Security!

(Sorry no posts lately; we've been moving into our house.)

Just going shopping down here can be frightening with all of the security, until I realized that it's just part of the culture. For example: go to any grocery store (Jumbo is my favorite) or shopping mall and there are security guards at every entrance. There are security guards on bikes in the parking lots, at the malls - even in the hardware stores. I am just getting used to it.

Then there's the security in the neighborhoods. I found a house for rent at the base of the Andes and while the neighborhood is peaceful and appears safe, every lot seems like a compound, surrounded by high walls and some with electric fences. We have a 6ft.+ tall brick wall topped by very sharp - but delicately pretty - iron spikes. There's also a house alarm (which the owner said he never used) and a neighborhood "watch" security guy that drives around the neighborhood. I feel like I'm waiting for Armageddon. That said, it's a pretty safe city from what I hear, as far as big cities go (knock on wood.)

Detail of the day: Instead of 911 for everything, there are 3 different numbers. The police (carabineros, not policia) are one number, the firemen (bomberos) another and the ambulance still another.