Thrilling Tuesday

Kathryn >> The morning found us back at the Copiapo Museum for the third time, this time there appeared to be some activity within! A man exiting kindly told us in English that the museum was 'unemployed' because of a public sector strike, although encouraged us to go in and meet the director. The director enthusiastically showed us around, and seemed most proud of the items from the 'Los 33' exhibition about the rescue of the miners in 2010. The museum hosted the purpose built 'rocket' used to bring the miners 700m to the surface, as well as the note first sent up when the men where reached. The museum also sported a very cool mummified puma that had been found in a salt flat and was probably about 500 years old but incredibly well preserved. The rest of the museum held a small collection of relics from the local indigenous population as well as swords and revolvers from (we assume) the Spanish. Over lunch we discovered 'Limon soda' our new favourite beverage (the Chilean fast-food obsession also extends to over-sweetened juices and

fizzy-drinks) which had a refreshing acidity.
Returning to the hostal to laze about a little more, we found the owner doing some renovations (interesting as from our observations he appears to do very little most days!) Seizing the opportunity James asked him if he could cut a piece of particle board with his circular saw for us, so we could fix the foot extension in Azulita. Later, he took us to the hardware store, where apparently you can purchase a piece of particle board cut exactly to size - and only pay for what you want! Left feeling a little stupid we explained to him that such wonders don't exist in Australia.
In the evening I wandered around trying to find some cheese and ham, as we had resigned ourselves to eating the typical Chilean dinner of bread rolls. With little luck I headed to the unimarc supermarket (there are 3 on the same street less than 1km from each other) and admired the cold (and soggy looking) chips you can purchase from the deli! Joining the ever-long cues (think 30 minutes plus) I again admired the extraordinary pace at which the cashiers work.
Meeting Antanina in the evening again, we travelled to her house. Enroute she explained that the Chileans appear to never cook anything from scratch. We have not just been stuck in terrible touristic or fast food dominated areas... they really eat this shit! This,

along with their apparently laid back attitude to work she says has roots in the indigenous culture. Historically, during Spanish colonisation, Peruvian people were brought down to Chile to work as the Spanish were unable to make the locals work. The lack of any particularly unique or hand crafted things at the 'cultural fair' in the plaza may also be a product of this culture; as the indigenous people only took and made what they needed for day to day life. Antanina made a traditional Argentinian tea 'Yerba Mate' which is drunk from a cup made from a gourd, and drunk through a straw, and was VERY bitter, we let her go on consuming this alone - although everyone drinks from a communal cup! More to our taste were her amazing hand made chocolates and Argentinian 'Alfajores' an amazingly smooth biscuit filled with dulce de leche (caramelised condensed milk) and covered in chocolate!