Sounds of Chile
*The metallic cawing of the Queltehue or Treile birds flying low at dusk across the fallow winter fields.

*The clippity-clop of a team of horses pulling a cart full of gravel and holding at bay the honking grumbles of motorized traffic.

*The  sweet melody of the Pentecostal faithful accompanied by banjos, guitars, tambourines and trumpets as they sing and walk two by two along the sidewalk.

*The terrifying rumble of undulations deep under ground rocking foundations, rattling windows, cracking walls and walking sleepers into hushed fear.

*Hammers from the construction site across the street beating to the rhythm of Mexican "ranchero" music.

*Laughter and screams of children playing in brightly painted playgrounds in tree shaded parks.

*The high pitched wail of the city siren, wailing a test at noon each day and otherwise urgently mustering volunteer fire fighters.

*Screeching tires and gunning motors of illegal midnight drag races down the newly paved avenue in front of my house.

*The crunching richness of bright leaves carpeting the mountain path at the Shalom Center.   

*The cacophony of the "chinchinero", the "one man band" playing and dancing on the street corner down town.

*The poorly pronounced English of my house mate as she cleans wearing her headset and singing along, at the top of her lungs, to American pop music.