First of all, Andrea and I are safe and well thanks to our incredible host family. Mario, Gloria, Señora Blanca, Claudio, and Paloma have made us part of their family and, thusly, we have survived our first earthquake... for better or worse.
I had never before experienced an earthquake nor had I ever thought that in my life (the deep in the heart of Texas girl that I am) would I experience such a humbling force of nature.
Here are excerpts from what I wronte about the experience in my journal...
4 AM the ground underneath us tossing and turning restlessly awaking from its slumber finally. Awaking howling and moaning and roaring for the world to wake up with it. Or at least Chile.
I dont know how I woke up or what I was thinking but regardless suddenly found myself running after Andrea down the stairs into the kitchen to escape through the front door, only it was locked and without a key so we start to run back up but for the flickering lights and the crashing pots and plates, I couldn´t see a thing and I felt like the world was going to collapse on me.
But that´s the thing about fear, it rips all sense of rationality from your being and you´re left to deal with cataclysmic destruction and the dispair of hopelessness without method or manner. Just pure adrenaline and your basest emotions.
I felt scared. I didn´t see much of anything at all. I wasn´t looking. I was stuck in my head, trying to control my breath trying to control my panic. I felt the ground revolting against my feet and felt the roar of the earth pounding through my ears but I couldn´t see anything.
Or no. Gloria´s hand pale white gripping mine against the terrace rail. Confirmation. Something still holds steady in this world. -I am still here and I am with you.-
The tremors lasted more or less continuously until 1 the next afternoon (in reality, they havent yet subsided) . It seemed every time I began to shut my eyes the rumbling would commence anew. It´s not something instinctual, to react to your foundation crumbling beneath your feet. It´s not something you´d ever expect- that the earth so sturdy, so solid would perchance excert such a force. Terrifying. Humbling. You are so small by comparrison.
Not for her beauty, nor for her magnitude but if nothing else simply for the immensity of her power should humanity respect mother nature in all her capacity.
Sometimes chaos allows you to feel every emotion you keep bottled up inside your head all at once and it is empowering. Else it´s Posidon´s hand himself hammering down the most electrifying voltage of terror through your brain into your core.
Everything is fine now. Electricity was returned just a few days after the quake and water we fortunately had all along. The farm itself suffered no damage except for a few notable cracks in the road just beyond the fence. Plates and pots and glasses and wall hangings fell, shattered, etc. but all in all we were among the lucky ones. Thank you to everyone- your messages of concern, love, and support were very much appreciated. I miss home very much these days.
On a happier note, yesterday we purchased 3 sheep for the farm: Dolly, Pepe, and Pepa (or Rebecca-Andrea depending). Pepa is unreasonably moody but Dolly is sugary sweet. Pepe behaves like a dog.
Here are some photos of the farm house that Mario built. (It´s all recycled materials, hand constructed!!!)
(Oh and we made jam from the wild grapes!)
May I present to you Lady Dolly.
That´s all for now. I owe you many more stories and photos. I promise to deliver asap.
Love.
This is a "completo". It is the staple food of all good chileans. The huge bun isn´t so much nececcary because the hot dog itself is particularly large but rather beacuse you load it up with avocado, pickled vegetables, tomatoes, mayonaise, maybe some cheese, and then mustard and ketchup as you so desire... godzilladog??
We watched a sky diving competition in Valdivia.
Our lovely little kitchen at the pizzeria with Gloria and Carlitos posing.
The dining area of the pizzeria.
Empanadas de pino
Carlitos is always running around the shop. Mario is in the background fixin up some home made french fries for lunch.
We harvested mounds and mounds of the tiniest coconuts I´ve ever seen in my life. Andrea made some incredible coconut cake too.
Sometimes Mario and Carlitos make whisky from old beer and when you light it on fire it glows blue because its about 100 proof...
This is Sarah. She kind of stole my heart.
Outdoor market in Valdivia.
Chupón makes a really delicious after-meal liquor.
HUGE GARLIC!!!
HUGER MUSHROOMS!!!!
In Chile, blueberries (and raspberries as well) are dirt cheep, in an abundance, and divinely delicious.
Señora Blanca´s backyard. No joke.
Tomatoes and the Ends of the World. Ask me later...
Gloria preparing fresh sea urchins for lunch.
Señora Blanca preparing the... sea snails? (I think)
Lake in Carburga. The water was NOT temperate unlike Mario would have you believe.
La Moneda (like our White House) with Mario and Gloria.
Cacaca, the horse whisperer
Riding horses around La Vega where the farm is located. Please excuse my ridiculous face but the sun was very shiney that day. I didnt realize how awkward it looked until it was uploaded and blogger doesn´t allow me to delete photos once they´re up.
Terremoto, the old man pup.
I danced with the cowboys at a rodeo in the country...
... and Andrea played the güiro on stage!!!!
Viña del Mar
(I already told you she stole my heart)
