Elvis Found Singing in a Small Club in Chile

My husband and I went back to El Gato en La Ventana last night. To our surprise, Elvis walked in, began to perform, and had the whole place on its feet.

There were a couple of other performances. Here's one song of a group, though I'm sorry to say I don't know what they're called. At one point, the mother of one of the members came up to the stage and sang a couple of songs.

Finally, this is Rosemary, one of the music teachers from St. Margaret's, and her daughter Blanca at our home.

The Special World

As we stayed up late, and I'm a bit rummy, today I'm including videos taken in Santiago and Valparaiso last summer. The first is of a group playing Mira Ninita on the Paseo Ahumada in Santiago. On the weekends, there used to be sidewalk vendors and entertainment. This isn't happening anymore, as far as we know, which I think is too bad. Travel books said to watch your wallet, so maybe that's why the city stopped it??? Don't know. Go to the feria in front of Cerro Santa Lucia for some of the same deals on sweaters and crafts.



You can hear the same band in the background here:



This is a scene of Chile's third place victory in the World Cup. They won against Argentina, so I guess the victory was especially sweet. Watch for the dog.



Finally, a very short and dark clip from El Gato en la Ventana, a folklorico club in Valporaiso. This was taken summer 07, as well. We were there early this morning. I love how this section of the city churns through the early morning, mostly with young people. The music is LOUD but beautifully done; if you like the first video of the street performers, you'd would love this place. People around us knew all the songs and sang with the performers. It's a place full of joy and, at times, dancing. Last night, an elderly man, a definite extrovert, got up and sang opera in between sets. His friend (his son?) fell asleep at the table next to ours. We left about 3 a.m., found the buses lined up to take people home. Ours was full, complete with twenty people standing up and holding on. Back to home and bed by 4:30.

Mira Ninita

I ended my blog yesterday with versus of the song Mira Ninita (again, can't do the tilda because I'm on an English keyboard). We researched it today. The song was written in 1972 by a Chilian rock band, the Los Javais. Here is a link to youtube to hear them sing the song. Please copy and paste in your browser because I can't seem to get the link to work correctly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8cC-D8L02I Also, here are a couple short videos taken in Valparaiso:

The Yo Yo and Valparaiso

Our Room at the Yo Yo
We do live it up, don't we?

Believe it or not, I have fond memories despite the bad bed and the mildew. Bill thinks he got flea bites. VERY nice people, though. Lisa from Scotland, a Spanish teacher, spending her summer break working at the hostel and in Valparaiso. There was Hoss and Jamie, two American teachers, becoming sweethearts; and Roberto, the man on the midnight to dawn shift, polite and helpful, offering tea and calls to taxi cabs in the early morning hours after we'd gone to the folkloric club. We didn't want to go to sleep in case we might miss the 6 a.m. bus to La Serena.

We went back to Valparaiso and the club just before we left. After a taxi hurled us through the streets at 4 a.m. to find the bus station was closed, where else would we go to share a couch and have a blanket put over us?

Valparaiso is a small city just south of its more refined cousin, Vina Del Mar. I loved it: bohemian, artistic, a bit seedy in spots, hills to climb like in San Francisco, breathtaking views, glorious architecture, music, and murals. The helado (ice cream) in Chile are delicious everywhere, and are much like gelato, but the portions seemed to be extra big in Valpo.

See what I mean about the view?














A photographer's dream. Everywhere you look, scenes perfect for pictures.

We climbed to the top of the town, back down for lunch, then up another steep hill to Neruda's house. There are ascensores, funiculars to help with the hills. We just never came across one. Probably a good thing considering the helados.

Many street vendors, more great alpaca sweaters and hats. Families shopping on downtown every night until nine o'clock. We were warned that Valparaiso was dangerous. If we had gone down certain streets at night, it probably would have been. Well, I wouldn't walk through the Tenderloin at 2 a.m either.

On the nights we went to the club, young people were still on the street when it let out, no doubt wondering who these old farts were. Both times we came back to the Yo Yo, a charming young French woman was cooking (so sorry I haven't retained her name!). The first morning she was baking a tart; the second morning she had potatoes in a pot for gnocchi.

If you go to Valporaiso, please go to El Gato en la Ventana. It's on Simmons, up the hill just a way from the main streets, on the left. It doesn't open until ten. Music starts between midnight and twelve thirty. If you order a cuba libre, you won't get a lime. Instead your glass will be filled a third of the way with rum. Good thing, too, because it was cold until the dancing started. If you don't smoke, well . . . I kept telling myself that one night of inhaling probably wouldn't kill me. There was such joy in the room. Live for the moment!

The audience joined in traditional songs and danced euphorically as the night went on. The music is mostly acoustic and loud. The musicians are incredibly talented. Definitely, a night to remember.