Festivities of September 18

This week has been filled with preparations and festivities.

Tuesday night, when I returned home from school, I started helping Angelica. We were making nearly 80 empanadas de piño and this required 2 Kilos of carne de vaca (cow) and 55 onions. Yes, 55. I chopped 15 onions in the same amount of time that Angelica chopped 40. We laughed alot, as at one point I was crying so hard I couldn´t see what I was doing. The trick was standing by the opened door and running water. With this, my vision greatly increased.

All the chopped onion is reduced on the stove and cooked until the onion is transparent. The juice is drained. The meat is finely chopped and seasones with a mixture of garlic, oregano, salt, and cumin (at least that is my guess...I´ll know it when I smell it). The meat is cooked on the stove until it is done, then the onion is added...this mixture sat over night. Wednesday would be dough day.

The surprise when I got home that day was a lamb on the table. Freshly killed, skinned, beheaded, behooved (if I can say that)...right there on the kitchen table. The family walked across the street to get the butcher to cut the legs and other chops of meat. Not everyday the butcher comes to your house with a couple of butcher knives and a hand saw.

Wednesday was a festival day at school. All the students, the classes, cook something to sell. So, there are students selling food, more cueca, and games. It was only a half day of school, so to relax a bit and get some good solo time in before the festivities really began, I went for a walk.

I stopped in to see the couple at the souvenier shop. We always chat longer than I expect, but it is always enjoyable. The husband gave me a bottle of Syrah´s Late Harvest vine as a gift. I thought we could open it this weekend but Ana tells me to save it and take it home...so, ok, I will. From there I went to get a bottle of Pisco...Pisco is to Chile what Tequila is to Mexico. A Pisco Sour is the Margarita of CHile. I thought I would contribute something to the festivities. Then, I stopped to buy some flowers for decoration. When I returned home, Angelica was finishing the empanadas, so I am kicking myself for missing the dough making process. An empanada is basically a small calzone, about the size of small plate. Inside there is Piño (beef and onion), chicken, seafish, or cheese. They are super tastey. Also inside the píño is an olive (with the pit) and a slice of hardboiled egg. I dont´know why. First time I saw it, I thought someone was cleaning out their fridge while they were cooking. :) Empanadas are either baked or fried. At the end of the day, Angelica had made 105 empanadas. Nearly all of them are gone.

Seriously, I have never eaten so much food in my life as I have this weekend. First night was red wine and empanadas. We all went to bed at a reasonable hour, as the next day would be busy.

The next morning was breakfast (toast and coffee). We, the visiting family from Santiago (Jorge, Claudia, Francisca, JAviera, and Maria Paz) went to the Parade at 11:30. We found a spot on the corner and could see alright. THe parade was only about 3 blocks long. Everyone stands and it lasted 3 hours! The first part of the parade is very formal...introductions of the mayor and other important people. I seriously started wondering if we were going to see a parade, it was so long. From there the first marching band comes out. They don´t march and play. They stand, facing the mayor and all the other important people, while playing a marching beat. They switched out the band about four times, so all the schools would be represented. But, first the army marched in with their camo, packs, and guns. They stopped to salute the mayor. Then, all the schools marched. When I say all the schools, I mean all the schools and the students. There were some tractors, motorcycles, and firetrucks. Some Cueca and about 200 huasos on their horses, one was even drunk and made the loop twice, looking like his saddle was about to slide off the side. When the firetrucks pass the mayor, the driver gets out to salute the mayor while they truck continues to move foreward without the driver. Then, he jumps back in. I thought that was interesting. All the students marched in full uniform. The girls, at our school, had to have matching ponytails and hair ties. Chileans are very serious about formalities, appearances, and ¨the show¨.


After the parade we ate empanadas for lunch with soup. This was at about 3:30 pm. We had Pisco sours, Chirimoya sours, beer, and wine. Later a Asado (or BBQ)...by later I mean I was eating dinner at 1am. For the BBQ, it was lamb roasted over a fire, celery, pototatoes, tomatoes, Punché (white wine, champaign, pineapple, and pineapple icecream), and vino! Uff Da! What a feast! Also, while everything was cooking, we danced the Cueca.

We left the party at about 2:30-3:00am and went to pick up the kids (Felipe, Francisca, and Javiera...) from the Ramada in Palmilla. A ramada is not the inn here. It is a gathering where people have food booths where they sell food. There are lots of tables set up for eating, drinking, and conversing. And there is dancing. BAscially it is a huge drunk fest. The kids went there to hang out. When we went to get them is was insanely crowded with drunk people. By the time we got home, I just went to my room and crashed.

The next morning, I made pancakes. Then, the girls wanted me to go for a bike ride with them. I came back and took a quick ten minute snooze in the lawn. That was about all I could get before little Maria Paz wanted to do cartwheels. I don´t know why I subject myself to body aches...a couple of weeks ago I decided to climb the pole at school, nearly making it to the top, but I ached for a good week. Now, I was doing cartwheels, head stands, handstands and whatever else. My body is a little sore.

We ate empanadas shortly after, again. Then, got ready to go to another Asado...Lamb again. This time at the house of another friend. THey had sheep, lambs, horses, the works...out in the country. I rode one of the horses for a bit. Then just enjoyed the scenary. The son of the family had spent 6 months in MN during high school, so we chated about MN. They family was constructing a new house, so we had the tour of the foundation. We had arrived around 3:00-4:00 and didn´t eat until 7pm. I was starving. Once it was too dark to see, we headed back home where we rested for a couple of hours, then went to the new Casino. This was about 10:30pm. It cost about $5 to enter and inside I lost about $20. My hopes of doubling my stipend are over! :)

We came home and I went to bed. Next day would be Asado at our house.

We woke up and Maria Paz wanted to help me with pancakes again, so we made pancakes. Shortly after breakfast, the empanadas came out again, more punché, beer, pisco, and vino. The tables we set and lamb, churipan, beef, salmon, were all cooked on the grill outside. After dinner, another round of Cueca began. I am finally getting it down, or at least I think so.

Around 7pm, things died down and we all took naps. I watched a couple of movies and decided to call it a night. The kids went back to Palmilla to dance and have fun around 11:30-Midnight...I knew I wasn´t going to make it. I am beat! Needless to say, I am enjoying a very lazy Sunday!

Tomorrow, we are back to school!

This was a very good weekend and I am very happy to have had the priviledge to enjoy the celebration of independence here in Chile. These Chileans don´t mess around with food, beverage, or fiestas. Aye!

Cheers!

jami