FULL TIME: RESULT!!!

Match Report

All married now, legally and spiritually.

Photos later, when Kevin shows up with a compatible lead.

Hair fine, make up fine, Maria looked a treat from the neck up. The dressing gown and slippers were a bit of a letdown at first tho.

Dress was superb, everybody all dressed up but nowhere to go! Car was late, flowers didn't arrive on time. Welcome to South America. Eventually Maria left about the time she was due in church.

I left with Marias sister Carola in her car. Carola did four left turns, made two agitated calls on the mobile and pulled up back outside the house. Essential baby supplies left behind I think.

Even later now of course. Definite smell of tension in the air. We touched 140 kph on the motorway into town, (limit 80) and hit Saturday traffic downtown which occasioned much muttering in Spanish. But we made it to the church before Maria who must have been touring Bellavista waiting for us to arrive. So I didn't get to do my paternal duty of welcoming guests to the church and thanking them for coming.

Niall and me had the equivalent of a private box, a small pew at the front alongside K and M. Two photographers roamed the church taking lots of pictures. The priest was a smiley man but went on a bit. The only word I thought I caught was ' pollo'. Somehow I don't think he said anything about 'Chicken". What he said, apparently, was that marriage is a serious thing and not liking your wifes hairstyle was not sufficient grounds for divorce. Lack of worldly wisdom there I feel as most husbands couldn't tell you the colour of their wifes hair, let alone comment on the style.

Anyway, we got to the actual wedding bit eventually and Kevin was word perfect even if only the priest and Maria and me, Niall and Marias parents in the private boxes heard him. Loud enough to get married apparently and rings were exchanged, bride and groom embraced as husband and wife and half the church burst into tears. I made the last bit up but I was a bit damp round the eyes so I guess there were one or two more.

Off to the reception in the VilmaBus. Vilma of the heroic efforts to get me a working mobile, volunteered to drive a mini bus and, as passenger of honour, I got the front seat with the best crack at the air con. The journey was supposed to be about 45 minutes Chile time, which means at least an hour and a quarter. Journey extended by Vilma making several tours of a gas station to find a pump she liked, then having to ring the hire company to find out where the fuel cap release was.

Refuelled, we progressed apace. As the road got steeper and steeper, apace sometimes became bpace and, now an then, cpace or dpace. When I saw snow capped mountains in the distance, I asked if we were bound for a ski station.

The place for the reception was superb. Big house with lots of grounds, loads of trees and palm trees, an orchard with limes, pears, a rose garden (bit of deadheading needed) and a shallow pool for the kids to lark in. The kids were great. After a few shy minutes, all mucked in and you hardly saw them again. Crazy Rodrigos' daughter was clinging to her Dads legs at the start. I saw her later in the pool beating up on the boys so well done her.

Food was good, fish and, of course, lots of meat. I had some salmon wrapped in chicken which was a first for me and very tasty too. Loads of pud, wine, pisco etc. All seemed to enjoy it.

Will get this on the web now so you get something today.

Second half of the second half to follow.