MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Independence Day holidays celebrates Chile

Last Saturday kicked off a record five days of “Fiestas Patrias” celebrations, as the entire nation celebrates its Declaration of Independence from Spain, declared nearly two centuries ago. Most work came to a grinding halt Friday at mid-day, as thousands prepared for a quick exit to coastal or mountain retreats, or a fun-filled weekend of dance and music at the hundreds of 'fondas' that will dot city and rural landscapes during the five day celebration.

This year's celebrations are longer than normal, as Chileans relish an extra day to celebrate their country's birthday. This - after Chile's Parliament declared today, Monday, September 17, a special public holiday. September 17 is what is normally described in Chile as a "sandwich" day, as it falls between the weekend of September 15-16 and the "Fiestas Patrias" national holidays on September 18-19. The resulting five-day break will be the longest public holiday of any country in Latin America. With this extra time off, Chileans will be able to enjoy the typical "Fiestas Patrias" food even more than ever. A traditional menu consisting of an empanada, a kebab, and a glass of chicha liquor will cost between US$4 and US$8.50 at most celebration venues. Other "Fiestas Patrias" staples include beer, soft drinks, beans, and potatoes. Still, health experts at the Universidad Andres Bello warned that, after five days of consuming such fatty foods, Chileans could easily put on an extra four or five pounds. For some Chileans, the extra day off will also translate into more travel time. According to Sernatur, four million Chileans are planning to take a holiday over the break. Transit authorities expect over 200,000 vehicles to exit the greater Santiago Metropolitan area Friday and Saturday. Santiaguinos will be leaving the city in quest of a more rural kind of experience, in the mountains or at the ocean side, seeking quality time with family and friends. Popular domestic destinations include such Region IV and Region V towns as La Serena and Valparaiso. Sernatur, the government's tourism promotion agency, reported last Thursday that Region IV appears to be an especially popular this year, as hotels in La Serena, Coquimbo, and the Elqui Valley will be at capacity this weekend. Meanwhile, travel agencies have also reported that jet-setting Chileans plan to take off to such international destinations as Mendoza and Buenos Aires, Argentina and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Meteorologists warned that most regions throughout Chile will experience less-than-desirable weather during the national holiday celebration. They predict frequent showers, along with temperatures in the 50s in southern Chile towns such as Valdivia and Pucon. Meanwhile, cloudiness will pervade in the Central Valley and Norte Chico. Temperatures should be slightly warmer in those areas. Jeannette Calderón, a meteorologist at Chile's Meteorological Association, elaborated on Santiago's forecast: "In Santiago, the week will be mostly cloudy with occasional sunshine. The high temperatures will not go above 17 or 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit). Meanwhile, because it will be so cloudy, the low temperatures will be quite chilly â€"somewhere around 4 or 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit)." The Santiago Times staff will be partaking in the celebrations, too, which means we are sharing with you early this week a variety of essays about Chile – rather than our normal hard news coverage. The newspaper will be back in the grove with full news reporting on Thursday, September 20. The Santiago Times