Walking as a competitive sport

One of the first culture shocks that any norteamericano will have in Valpo (and possibly Chile in general) is the level of strategy and physical agility required to walk anywhere at a pace to which we are accustomed. The chief reason for this is a combination of narrow sidewalks, a large number of people, and the trickling pace of foot traffic. At least a few times a day I find myself trapped behind a group of people walking so slowly that it is actually pretty amazing to watch, if you happen to have the time. They look like any other group of people standing around having a chat....except that they are drifting down the sidewalk at a nearly imperceptible rate. Like clouds in the sky. You can track their movement more easily by fixing your eye on something static behind them and measuring them in relation to it.

As I said, it's quite a sight when you have the time. When you are on your way to work, or anything else with even a general timeframe, it's one of the many adventures that will make your commute a Walking Match. For example, an analysis of a typical Challenge:



To your right, a trole going approximately 5,000 kph will take joy in flattening you if you step off of the curb. The man in front of you, at center, is floating forward without the need to bend his knees. To your left, the other half of the sidewalk is occupied by an oncoming walker. The gap between them is slowly widening as they drift past each other....but, oh! Here comes the Competitive part. As you can see, the man behind the oncoming walker also has his eye on that gap. He's quickening his pace, and he's obviously a pro--he's hiking his bag up onto his back so as to be able to fit through what will likely be the narrowest of spaces. You have a worthy competitor here. You can TRY to beat him through the opening, but you're an extranjero. Your chances aren't great. In my case, I have a scant 2 months of preparation for this moment. It depends on the scenario, then. If you are expected anywhere at any specific time, your only choice is to go for the showdown. Put your head down, get your bag up, and charge for that gap. Your chances aren't great though.....you are an extranjero, with scant experience, and this man is a veteran. If push comes to shove...pun SO intended....you will probably back down first unless perhaps you're from NYC and have a particularly agressive nature to boot. So if you have time to spare, you can often save yourself some stress by letting the fiercer competitor through and waiting for a weaker player to go up against.

Here's an action shot of Elisa dodging through a dicey situation:



She's already avoided a large, sidewalk-swallowing group of people (of which the woman at left is the last). But as you can see, the challenges only continue to mount. Directly ahead: glacial walker. Elisa's poised to pull a sideways dodge-around, but watch out! Man pushing a giant trash barrel at 11:00! If she pulls it off, then she has to face the women at back, who are just greeting each other and will be chatting across the width of the sidewalk for the next few minutes. The suspense! She championed, but sadly the situation forced me to abandon my sports photography and jump in the game.