Sergio From Toronto

March 6 2013
Sergio from Toronto
Finally we are inside South America after a false start leaving Miami. Towed back to the gate because of an engine misfire. Now we are enduring an 8 hour stay at Santiago International where we hope to be in Buenos Aires by nightfall.

Whilst waiting on the tarmac - and ultimately missing our connecting flight - we talked at length with an Chilean ex pat returning for a visit. He was one if those rare individuals that are easy to find instantly likable.

Sergio, now 60, had escaped Chile 35 years ago under Pinochet because "People were killing each other over ideas! Crazy." Sergio was a storyteller and knew when to pause, when to gently raise the the tone of voice for enhanced effect and draw you in deeper. He wore a black chapeau like a revolutionary from old Spain. "I love jazz and the blues. I travelled to St. Louis. Wonderful music, a whole street with great music." His eyes sparkled as he launched into reverie after reverie and shared with us not only his past but things we had to experience in both Argentina and Chile.

He stood obstinately in the aisle and made the bathroom goers and stewardesses work around him so he could keep talking to us. In Spanish the purser asked him to sit down as she wielded a tray of waters meant to appease the way-layed passengers. He did just long enough for her to make it by but grabbed a water from her out of turn because we were all the way at the bumpy back ass of the plane, in the third and second rows, and it would be several minutes and a few tray rounds before she made it back down to us.

In Buenos Aires the people are vampires! Restaurants will open at 10 at night and close at 10 in the morning. That is for eating, not drinking! But you will be very safe there. Like cities in Europe. No corruption like the small towns in the south of Argentina."

Sergio lived in Toronto. First a social science teacher here in Chile, then 9 years as a truck driver and the last stint as interpreter because he speaks French as well. "I love to camp, Jasper and Banff. but in the Rockies you have to watch out for grizzly bears- you will love Argentina. Very similar to British Columbia but no poisonous or dangerous animals. just some dAngerous people. Just, how you say, be aware."

One brother has moved back to Chile, one never left and two others live in Canada along with his sister, the oldest-  whom he says is the strongest person in the family. He is excited to meet up with the brother who lives here and another that is also visiting - and drink lots of wine.

"You know who else likes blues. A lot of blacks. That is something we do not have around here are many black people. Slavery was abolished here before Chile was a country so when they were freed they all left. They didn't like the climate. You find a few way north in Argentina."

Sergio is very laid back and soft spoken with his artsy hepcat glasses and roundish smooth but tan face and stubs of forgotten teeth which gives him a softer "s" sound. i later realize this is regional to Chile and Argentina - shuh for the double "l" and "y". Sergio eventually relieves himself of a ridiculously heavy-looking brown leather jacket.

"I love trains. The sound puts me to sleep and the chairs go back further. I cannot sleep on a plane or on busses. Not enough space. The train from British Columbia over the Rockies is amazing in winter and in summer, very different scenery but both beautiful. You know, they are building a train now from Chile and the west coast all the way over to the east coast. When Pinochet was in power he privatized  the trains and sold it off so our countries trains became terrible. In Argentina too so I never rode the train from Bariloche but I think now the train is finally running again to Viedma."

"You are not vegetarian are you? If you are it will be very expensive. You must eat beef - in the far south it is slow cooked over wood, medium rare, only flavored with salt. Incredible taste. In Chile you must eat empanadas." I asked home his favorite and he said without a seconds hesitation, "Beef!"

"I never smoked marihuana, just tobacco since I was 12. You know, my brother is a year younger and when he was 15 and my mom was doing laundry she found a joint in his clothes. She first told my older brother who was a cop. He said call the police to teach him a lesson. Our countries are different here, drugs are not tolerated. Oh, was crying when they hauled him off to the police station. He thought he was going to jail. My brother the cop took care of it but my younger brother, he learned. Now we all laugh about it. You know, things from the past, they are gone so you just need to laugh."

He told us he thinks many more people are choosing Cuba as a travel destination.  "I like Cuba. I have been many times. Very cheap to go there and its a three hour flight from Toronto. Raul Castro has said he will quit in 2018 but it will still say very socialist because they hate America so much. But hotels and things will become private. For years Americans come through Canada to visit Cuba. But next I want to go to Europe. It's becoming less expensive now."