Monday, August 8, 2011

The Knight Bus

La micro is the name for the buses in Valparaíso. They are a tad smaller than the buses in El Paso and much more agile than your average scooter. Where can't these things go? We have been watching them careen around our neighborhood marveling at their speed. So on Sunday we decided to hop onto the one that takes us all the way to Jumbo, the Cathedral and the Congress building. How easy, how quaint.

WELL! We got on and asked the driver if this was the one we wanted. A polite, sí, señora. I struggled with the money a bit and he patiently waited. When I had finally sat down, with Julia Grace attached to me, BAM! Off we went. The speed was unbelievable. He drove la micro, like Claire drives boats. BAM! We stopped at the next parada and we literally had to peel ourselves off the seats in front of us. This time, I guess there were no confused extranjeros with babies strapped to their bodies. No, this time, the passengers weren't even entirely all on the bus! BAM! He takes off like a shot, throwing us from one side of the bus to the other depending on the crazy curves in the road, all the while politely making change for the new, unruffled passengers. Everyone is taking this in stride except the gringos with Claudia gleefully calling, whoaaaaaaaaa as we went one way and then another long whoaaaaaaaaa as we went the other. BAM!

I am of the firm opinion that the inspiration for the Knight Bus in Harry Potter is the O line in Valparaíso.

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