La Salsoteca!

Saturday evening was our first official night out in Santiago. We pregamed at our apartment complex, then left for the Salsoteca, again in the Bellavista neighborhood close to where we ate lunch. As we departed the taxis, I realized indeed we were right in front of the graffiti I had been taking pictures of that day.

The club had a 6 dollar entrance fee for hombres, with a half price charge for women which we all grudgingly forked over. Initially, the place was a dissapointment as well, with the time being close to midnight yet the place almost empty. I had my first pisco sour, of which had been talked about a lot, a mixture of Pisco (South American liquor) mixed with lemon and lime, and sometimes an egg white (?). The music was loud and festive, salsa being the flavor of the establishment obviously. As I worked on my pisco sour, I realized that all of sudden the club had gotten packed without me noticing it. As my inhibitions wore down thanks to the liquid courage, I slowly decided that I could and would dance, having taken only a couple hours of salsa lessons in Costa Rica yet ready to make up for any lack of knowledge with enthusiasm.

Sure enough, post-pisco sour I was out on the floor, sharing friendly dances with at least half of the girls on the trip. I love my girlfriend Carson back home, so I wasn't trying to get anything more then a dance out of these girls, and sure enough it was a relaxed and casual atmosphere. I would dance for a couple songs, go back to our table and drink a little beer, then run back and go dancing with another girl. One of the things I really enjoyed about salsa dancing vs. American dancing is there is a notable absence of "grinding", which I enjoy but tends to put a sexual feel into dancing. Salsa is more proper, with distance maintained between bodies that eliminates the sort of sexual tension that comes from two people rhythmically grinding their groins together.

The highlight of the evening was Josh's Chilean girlfriend, a seriously drunk middle-aged woman that he somehow ended up being followed by. He must have flirted with her briefly, but by the time he realized what was happening, it was too late. The woman was hilarious, as she would not leave him alone, following him from the Salsoteca onto the street, then into another club. Friendly enough, but evidently hellbent on getting in Josh's pants. She was ultimately escorted out of the second club we went to, to the relief of Josh and amusement of others present.

Bedtime was achieved after 4 AM, closer to the vicinity of 5. I fell asleep heavily anticipating the next day, with the promise of fire spinning in the park....