Entries from December 2006

December 31, 2006

Nouvel an

Vicente Huidobro has New Year poems in both Spanish and French. I cannot find them now, however. Still, we can look at some very nice poems and theoretical texts at the Huidobro site hosted by the Universidad de Chile.
It is sunny today, and it could be sunny tomorrow, too. This bodes well for the year [...]

December 30, 2006

Six Peculiar Things

Now the Hedonistic Pleasureseeker has tagged me for a meme: six peculiar things about myself. These may or may not all be peculiar, but they might be things you do not know.
1. People at work thought I was a lesbian for years because: a. I wear a lot of black; b. I never wear spike [...]

December 30, 2006

Traigo queso de vaca fresco

The contrast between where I am now and where I was yesterday is rather stark.
All of the following events have taken place within the past twenty-four hours.
None seem entirely modern.
I
As I wended my way up the steep, narrow cobblestone street to my hostel in Valparaíso, I saw an old man wending his way [...]

December 28, 2006

Valparaíso, el viento

I am in Valparaíso and it is wonderful. Everywhere else I have been in Chile has been interesting, and Valdivia has the best fish market I have ever seen, but Valparaíso ROCKS, and it is beautiful. Evidence of its ultra-hip culture can be observed here.
Later, I will translate this poem by Gonzalo Rojas, on Valparaíso.
PUERTO PERDIDO
Todo es [...]

December 24, 2006

Pleno sur

Back in Santiago, it is warm, fortunately. Southern Chile is prized and one can see why, but I must admit I prefer Mediterranean climates and larger towns. One striking feature of the south, however, is the number of locals wearing mountaineering gear and Vibram soles. This is not something I had seen elsewhere in the [...]

December 22, 2006

Friday Night Luxury

Today on this Patagonian isle it stopped raining long enough for a hike in the stunning national park, ending on a wild beach with grassy dunes.
I also discovered a very hip bar with wi-fi, of all things, and I am there now. This enables me to write, over a fast connection, on the very same [...]

December 21, 2006

Solstice

Today it is raining in northern Patagonia, and I am drinking tea. One might think this is excellent posting weather, but it is not. Computer connections are slow, and people wait in line to use them.
This not being a travel weblog, I am not attempting to make any sort of general report. I will say, [...]

December 19, 2006

Toda tu vida sirve…

We watched the news last night and I saw an advertisement for an airline sponsored credit card that accumulates frequent flyer miles with every purchase. After explaining how the card works, the announcer sums things up: “Toda tu vida sirve para acumular millas y viajar gratis.” “Your entire life serves to accumulate mileage and travel [...]

December 10, 2006

Orlando Letelier

It appears there may be some traffic when I finally arrive at my destination, since I will coincide with the funeral of Augusto Pinochet.
He will not have a state funeral, but only a military one. Gott sei Dank, as my aunt would have said, and Alhamdulillahi, as we would have said in my Arabic class.
That [...]

December 10, 2006

On Trolls and Banes

I
I got a trolling e-mail and was disconcerted. Initially, I was just hurt, because it was in fact a hurtful remark. I apologized, thinking, if you have hurt me, then I must deserve it. Then, I realized the remark had been rude. I e-mailed again, saying, look, that was rude. If you really wanted [...]