To start the celebrating we went to the City Council Building in Providencia (just a couple of blocks from our apartment) for some entertainment. It had rained the day before and looked a little threatening this day, but the weather cooperated. They filled the plaza with chairs and covered each one with a white cover. I guess it creates jobs for the laundry folks.
This is the front of the building from where we were sitting. They have a military band start things off that marches in from the street and end up standing for the whole hour plus performance.
In the distance you can see the band with their "strange" hats. Another group of "cadets" were to the right of them wearing white hats. We couldn't figure out what they were doing until the end when they sang some military song. I don't think they were actually a choir as everybody in Chile "thinks" they can sing.
But these guys really can sing. They are called Los Cuatro Cuartos, which means the four quarters. I don't know why there are five of them. But they sang songs depicting the War of the Pacific between Chile and two countries, Peru and Bolivia. They have been singing this program for 40 years and are a national treasure of their own. They awarded each one a plaque at the end so they must have a building full of them. But it was really enjoyable and we'll be here next year to hear them again.
To start the celebrating we went to the City Council Building in Providencia (just a couple of blocks from our apartment) for some entertainment. It had rained the day before and looked a little threatening this day, but the weather cooperated. They filled the plaza with chairs and covered each one with a white cover. I guess it creates jobs for the laundry folks.
This is the front of the building from where we were sitting. They have a military band start things off that marches in from the street and end up standing for the whole hour plus performance.
In the distance you can see the band with their "strange" hats. Another group of "cadets" were to the right of them wearing white hats. We couldn't figure out what they were doing until the end when they sang some military song. I don't think they were actually a choir as everybody in Chile "thinks" they can sing.
But these guys really can sing. They are called Los Cuatro Cuartos, which means the four quarters. I don't know why there are five of them. But they sang songs depicting the War of the Pacific between Chile and two countries, Peru and Bolivia. They have been singing this program for 40 years and are a national treasure of their own. They awarded each one a plaque at the end so they must have a building full of them. But it was really enjoyable and we'll be here next year to hear them again.
