Election Day in Chile
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Chile

Another sunny warm day in Santiago--a few clouds moderating the sunshine way up high.  Today is election day in Chile.  I spent the day reading and writing in my flat, then watching the playoffs.  The Vikings outscored the Cowpokes by an order of magnitude, under a great effort by 40 year old Brett Favre in his 17th year as quarterback.  His rushing yards are down, but his passing yardage this year is his best in ten years, and in the top few of his career. 

 

Nate convinced me I should to watch the Jets-Chargers game at a bar, but then I realized that on election day and sunday the choices would be limited.   I turned to CNN Chile to see Frei's concession speech--he lost by about three points to Pinera, billionaire owner of LAN Chile airlines and other businesses.  This will be the biggest change in government for quite a while--the center left coalitions of the last few presidencies will give way to a more rightist government.  Frei signed the proclamation which brought ALMA to Chile so there is some fondness for him but let the new adventure begin.  I left on a walk down Isadora Goyenechea.  Everywhere there were car horns sounding.

Cars full of cheering folks, mostly young, were traveling the boulevards waving Chilean and Pinera flags from the windows.  They are all honking -- ... which means 'MS' when they should be honkind 'CL' -.-. .-..  Well no one knows Morse Code any longer.  Sure enough the bars were closed, and most of the restaurants.  Ruby Tuesday was open but it seemed hardly what I wanted.  I stopped in a 7-11 type place and picked up some salad and a container of chirimoya allegre and headed back.

 

Sipping a tall drink of chirimoya allegre on the veranda while watching the game.  Go Chargers!