Music

I like different kinds of music and groups and for this it is very difficult to decide for one. In general I listen to pop and traditional Chilean music.

One of my favourite pop groups is Mecano formed by Ana Torroja, Nacho y José María Cano, because their songs have a particular sound with the electronic mixes specially in their beginning when they worked together with Hans Zimmer for example.

This Spanish trio, very popular in the 80s, have six cds approximately but also they have records of concerts and material not published. My favourite material is a dvd with a live concert at the end of the 90s because I enjoy the voice of Ana at that time. They separated and nowadays everyone does their own careers as singers but it is not the same.

In my romantic side, I like Laura Pausini. Last year I went to the concert at the Movistar Arena, her vocal quality is incredible and she is very nice.

In the traditional Chilean music I really like Violeta Parra. I consider that she is an important woman because she collected different musical forms through our own country and she showed them in other countries such as France. The contents of her songs refer to elements of our own culture and she does social criticism with this. She was a great artist because she practiced the music and at the same time she was painter and sculptress for example. I recommend you her website: http://www.violetaparra.cl/.

Also I like Congreso because they are spectacular musicians; I attended a concert this year in the Municipal Theatre and the musical quality was fantastic.

Well, I think that the music and his its different kinds are element very important for our culture.

Lastarria

After the Bicentenario weekend and all the movement, food, travels, meetings with family and friends, it would be good to do any activity or visit a place to relax.

Well, I don’t know very well Santiago, but to relax I walk regularly on the Santa Lucía hill and to see Santiago from the top. After going to the hill, it is interesting to go to the neighborhood Lastarria and to go to El Biógrafo Cinema.

I discovered the neighborhood Lastarria when I studied architecture and I drew sketches of the road and buildings. But I knew El Biógrafo Cinema because a friend invited me. Her boyfriend worked in that place and for this reason we can get in for free... huhu. This place is very special because it is an art cinema, and keeps the form of the old cinemas. I know the “cojo”... he is a very nice and interesting man.

In Lastarria you can find many restaurants, coffee shops, arts galleries, cultural centres, museums, and some days there is an antiquefair.

I don’t remember exactly the times that I’ve been to that place, but maybe, at least, ten and the most of the time I go with any friend.

To conclude, I recommend that place because has a beautiful architecture, you can do different activities and it has a great historical value. Also, for its characteristics is an important place in the cultural landscape of Santiago.

To visit this place I think that you should have money, but walking along is also good activity.

The National Holidays

I will celebrate this special national holiday in Chimbarongo. I'm going to be with my family and it’s very important for me because on 21th of September is my birthday, and I will celebrate these days before returning to Santiago.

I think that for this celebration isn’t necessary to spend much money, it’s depends on the person, for example, my family spends money especially in food… my mother cooks tasty empanadas!!

I like the week of the National Holiday to rest, and the possibility of doing funny things such as flying kites. Also I would like to learn to dance cueca.

Regarding to the celebrations of our bicentenary I think, that this isn’t very special because the authorities and the government do a show with this, we can see the use of the image of our national heroes, the monuments, etc… and the creation of an national imaginary based on wrong interpretations of our history, for example, as Gabriel Salazar says, the recent closeness of the monuments of Carrera and O’Higgins as a form of reconciliation has no sense. I think that is funny to celebrate but also it is the moment to do a necessary and real reflection about our country, for example about the situation of Mapuche and the public education.