Dia de los Patrias - the day after

Hello everybody,

We're reporting from the far side of a long weekend of bicentennial celebrations - and we survived! These Chilotes take their partying seriously. Gabi, as you can see, has gotten into the full swing of things. Her she is with Tia Patti, at Sunday's family barBQ lake house party. (more on that later.)

The weekend kicked off with a shopping spree a day or two before, because virtually all the stores were to be closed for the 3-day weekend (by Congressional order). We read the stories of police being called to escort tardy shoppers out the doors so the store could close in time to avoid a citation, but we didn't see that here. Friday afternoon our neighbors Luis and Monica invited us to a fondo (party in a big public space) and announced that they'd lined us up a babysitter! They sure know how to attract our attention... A lady who lives in a house on the beach next to the stairs we take there agreed to watch the kids from 9 to 1 "or 2 or 3, if we're still out".

So after a short delay for a miscomunication with the babysitter, we all piled in Monica and Luis's car to drive into Castro for drinks at a cousin's house. Either everyone in a given family is late the same amount, or there was a flurry of cell phone calls that we missed, but within 5 minutes of our arrival the house was full. We chatted a bit with everyone we know in that family (and some people we don't) before heading out to the fonda. (nineteen of us all headed out together!)

...which is the Chilean equivalent of a high school dance in the gym, except for grownups! Outside was an array of grills putting out anticuchos (like a shish-kebab - look it up on Wiki) and other snacks. Inside were tables and a bar along the walls and a dance floor in the middle, and a stage at one end. They had 3 bands who rotated about every hour, with cueca (Chile's national dance) music tapes while they changed. We just about closed the place down - we left around 5:00. I think we may have shocked the locals with our cheek-to-cheek full-contact dancing style - here, even married couples dance pretty much at arms length. They'll just have to get used to it... There were a few waltzes and one or two songs that just cried out for a polka. (well, cried out in English)

So we dragged ourselves upstairs after 5:00, which didn't seem to faze the babysitter much - she had invited her husband over, and they were up watching TV. We'll have to tell them next time (we're hoping that there will be a next time) that 1) she doesn't have to stay awake and 2) if her husband wants to watch TV too, bring him along first thing. Needless to say, we were hurting the next day, especially after Gabi woke up at 6:30 (fortunately she went back to sleep till 9)

Saturday the 18th, the actual Dia de los Patrias, we went downtown to check out the parade. There were not a lot of folks there, and we left after a little while for a quiet afternoon and evening at home. Of course Victoria (the granddma next door), sent us over a heaping plate of home made empanadas just to make sure we celebrated like real Chileans. Good things, because...

You have probably noticed by now that a) family is very big here in Chiloe and b) our land lord - neighbors include us in all of their family celebrations. So, from now on if we talk about doing something with "our Chilean family", we mean Monica & Luis and all their cousins, and siblings.

Sunday we caught a ride to Monica's sister-in-law Margot's quincha (camp) on Lago de Huellinca, about half an hour's drive south of here. It's the perfect no-frills party spot (they built it themselves about 6 months ago): a big open room with a huge fireplace and barbecue pit with spit along one wall, bar in the back, bathroom in the corner, a bunch of tables and chairs, big sound system and laptop on the shelf, and the disco lights hanging from the ceiling. The whole crew of cousins was there, and we had a great time gorging ourselves on all sorts of salads, potatoes, more anticuchos, and grilled beef from the spit. Eventually it stopped raining, so we went out to watch the sun set over the lake; and then after dark, the dancing started. (Note the disco ball mounted from the rustic tree trunk beam.) What a great spot! A good time was had by all, and Monica brought us back considerably earlier than on Fri. night.

Monday was another good rest day, with naps and spending some time at the shore. Today we're back into it! Town was a little sleepy today - maybe some people are still recovering!