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Chile Travel Report Festivals, Music, Street Performance |
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I heard first-class jazz at Club Jazz in Coquimbo And elegant sitar music on the street in Valparaiso |
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Jazz in a public square in Valparaiso |
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Jazz outdoors in Coquimbo, where a man and his wife sport the same hairdo |
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Jugglers performing for money from cars stopped at a traffic light Common sight in La Serena and other towns |
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Mime in the English Barrio of Coquimbo |
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But the most special night out was in Valparaiso Xevy (from Spain) and Elisa (from Santiago) invited me along to a nightclub It was packed, so we sat at the bar |
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Next to me sat a woman and her daughter The daughter says to me, "My mother wants to dance" I say "But I don't dance" (largely true) Two minutes later, "My mother really wants to dance." "But I don't dance" "She really wants to dance" We danced Twice She claims I'm a good dancer |
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A singer was performing, accompanied by keyboard and guitar So I put a bug in their ear that Elisa sings She sang, to wonderful applause |
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After while the band is playing "It Had to be You" and I felt it had to be me So I got up and belted one out |
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In Vicuņa, International Women's Day brings a celebration to the plaza... |
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...where a woman performs a poem (I think by Gabriela Mistral, Chilean poet) |
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The carnival inVicuņa, with a parade that winds around the plaza several times Here, Hare Krishna dancers wend their wa through the crowd |
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With a real live witch doctor |
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And Chile's version of Raging Grannies |
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One striking phenomenon of
this festival was that, as I walked through the crowd, time after time
kids would start laughing among themselves and surreptitiously pointing
at me. Then I'd give them a big "Ho Ho Ho" and everyone
in the whole area would burst out laughing.
After the parade had ended a restaurant that faced the plaza was packed with young men watching soccer on TV. As I passed by they broke into "Jingle Bells" I stopped, waved, watched the game for a few minutes with them. As I left, I gave them a big Ho Ho Ho, to loud cheering It started in Mendoza, where I was walking along a street and a couple of youths chanted "Ho Ho Ho" as I passed. In Chile I got it very very often In Vicuņa it was especially pronounced. I'd be walking along the street and youths would start singing "Feliz Navidad." In all cases I would turn to them and give them a Ho Ho Ho in return. Always to their great delight. |
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Cueca has been Chile's national dance since 1979 In La Serena I caught a Cueca festival The dance is, to my tastes, not a very compelling one. I did enjoy the costumes, however
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Especially the Sombrero de Paņo, worn here by Luis Cuello, accompanied by Patricia Vanar |
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In Vicuņa there was a mini Cueca festival |
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I even danced a bit (well...she danced while I waved a white kerchief) I told you, I don't dance |
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