Green parrots, stray dogs and starched aprons

Yesterday during a mundane trip to the supermarket to do the weekly bumper shop while gazing upwards at the glorious seasonal colours on offer I happened to spot a bright green parrot flying overhead and diving over a wall. Peeping through the gate on the corner we saw the enclosed courtyard was full of the creatures, all vivid pea-green with bluish wings and tails, a sight one doesn't often see back home while nipping to Tesco... It reminded me of the sense of wonder of being in a new land, an effect which has worn off a lot recently as we become more and more accustomed to our not-so-new surroundings. However two other aspects of everyday life which were apparent at the beginning of our adventure have also become "normal" but may be worth mentioning at this point and these are stray dogs and starched aprons (not together but often in close proximity for their ubiquity). Back in the centre of Santiago stray dogs were almost as numerous as the various street-traders occupying patches of territory outside metro stations or calmly wandering alongside pedestrians as they went about their daily business. At first our reaction was one of extreme vigilance in case of aggression (especially at child-level) but we soon realised the dogs were and are mainly benign animals, previously someone's pet but now turned loose to find their own fortune (or not). There seems to be a mutual tolerance between human and dog which would be encouraging were it not for the hygienic and humanitarian implications plus there is sometimes the odd canine creature who doesn't quite seem to be man's best friend...

As for the starched aprons, these belong to the army of workers in the service industry, otherwise known as "nanas" and usually women employed as domestic helps by the classes who can. What surprised me most was the strict adherence to the uniform, of various colours and cuts but generally checked and buttoned over the shoulder. It has since been explained to me that it is for clarity of position although it does feel a bit Upstairs, Downstairs for the twenty-first century. But that's Chile for you...