Wednesday 13th of October, 2004
There are no naked people
Up at somewhere around 9:30 - I was confused about whether there was or wasn't currently a difference between Argentinean and Chilean time, and have lost track of exactly where I got up. Anyway, Sitting in its shorter travel mode, then coffee and Spanish lessons. I ask to have various tenses explained to me. At the time of writing I've forgotten them all, so will ask again tomorrow over coffee. Perhaps by Sunday some of it will stick.
Out for Lunch later - a v. fine and venerable vegetarian restaurant called El Naturista. There are no naked people, whatever the name might imply. I have what turns out to be mushroom, egg and chips, although very haute cuisine, and with a florid Spanish name. Apparantly if this weren't a vegetarian restaurant, it would be sausage, egg and chips and it would be a traditional Chilean dish. For dessert, panqueques with manjar - delicious, though not as obscene as the one I had in Mendoza.
On the way back from Lunch, I buy the new Tortoise album and the double-album version of David Sylvian's Gone to Earth (the CD version has been missing several tracks for years).
Out to the Matucana 100, an art gallery, where Vinka the photographer is on - she'll be covering the work of the artist in residence, Federico Assler, for a few weeks. I take along my camera as well, and do my own shots (comparing these with Vinka's, later on, teaches me an awful lot about photography, I have to say). Mr Assler seems to be a good man, and I like his work, which is monumental and organic. He's currently carving out of huge polystyrene blocks that will later be cast in concrete. His latest work is for a public housing project, an a few members of that particular public are visiting to see what they are getting. I also get to try out an 80-200 telephoto lens. Oooh! Fun!
To a cafe with lots of boho detailing (and customers) for empanadas and (for me) coffee and strawberry juice, which may have been a bit excessive. Then back to the flat.
Comparing photos and introducing V to the wonders of iPhoto. Arnaldo comes round to pick up a chair that one of the Zumists was sleeping on. Soon to bed as I'm tired.
