebrations. I would have a bunch of pictures to show, but when I was out at an asada, my pictures from the last two weeks were erased (long story). Its 10:30pm so I've got head back to my apartment from this cybercafe...can't stay out too long or else I might get mugged and stabbed on my way back.