we`re down with emily and the people of chile

Hello all you riceandchile fans.

Amy, Noah, Moriah and I have entered Sarice`s (nee Emily) virtual and real Chilean world. Watching Emily fluently walk us through Chilean culture is teriffic. She can really speak the language and is clearly one popular gringa. Chilean people are enthralled with an American who speaks the language. And she really leans into the conversations with a lot of hand gestures and pauses and feeling and appropriate accents. Although ordering for five of us from a spanish only restaurant is a workout for her, Chile is a real difficult place when she is not around as English speaking Chileans are a rare comodity (imagine me driving with Noah and Moriah and getting stopped by the policia for going the wrong way on a one way - `criminal defenso abagoda` did not go over like I thought it might).

Chile is a real interesting country - sparsely populated, not a lot of roads, excellent food, and amazing natural beauty. After three days in the touristy paradise of Pucon (hiking, hot springs and volcano climbing), we will be having lunch with Emily`s Osorno family tomorrow. Should be great.

Quick story. So Emily, Moriah, Noah and I showed up late and underdressed at 6:45 am for the snow-capped volcano hike this morning. The imposing guide leader asked if our trip was arranged by a certain fancy hotel, which it was. And when Emily, in shorts, tried to smooth it over with her Spanish charm, the guide replied, `We like the people at your hotel to explain to the guests that they are climbing a volcano, not spending a day at the bitch`. We assumed he meant beach and let it pass. We all got over it as all of the guides were soon loving the spanish speaking Gringa. We had a SPECTACULAR 4200 foot climb up an 8000 foot volcano. It was real difficult going up, but down involved being supplied with apendages for our pants and sliding 1 1/4 miles on the snow on our butts.

I must move and not hog the blog. If given a guest pass again I will talk to you all again.

Thats all now from

Padre de riceandchile