Some elements of our identity

The identity of the Chilean one of the things that sets us apart and the most valued by visitors to discover and experience. In Chile, there are clear differences between people always rush of big cities and towns of the valley, coast and mountains, where the pace of life calms down and the times are lengthened. Basically, and by way of stroke, the people of Chile and the Region of Rivers is friendly, open to foreign visitors, despite only 8% of them speak English fairly fluently, and with strong roots of identity the Chilean countryside, its main figure is the "huaso" synonymous with the local farmer which is typical for their sympathy and wit. The Chilean is generally characterized by their way of speaking Spanish quickly and speaking little or no end points, such as "s ", including a series of fads and ever renews invented words and include a strong dose of humor and mischief. The foreign traveler can lose a bit with this way of talking, but nationals are happy to let you know and understand its meaning and use. The language of the Mapuche people, Mapudungun, is present in the region of rivers, but tourists rarely get a chance to listen. Young Mapuche we hardly talk, but there are attempts to recover in schools in areas with high concentration of Mapuche population. In cities such as Valdivia, you may find people who speak the German language inherited from grandparents and great colonizers. Visually, the most distinctive physical features is the color brown or dull skin, medium height (1.60 m-1 women, 70 men m), black hair and medium to coarse texture, but here in the South, due to the process German colonization, it is easy to find many people with European features, tall people like the Germans, blondes and very clear skin.

Meals

In the south and particularly in the Rivers region, home cooking is one of their most prominent. The warmth of home, wealth, the touch of home, resulting in typical dishes of the countryside, local products like cheese, Jugurtha and of course the roasted wood, either grilled or roasted on stick, with both meat beef and lamb and pork, as well as the incorporation of wild boar, which is caught here in the region. Highlights in cheese production, which has evolved and incorporated different preparations and flavors with seasonings such as oregano, or garlic merkén. Rivers region is producing 60% of the cheese in the country. As a Germanic heritage, highlights some of the healthiest factories and exquisite handmade sausages. Craft beers, with more than 12 local factories that position your product in Chile and abroad. Another popular traditional drink is chicha cider or apple juice which occurs every March for sale at the fairs. In the rivers there are some famous local dishes, which have a combination of elements in the central area to Chiloe, and the pan (rich soup of beef or poultry that includes a piece of squash, a potato, a piece of corn, green beans and rice), beans with reins (the "reins" are noodles), the tamales (ground corn cooked and seasoned with onion and wrapped in the leaves of the plant), elpastel of corn (similar but baked in clay sources cooked, traditional crafts of the central and southern Chile) and pine empanadas (dough filled with meat, onions, eggs, raisins and olives) or seafood, plus plenty of dishes based on fresh seafood, and Pullmay or curanto in pot (cooking of beef, pork and chicken with seafood, which are placed in a mesh inside the pot to be cooked by steaming). Valdiviano deserves special recognition, one of the richest wines southerners initially consisted of the simplest elements present: horse jerky (dried meat), fat and chili, but now has become a kind of melting pot, with potatoes , onion, carrot, pepper to taste merkén and of course the southern secret hand to prepare him. Impossible to ignore the taste of local dishes such as chorrillana, a large portion of fries with meat, egg and fried onion and classic sandwiches as "the farmer", meat with tomatoes, green beans and chili glass (optional) the "loins", derived from the traditions of the German settlers (pork cooked with mayonnaise, avocado, tomatoes or sauerkraut), Barros Jarpa traditional (ham and grilled cheese) and Barros Luco (steak and veal melted cheese), these two names that refer to political figures of the early twentieth century, and "complete", popular Chilean increased and corrected version of the American hot dogs (sausage, mayonnaise, chopped tomatoes, avocado, sauerkraut). For dessert, we wish to mention the tasty with huesillo mote (mote of wheat with dried peaches in syrup), ideal for hot days and can find each season in different tourist attractions and craft fairs.

Sports

The rodeo is the national sport, practiced in a "half moon " (similar to a bull ring but smaller), where a couple on horseback huasos Left alone steers some points. Rivers region has produced great champions in rodeo, thanks to the Santa Isabel farm, which is the largest in Chile, as notable riders like Juan Carlos Loaiza and Eduardo Tamayo. Only once the most championship rodeo was held in Valdivia, was the National Championship Rodeo in 1966. Valdivia representing riders have won the national championship in 8 opportunities, a figure second only to Curico. However, Football is the theme of the day and focuses the eye and both local and national news. Despite this, the region now has a professional soccer team. Rowing is the one that gives fame to the region and Valdivia. This is practiced in different clubs in the city, with world titles, plus a number of South American and Pan American titles and continuous representation in the Olympics, thanks to the good condition of the water in the River Street and River Street Valdivia for practice and inclement weather that is nature, say the paddlers themselves.