12 Chilean Observations

We have been in Chile now for about 2 weeks and it has been such a change from the ease of Australia and New Zealand...and I'm not even talking about the language barrier...I am simply referring to things like food, culture, and just getting around. Honestly, getting around has not been too painful, but riding on various buses and having to walk miles with heavy bags to bus stations is quite the opposite of joy riding around free as larks in a Jucy. Oh how we miss our Jucy girl, but I digress. This past week has acted as a readjustment period for us and has really broken us back into the way of the traveller...carrying giant backpacks everywhere, stealing food from the free breakfasts offered at the hostels, cramming as much food into our mouths at said free breakfast, doing only free activities around each city (and some of them are just dire), sometimes being stuck somewhere shit for a few days and on and on.
We have made some very interesting observations since travelling around Chile thus far, though we have only been to a few different cities. However, it is important to note that these observations have been quite apparent in each and every one of these cities, which makes me think that they will continue to be a staple throughout the whole of this long old string bean of a country. Below you will find a list of 10 things we have noticed about Chile and Chileans for your perusal. To note, these are probably gross generlizations, but I bet that if you came to Chile, you too would make the same observations.
1) There are hundreds, maybe even thousands of opticians down every street corner...I kid you not. Al and I counted 23 opticians down one street alone. Interestingly enough, very few Chileans are seen wearing glasses though.
2) Chileans LOVE icecream. They eat it every single day and there are almost as many ice cream parlours and gelaterias as there are opticians.
3) Chileans love to water their lawns and/or gardens not only at the worst time of the day (the heat of the late afternoon), but they also love to drown the poor lawns and gardens. They can be seen hosing one section for hours until it becomes a muddy pool of dirt and leaves that then runs down the side of the road or hill and floats away down the street.
4) Dog whistles, hisses, kissing sounds and cat calls to "attract" women are not uncommon. If you do happen to turn your head, this will be met with a toungue gesture that is too disgusting to explain in detail.
5) Despite the name of the country, Chileans DO NOT like spicy food at all so don't be fooled.
6) Women LOVE to wear extremly tight, light coloured and ill-fitting trousers that cause a camel toe. I think the camel toe look is actually quite a coveted look and they may actually purchase trousers that are a few sizes too small to create said look.
7) Chilean men stare at women's vaginas when they are walking down the street. This may be a direct result of number 7 on the list, but they even look at non-camel toe vaginas as well.
8) It would appear the the mid-nineties has just hit Chile by way of music, as one of the bands that will be preforming to sold out crowds in the next few months is Iron Maiden. Additionally, most people wear tight black leather or pleather trousers with heavy metal rock band t-shirts such as Pantera, Skid Row, Slip Knot and so many more.
9) Facial peircings seem to have just hit it big over here as well. The eyebrow ring in particular seems to be the most popular with various lip and cheek peircings following suite...this too seems quite 1990s, though I know that Marilyn peircing is a bit more modern and many Chileans are rocking that Marilyn...mostly boys!
10) Chileans do not fear diabetes.
11) As my mom reminded me, Chileans believe that nuts are a vegetable not a protein...I have been boycotting nuts since our arrival in Chile so I can see why this one slipped my mind in the initial 10 Observations blog.
12) All Chileans, old and young, enjoy public displays of affection that are so theatrical and intense that they appear to be similar to sex scenes in movies.