He´s got one leg longer than the other and only one eye. He is lean and smooth with minimal visible parasites. He is a happy-looking individual, silent, following no rules, eating when he can, swimming and drinking in the lake and seemingly unbothered by the heat of the day. He does unfortunately look like he has sat in chewing gum recently, but it doesn´t worry him, no.
He has decided to be our friend as we walk. Perhaps our guide.
El Perro. The Dog.
He walks ahead of us, stopping every now and then to look back and make sure we are ok. Up the road from the lago tranquile (quiet lake) passing local folk keen on fitness: running, walking, cycling. Down a street that will take us back into town. next to piles of building rubble, cars both new and decrepitably old.
´Tis relatively quiet at the moment... how I love siesta. A country that values quiet time has their priorities straight for sure. Most businesses are closed between the hours of 1 and 5pm. Siesta´s aren´t only for sleeping (though you are most welcome to do so). They are for lying under a tree on the grass, reading a book on the couch, walking slowly round the lake(or running fast if you are crazy), cleaning up after lunch with your family, watching daytime TV or just thinking... ahh, siesta.
We have been walking in the hills behind the town. To see montañas so tall they need their own postcode. To see ruins of a stone village from however long ago. To see a lake most tranquil and sit under a gum tree. True. The sound of Australia on the other side of the planet.
Mostly, you have to be careful where you put your skin in this place...even the most welcoming-looking bushes hide gigantic prickles under their leaves. And the cactus? 5 times taller than I, and spikes longer than my fingers. Owch.
We walk, "following" El Perro, who does actually seem to know where we are going. I am starting to like him. I still don´t want to touch him, but I like him.
I am muy cansada (tired), hot and headachy.
I wish for helados (icecream). In a cone with a spoon. Anytime is helados time, even siesta.
And like magic, one heladoria appears to the left, airconditioned, complete with el baño and 32 different flavours. I forget all about El Perro as I order things unfamiliar for the pure sake of education. Crema de russo is caramel with walnuts. Anaña is pineapple. mmm a pèrfect combination I won´t ever repeat.
By the time we emerge, El Perro is gone.
