I'd blog more often....

...if getting the pictures from my camera onto my computer didn't seem like such a big deal. I don't know what my issue is, but this has always seemed to be a formidable task. I'm honestly impressed by my friends and family that are able to upload pictures onto facebook multiple times a week. Where do they find the time to plug the camera into the computer??? Ok, I'll stop now.

Last Friday was September 18th. It's not Chile's Independence Day, but it's the closest thing they have to one. I've been told that it celebrates the anniversary of the decision to fight for independence from Spain. Last year I asked a bunch of Chileans what it stood for and no one was able to give me an accurate answer. Historically this holiday might be to celebrate a move towards independence, but in modern day Chile, it's a day to have barbecues, to celebrate all things Chilean, to dance, to drink, to eat eat eat, and to have tons of fun.

Last year in Valparaiso I was invited to quite a few barbecues the week before the 18th. By the day of the holiday itself, I couldn't bare to look at a piece of meat. This year had a more relaxed feel. We only recently moved to Santa Cruz so we weren't invited to any barbecues. Let me tell you people, this was a bit of a relief. We did hit up a Ramada for some empanadas and skewers of fresh local spring lamb, though. It was just the right amount of artery clogging festivity for me. A Ramada is like a fair made up almost entirely of stalls selling empanadas, choripan (sausage sandwiches), anticuchos (meat on a stick), and alcoholic beverages.

We also went to the parade, which consisted entirely of students marching with their school flags and folks of all ages on horseback dressed in tradition Chilean cowboy garb.

Here are some pictures of them waiting to parade:



My favorite thing about this holiday is the little kids dressed up in their cute little costumes. I also like how they set five year old boys free on fully grown horses in the middle of town:



Now for some gratuitous cute puppy shots:






Don't let these pictures fool you. Bella is still my one and only.

Besos,
Allie