spot the deliberate mistake

i know, i know...my grammar is appalling; i do know the difference between there and their, even though it doesn't appear to be the case below......

Let it snow -- yeah right

Okay, so it's officially summer tomorrow, but it's officially hot already. Actually, before you all turn green with envy, I know I am very lucky, but 34 degree heat can be a bit testing when you've got things to do! The streets of Santiago are mad busy with people buying there last minute Christmas presents and I guess they will just get busier....I'm trying to avoid the shopping malls now, but had to venture into one yesterday (still no tree am afraid, but I did buy some lights for the balcony to make it look more Christmassy), and they were playing yet another ironic festive song....'Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....' In your Chilean dreams, mate.
Well, I'm happy to say that Jon has arrived safely and will be here for the next few weeks. I'm working pretty much right up to Christmas, which is fine with me, as it's going to be a quiet one, although we have been invited to a Christmas party on Friday and then we have the annual ritual Christmas run, up to the top of one of the hills in the city. The same one we went up for Virgin's day...evil, truly evil (not the day, the run). Oh, well, not much else to report. I was very glad that Big Cuz is up to posting messages on the blog...welcome and hope you're feeling a lot better. And, in answer to FG's request Crapbiggles is Pip...you remember from the pub at Matt and Cat's wedding...how could you forget! I hope he won't mind me giving his identity away. Righteo, have to go and prepare for an interview.
Besos
xxx

Treeless in Santiago

I cannot believe it....
Went to the supermarket today, hoping to make myself feel more seasonal by buying a fake tree...but no such luck. How on earth can they be treeless in the week before Christmas? Had to suffice with beer and a bouquet of flowers instead. Still the latter has sunflowers in - my favourite flower - and the former is for Jon when he arrives on Tuesday. Still no idea what I am doing for Christmas. Doesn't really matter I suppose. I'll be thinking of friends and family and sending loads of love from afar.
Feliz natal
xxx

Hannah in Ipanema

Girl from Ipanema

Apols for absence of any recent posts, but I have been away for a few days in one of the most spectacular cities I have ever visited. It's such a cliche, but it really is tough to find words to describe Rio. It surpasses expectations, defies stereotypes, oozes sensuality, and a kind of passion that I've never experienced before. I've just got back today and I could happily have stayed there for so much longer. I was staying in Leblon, which is one beach down from Ipanema and in the mornings I ran down the beach, sharing the shoreline with hundreds of people - running, walking, cycling, enjoying Rio. I know they say people in Brazil are some of the most beautiful in the world, and, I have to admit, I was a little scared to put on my bikini, but I don't think that is necessarily the case...yes, there are some incredibly aesthetically blessed individuals, but more than anything, whatever they look like they seem to have an appetite for life that I found incredibly contagious.
I have to admit, I did do the whole tourist thing -- and went up to the Sugar Loaf and the views were quite spectacular even though they were slightly obscured by an unusual amount of cloud. I also took the cog train up to the Christ, which I found slightly disappointing, perhaps because it was so touristy. But, my favourite moment, apart from just hanging out on the beach and enjoying watching the Cariocas (the Rio residents) and feeling happy, was going to watch a friend of mine (who I had in part gone to visit) play in a local low-key football game. It was at a little ground with a bar and dozens of people from the neighbourhood came to watch the two teams play and as the beer and food flowed, some of them broke into song -- accompanied by a guitar. Football and music in Brazil. Magic.

thoughts from a broad

Isn't it funny how sometimes you can be in the middle of a city of millions of people, hearing the sound of party goers, of people travelling home after work and readying themselves for a relaxing bank holiday, and feel quite alone? I really treasure my own company, but sometimes I think it would be really nice to have the company of someone you care about who cares for you too....not just the presence of someone for the sake of it, but the comfort of knowing that there is someone there by you, for you. I don't want to sound melodramatic, or like I am wallowing in self-pity, because I know there are dozens of friends and family members who are there for me, but I miss the physical touch and presence of people when I live by myself and I work from home. I suppose it's a compromise I make in this amazing life I lead, full of boundless opportunities to travel and limitless horizons that would make many people green. I hope I'm not coming across as grumbling.....just feeling a little bit alone. I'll be fine tomorrow...once the bank holiday is over and perhaps after receiving a few emails to perk me up.
I really have nothing to worry about though.....am thinking about Big Cuz a lot and all that she has been through and how damn brave she is....and how she's got the best family en el mundo.

It feels funny writing Christmas cards when the weather is still warm. I went to the supermarket yesterday, with the intention of buying a mini Christmas tree to make myself feel more seasonal, but I came away with a juicer and loads of fresh fruit, which is good, but not the plan. Christmas is supposed to be cold. They were playing carols in the shop, which reminded me of a time I was in Peru, for my first warm Christmas and they were playing 'I'm dreaming of a white Christmas in the 30 degree heat in an open-door shopping centre on the edge of the coast call Larcomar. No chance of a white Christmas here and the white sprinklings on top of the mountains I can see from the window seems to reducing by the day. Perhaps my inability to think about Christmas yet is because I haven't been here for very long and I have no idea what I am going to be doing on Christmas day. Jon is coming to stay, which will be nice, but we are fairly hopeless at planning things in advance. The other thing I realised the other day is that I think Chileans are confused. They call Christmas 'Pascua', which is what the Peruvians call Easter. Now, someone was trying to explain to me the other day why they call it Pascua and Easter Pascua de la Resureccion, I bet Fairy G would know. And tomorrow is the day of the Immaculate Conception, which means a holiday here...yippee. My friend Mark is coming down from Lima and I am really excited about seeing him, because we haven't seen each other for months and I really miss him. Anyhow, better go and make some pretence of working. I went to yoga for the second time in my life yesterday, after joining a cute little gym around the corner, and am in a little bit of pain, but that's no excuse....
Hope to hear from you soon. Please everyone send good thoughts to my Big Cuz, who's going into hospital today.
The Chilean One
xxxx

Vina, vino and tired, but happy

I've had a great weekend. I have just returned, resplendent from my first race in Chile, having won a prize as the first woman in the open category (which apparently means when you don't run according to your age); not that it really matters, it was just great fun and the club that I am running with are incredibly friendly, the place I went to - Vina del Mar - was one of the most beautiful places I have been to in a long long time, the run was along the coast, the glass of wine last night in preparation was fab, and all-in-all, I am, as they say, muy contenta. I know people think it's a bit insane that I like running, and I know runners can get a little sad when they talk about it all the time, but suffice to say, this was a wonderful way to spend the weekend and we finished it off with a lovely lunch, overlooking the yacht club and the bay, drinking more vino and a little bit of cerveza. Have just got back, tired, but satisfied, with lots of new friends, a bit of a sun tan, a weekend out of Santiago (which is great in itself), a new personal best 10k time, a medal and a big smile on my face. I hope you are all happy. Hugs and kisses.
xxxx

Chilean palates

My Chilean palate is feeling rather fragile this morning, after a rather big night out with an English friend. I feel like if I open the curtains I might do what gremlins do, but I thought it necessary to clarify the male profile thing for Fairy G. Unfortunately, it's not as interesting as it sounds....the box defaulted to the wrong thing on my profile tis all and ended up saying I was a boy and not a girl...
Right when I think of something intelligent or creative or when my fingers stop being drunk, I will write.
x