Art History

Today I went to the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino in Santiago with my art history class, Arte y Sociedad En Chile Prehispanico. We are mainly studying cultures from los Andes Centrales such as: the Inca or Inka, Mapuche, Chavin, Tiwanaku, Parakas, Moche, and Nasca cultures.



ceramica Nasca


textile Nasca


ceramica Moche


textile Inca


ceramica Chavin


textile Parakas


ceramica Tiwanaku

You kind of get the idea, really interesting stuff, I enjoy it a lot.


http://www.precolombino.cl/

Plantillas (Stencils)

are everywhere

Chorrillana:

papas fritas, carne, cebolla y huevos.



french fries, meat, onions and eggs.



= delish/clean plate

Mendoza, Argentina

"Latins are tenderly enthusiastic. In Brazil they throw flowers at you. In Argentina they throw themselves."
Marlene Dietrich

This past Saturday I went on a four hour horseback ride in the Andean foothills of Argentina, followed by a delicious asado lunch at the ranch. After almuerzo we got to talking and hanging around the fire pit with the ranchers, and before I knew it someone was playing guitar and we were all singing and dancing and having an amazing time! We ended up staying all day and well into the night, just partying with the ranchers and their families, and of course eating more tasty, tasty asado. It was definately one of the greatest days of my life. Argentinians are some of the most friendly and generous people I have ever met!



Diego, our guide, leading the way...


my beautiful horse Indio


me posing awkwardly alone


the gentlemen


this is an asado if you didn't know (BBQ!)


a lil' slice of the action

p.s.
The girl's name Pippa \p(ip)-pa\. Diminutive of Philippa (Greek) "lover of horses". Mostly British use.

Color Cafe in Valparaíso

good coffee good vibes

21 de Mayo: Día de las Glorias Navales

What is this day all about? Some important naval battle that happened some time ago--there is a big parade, lots of flowers, and a bunch of people talk including La Presidente who gives an address in Valpo. http://www.joeskitchen.com/chile/2009/05/20/why-is-may-21st-a-holiday-in-chile/
What does it mean to me? No school today! Which means I have a five day weekend. I never have classes on Friday, and this Monday my one class is canceled! I'm going to Mendoza, Argentina. Super bien.



By the way this is Chile's president Michelle Bachelet. Also known sometimes as "La Jefe". She is right wing and a part of el Partido Socialista de Chile.

a dream I had

This morning I woke up to my alarm at 10:00 am in the middle of a very intriguing dream...
It was Halloween and I had just ascended onto a porch to trick or treat, when suddenly Christopher Walken appeared out of nowhere dressed as a (friendly) vampire!
Halloween is hands down my favorite holiday, and Christopher Walken is for sure one of my favorite actors.
I wanted to turn my alarm off and continue with the dream sooo badly, but I also didn't want to be late to my Danzas Tradicionales de Chile class.

Meh.




love this photo



Also another note on dreams: I have started to dream in Spanish---a good sign I think...

Avocados

Also known as: palta (most popular name here), aguacate, butter pear or alligator pear.
They have lots of vitamins, good fats and oils, and they are absolutely delicious!

We have a ton in our house right now, including some new, very interesting types...


These are known as baco grande




palta hass




and palta fuerte




They are all so beautiful and tasty---especially palta hass! Not only that, but they are CHEAP. Here you can get around 10 avocados for about 1 American dollar!
It is going to be really tough returning to the United States and having to pay almost 2 dollars for ONE!
I guess I will just have to eat three everyday while I'm here---oh wait, I already do.

on style in Chile

As it just so happens, fanny packs are all the rage here in Chile; literally almost all of the youngsters have them, and they are actually considered cool, or at least OK.
And I, who used to wear my very own purple fanny pack from American Apparel around with pride back in the good old U.S. of A., am more than willing to join in on the trend.

So I bought one.

The fanny packs here, or canguros/bananos, come in all different sizes and styles. I opted for one with a standard girth, with varying textiles of more or less the same color scheme. But who knows, maybe my next one will be pleather.

Oh and my Chilean mother, Carola, thought it was hilarious that I had bought one--- I hope not everyone laughs at me like she did.

Pablo Neruda: poeta, escritor, diplomático y político Chileno. (1904-1973)

Y algo golpeaba en mi alma,
fiebre o alas perdidas,
y me fui haciendo solo,
descifrando
aquella quemadura
y escribí la primera línea vaga,
vaga, sin cuerpo, pura,
tontería
pura sabiduría
del que no sabe nada,
y vi de pronto
el cielo
desgranado
y abierto.

And something started in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering
that fire,
and I wrote the first faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense,
pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing,
and I suddenly saw
the heavens
unfastened
and open.

"Poetry" (Poesía) from Memorial of Isla Negra [Memorial de Isla Negra] (1964), Selected Poems by Pablo Neruda

his house in Valparaíso

the views from his windows