Did I mention they have seafood here in Southern Chile? Every morning we open our eyes to the daily reminder of the myriads of sea creatures, available for the enjoyment of our taste buds. Our living and dining room windows overlook a tiny canal that runs between us and the Island of Tenglo. Boats, large and small, navigate this passage way bringing home the bounty of the sea. Just the other day, Kim and I went for a walk on the muddy beach, that was made larger, on account of the receding tide. Dodging tin cans and old rubber wading boots, we wove in between rusted out hulls of ancient boats once sea worthy, and modern day marvels that with a bit of repair, still manage to float. We took notice of several folks down by the waters' edge, with buckets and hoes, that appeared to be harvesting some manner of dinner from the rocky mud. I immediately wanted to obtain the skills required to "find" my supper on a whim, right outside my back door. We asked the gentleman what he was searching for, he politely informed us that he was collecting mariscos, and went on his way.
Later that week we crossed the canal by rowboat, so that Kim could meet up with her Spanish tutor (Eliana), and I could explore the hilly terrain of the island with Felipe and Roberto by mountain bike. It was a good day. I followed up the downhill trek of the island by playing a quick soccer game (in the rain) with Felipe, Roberto and Eliana's husband Ricardo. I am pleased to announce that even though I am sorely out of shape, Felipe and I took the Field by storm, leveling every thing in our path, and finishing up with a 7 point victory!
We joined Kim and Eliana for coffee and a round of maté, while our shoes and socks dried by the stove. It was a good day. As we returned home that evening, I asked Roberto and Felipe if they could fill us in on the secret to nabbing some mariscos right in our back yard. Felipe said, "no, there aren't any mariscos in this canal, you have to go elsewhere to get them." Hmmm, that's funny, we saw people collecting them here a few days ago. "Yes, but they are mariscos of a different flavor" he said. A different flavor? Yes, a different flavor. He then informed us that most of the toilets of the houses along the shore, empty their contents into the water below. Ohhhh.... So I guess we will not be enjoying any of the mariscos from the canal behind our house.
In case you are wondering, mariscos are shellfish (clams, muscles,etc...).
No comments:
Post a Comment