The Seventh Day

Today was our day of rest, and it was definitely needed. After waking up later than I have in a long time, we hung around for a little bit and then went to a late lunch. We went to a place that had wraps and gyro type sandwiches, and it was very tasty. We came back and hung out for a couple of hours, and then, around six, left to go a soccer game. The game, between the local team from Viña del Mar and a team from the north of Chile, near Peru, was a truly authentic experience. Although the stands were not completely full, the fans that were at the game were downright crazy. The cheering section behind the goal was jumping and chanting the whole time, and when their team scored a goal, they unfurled a huge flag that covered the entire cheering section. The wild fans, combined with the descending fog, made the game a surreal experience. You can truly see how crazy the Chileans are about their soccer.

The game ended in a tie, and clearly the home fans were upset. It seemed like the home team was supposed to kill the visitors, and everyone was on edge as the clock ran down. One interesting aspect of the cheering is that instead of booing, the fans whistled when something against their favor occurred. They did this frequently, whether it was at the refs, the opposing team, or even one of their own players, if they made a mistake. It was definitely worth braving the cold to receive such an authentic experience.