As spring sets in things return to normal after two crazy weeks. First we had September 11th, the date of Pinochet's putsch. In his days it has been a day of violent protests against his regime. The regime has gone but the protests live on. Against what? Nobody knows. Chileans hurry home after their bosses allow them to leave early and barricade themselves behind the front door. Public transportation grinds to a halt because buses become rock-magnets and the streets are blocked by burning tires. Police in riot gear everywhere, trying to clean up. This years result: three dead. And for what? The general consensus is that it's mostly youngsters way to young to understand the impor- tance of the date but are just looking for a fight. In the Netherlands you would call them (football) hooligans I guess...
And then there are the "Fiestas Patrias", celebrating the start if Chile's independence (18th) and the successes of the Chilean Army (19th, but basically just another free day to get rid of that mayor hangover). The days leading up to the 18th all (economic) activity grinds to a halt and those that have to show up for work on the 17th do so for half a day or so attending a pre-18 celebration with colleagues. Typical celebration consists of eating empanadas (see picture) and having a Chilean barbecue called asado and drinking grape chicha. My score: two days of asados and one day of home made empanadas and too much pisco sour and chicha. No wonder I was craving for fruit the sunday after. I didn't go to any Fonda this year, but I did go last year and watched how the Cueca is really done. All in all, it has been a busy two weeks.
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