Her name is not Bernadette.... it´s Ralph

Ok, so full marks to whoever gets the film reference stated above. The motivation for such an extremely un-Chilean title to this entry comes from a distinctly un-Chilean source. Ralph is the name of the dog that lives in the place I am currently staying. Y´know, when I travel half way around the world I expect my pets to be suitably exotic. I think it should be mandatory by law to have a patagonian parrot called Frederico or at the very least a poodle named Boris. I mean, sure, wrong culture and all, but lets try and at least be interesting, people.

But I digress.

My first few days have been good. I spent most of today doing the usual traveller sthick and followed the walking tour as set out in the lonely planet. Or tried to because either I am a dyslexic illiterate (which is not outside the realms of possibility) or the lonely planet´s map is, how should I put it. Oh yes, crap. And do you know you are expected to carry your own toilet paper here everywhere you go. I mean, I am all up for being prepared, but it was a bit of a shock.

The city is very livable. Parts of it are beautiful, a lot of it is coated in a 60 foot thick layer of smog. The markets are pumping, the churches full (I spent a half hour today watching a very elderly woman crawl on her hands and knees up the entire aisle of a very large church. Now that is a kind of devotion that I don´t understand, nor do I get a God who would ask it. Just think of that poor woman´s stockings! The hosiery people, would someone please think of the hosiery!) and the people lovely.

I have found my language school and start there on Monday. I move in with Pedro and Lydia on Saturday. The few photos I have taken so far are, you guessed it, forthcoming.

May you all receive much of the world´s bounty.

Rock and Roll.

Paddy