¡Fiestas Patrias!

Every September in Chile comes a giant party, a celebration for the country itself.  It just so happens that this year it occurred in the middle of the week, leaving us with a solid week's worth of partying and vacations.  When I say partying I mean asadoing (barbecuing) all day and going to the fondas (tents of bars, carnival rides, and food stands set up especially for this celebration) all night.  We made plans to travel on the 19th since the actually day of Fiestas Patrias falls on the 18th, so we had 5 straight days of the festival.  It was so fun, yet exhausting!  Chileans stay out laate (5 am is normal), which I am not used to.

Churros!

On Thursday, I went dancing with my friends at a club called OVO, which was a ton of fun.

Friday, I decided to stay in and store up energy for the coming days, so I watched Chicago and ate popcorn.

Cute puppy at the asado.

Saturday, our study abroad group had an all-day asado in the Botanical Gardens.  We also went to a concert that night outside the Municipal Theater of Viña where there was cueca (a traditional dance that I learned that day!), singing, and the orchestra of Viña.  The mayor even danced a little.  After that their were fireworks from boats off shore so a few of us went and sat on the rocks to watch (even though people were being really rude and tried to stop us from passing them to sit on the vacant and clearly not blocking their view rocks).  That was really beautiful!  Next we all headed off to our first night at the fondas where I tried a Chilean drink called Cola de Mono (monkey tail) which was like coffee and was yummy, ate churros, and did the Loop, a ride that was quite jenky and we screamed the whole time because we thought we were going to die.  Fun stuff.

Here's a video of Chilean kids dancing the cueca!

Learning the cueca!

Fireworks on the water - so beautiful!

Las fondas!

Hanging out in the fondas!

Having a good time with friends

Scared to go on the Loop!

I survived!

El Emboque

Sunday, Maddy and I went to church and then went off in search of our friend Kevin's house to have a frisbee asado (yes more asado's - it doesn't stop here folks!).  When we found him, we went and ate choripan and more meat, drank jote (another Chilean drink consisting of wine and coke) and terremotos (Chilean drink with white wine, pineapple ice cream, grenadine, and optional additions of rum, cognac, and/or amargo), and played a chilean game called el emboque (other popular chilean toys/games).  After we went to another friend's house and the fondas again.  A wonderful day.

Kevin in a traje de huaso - traditional Chilean dress for males

The whole crew at the asado!

Chilean pride!!

On Monday, I just hung out with my friend Allison all day.  We chatted and she cut my hair, which was in desperate need!  Later, we ended up going to watch more fireworks off the coast, this time in Valparaíso with the same group from Sunday.  We went to a bar in Valpo, which I had never done and was very fun as well just to talk with new people from all over the world.

Tuesday, the actual holiday, Allison came over again to hang out and we ended up having a mini asado with my mom and her boyfriend where I had them try the meat with some KC barbecue sauce... I think they liked it, I'm not sure!  Then some of the girls went to a bar to talk and then another bar to meet up
with friends.  I ended up coming home early that night because I was exhausted.

Sunset photos

Wednesday, the day our travels would begin, I went to Bravissimo ice cream on the beach with friends and frantically tried to finish homework that was due Monday since I would be gone.  I barely finished, but was almost late to my bus to Pucón that night!  Typical of me to procrastinate, but how can one do homework when all of Chile is celebrating?  It really was unlike any other holiday I have experienced.  I mean in the US we have the 4th, but that is one day of picnics, laking, and fireworks.  This lasted a WHOLE WEEK.  Crazy.  I was actually very glad to be traveling because the festivities were beginning to get wearisome, but they were fun while they lasted.

Som cute bar pics with friends.