This morning I woke up around 8:30 to go to Yoga at 10, it would be my first time here in Valpo, and I had debated between going today on my own, or going tomorrow with Sylvain on his way to class. I felt like getting my week started out with yet another new experience in Valpo, but I had this uncertain feeling that the studio would be closed. So when it was, I wasn't too surprised or disappointed. The cleaning lady seemed to tell me tomorrow it would be open, but whatever she was telling me, was mostly gobbledy gook to my ears. There are times when I can have a very successful exchange in Spanish, and others when I don't understand any of what my interlocutor is saying to me. This was one of those mornings because afterwards I went to this store to buy some large envelopes as I needed to send my last Netflix DVD back to the states- I had planned on keeping my subscription so I could download videos here in Valpo, but they don't let you, so I cursed them and canceled my subscription- FYI hulu and my daily dose of The Daily Show are also under "access denied" status. Instead of asking for an envelope- an unfamiliar word for me, I had planned on asking for a paper for the post office- figuring that if in addition I showed the envelope the Netflix DVD came in she would get the picture; but I said ficha de correo, which means nothing- essentially "a date of post office" eventually she brought me a large padded manilla envelope and then we worked from there to just large enough white envelopes which cost $250, but I saw $2500 and tried to overpay by almost 5 dollars. It was not my day, but this place was strange, you got helped at a counter, behind which all the products live, then you had to go- without your item to the cashier, pay for it, and receive a receipt, which you then took to another desk where you picked up your bagged item.
The Correo (post office) was another joke. I went in the other day and I literally walked up to the counter, which has never happened to me anywhere in America. Today there were 3 people in front of me, 3 old people. At most post offices there is an established queue, this one was roped off and you were meant to stand where the ropes ended. But this was not the case, all 3 old people were huddled up completely crowding the breathing space of old lady #4 trying to send a parcel somewhere to her granddaughter in Santiago probably. If I had had my camera with me, I would have taken a photo, if not a video to capture this scene, it was incredible. I have seen anxious customers hover, but this was unbelievable; not only because it was 3 people, but they were all short little pumpkin people. The parcel was taking a long time too, so it wasn't as if the line was moving much, finally the other desk became open and one of the biddies moved on, now there were just this old man and woman breathing down abuela's neck- literally keeping her warm with their body heat. They were touching her, if not gently jostling her- it didn't make any sense because you could tell the transaction wasn't even near over, abuela still had her crumpled money in her tiny fist. When grandpa moved on to the next window, the last old biddy figured her time was near and she literally moved in next abuela and put her hands on the counter next to her, as if they were sisters, together; but they weren't and when grandpa's transaction seemed to be going faster than abuela's she started moving around the girth of abuela to get to the other desk quick if it opened up first. It didn't and finally abuela's birthday parcel was sent and ready to arrive on Thursday. FYI it cost about $2 to send my Netflix DVD back to the states.
I came home and figured I'd just go for a jog, there is a lot going on in our neighborhood, and I wanted to check out what else I hadn't seen. Frankly there must be 20-30 hostels or bed and breakfast places within a half mile radius. I ran into a textile art place that was closed, but I will go back another time, and the Silver Jewelry place I saw my first night when Sylvain brought me to Pastis. The guy who makes the "joya" is Victor Hugo, self-taught and originally from Brasil, but has lived in Valpo for dozens of years. He works with lapis lazuli, amber etc, and has been to New York 4 times during the 90's. He was a handsome older man and we chatted for 10 minutes or so. His studio was right there in his house - he had turned a room in his small house into a studio/store, but it wasn't any bigger than some bathrooms I've been in, in the states.
When I got home I told Sylvain the kitchen was disgusting, and suggested he wash a few dishes. He figured, no, the cleaning lady was coming today. I said- but Sylvain, she doesn't come to wash our dishes and pick up after us- thats not the right attitude, she's not our slave- yup, I actually said that. But apparently I was wrong, because even Sarah who had had friends over last night, had a tray full of leftover food, and dirty dishes in the kitchen. It seemed to me like everyone but me had decided the last couple days that leaving their dirty dishes and food scraps out for the cleaning lady, was entirely appropriate. At first I just figured, well maybe she comes over and cleans for a few hours, and whatever she gets done, she gets done, but then I realized not only did she clean and wash everything in the kitchen and bathroom, but she made Sarah lunch... Well, apparently, she is paid well.
Here's a photo of the colorful shipping containers from the port when I visited the other day.
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