Learning our Way Around

We have been in Santiago for almost a month and have done a pretty impressive job of learning our way around the city on public transport. The bus and metro system here is clean and reasonably cheap. Best of all, kids are free! I have learned that on some days, all the planets must be aligned in order for the first bus that passes to actually stop and pick me up. Sometimes it is apparently just too much work for the driver to pull all the way over to the right lane and apply the brakes. Initially I cursed them out, threw stones at the back of the bus, and threw my body into the street in front of the bus, who promptly swerved around me. So now I just walk to another stop which seems to have more luck. I consider getting to work every day an interesting adventure now. I will probably keep taking the bus after we get a car because the traffic is miserable and apparently the tolls cost $5 each way during rush hour on the lovely highway that was constructed by some investors from Spain.

We have been so busy the last few weeks. It was the Bicentenial Independence Day celebration which means the whole country partied for like a week. We actually had Friday and Monday off work and, get this... everything, I mean EVERYTHING, was closed from Friday night until Tuesday morning. Legally grocery stores were not allowed to open so the employees could go enjoy the festivities. Even pharmacies were closed. But there were festivals everywhere and we went to a few. I'll post pictures later.

I celebrated my birthday on Sunday by doing my first road race in Chile. It was only a 5K because I got there too late (stupid bus!) and the registration for the 10K was closed. But it turned out perfectly because Athena decided (completely voluntarily without me twisting her arm at all:) ) to run it with me as a B-Day gift to me. We ran side by side and she did great. I was encouraging her the whole way and slowing down to let her catch up and then with a few hundred yards to go, she sees the finish line and takes off like a bat out of hell and leaves me behind! Some birthday present!