Of time and lack of identity

I am not so sure of what day it is, i've been more about locations than day and time, as anyone would be in this wonderful situation.

I have finally met someone last night who would openly speak to me about this country, this society, this land, its history, its nonsenses, joys and pains and its possible tomorrows. I couldn't stop asking questions, i was so hungry for insight from someone who loves this place and has grown up in it. And beyond all the stories and details of Zahel's life in Chile, we kept on coming back to the fact that the Chilean society and people have not found again their identity as a nation after the fall of the dictatorship... or was it that they never found a new one? And one can feel that when traveling through this beautiful country... people are a bit at a loss and that could partially explain why they wouldn't speak up (that and the old habits of living in a dictatorship where what you say may get you and your family killed)... I miss the people of the altiplano because they never lost their identity, they almost don't belong to any country, they are their own world... the Mapuche nation is hard to meet, see, know... it almost feels like they're still hiding when they fought so hard to survive and remain themselves... they're here, but you can't reach them it seems... i wish i had had more time in that region to try to get to know people more and learn about their ways and stories.

In any event, i spent a couple of hours with Zahel to learn everything he was willing to share, before it was too late, and we had to go to sleep. Today, he's leading a bunch of producers and filmmakers, who are working on a documentary for the european channel Arte, so he can continue telling the stories of his people, showing them how amazingly gorgeous his land is and sharing his hopes for Chile's tomorrows.

I am now waiting for Armelle to get ready, so we can go for a little more hiking around while chasing foxes (they are called Zorro here, i love it) and guanacos (cousins of the camels and vicuñas), and hopefully be able to catch a little boat that would take us at the bottom of Glacier Grey, if the weather holds and the winds allow it. Yesterday was made of violent winds and rain, snow in higher grounds, yet the sights remained lush and breathtaking... People here say that one can go through the 4 seasons in one day, i believe them, it is not hard to imagine such a day in such a rare insane place.

Heading back to Puerto Natales late tonight, via the terribly bad pistas that one must drive to get in and out of here, then it's Pancho the condor, lunch with Justine and Rene, goodbye's and see you's, leaving the car behind in Punta Arenas and hopping on a boat for 5 crazy days in the wild southern seas, to reach el fin del mundo. If anything goes wrong, i'm counting on the dolphins, as Gregory suggested, to come and save me so i don't become sharkfood and plancton, so i can return and tell you more stories :)))

Smiles and hugs