May 21 is "Navy Day" in Chile, or the "
Dia de las Glorias Navales". The holiday celebrates the same day in 1879, during the "
War of the Pacific" between Chile and the allied forces of Peru and Bolivia, when an old wooden corvette,
Esmeralda, captained by Chilean
Arturo Prat, was rammed and sunk by the ironclad Peruvian warship, the
Huáscar. Prat was killed in the encounter and his death mobilized the Chilean public to support the war and became one of the factors leading to Chile eventually winning the conflict in 1883.
"Arturo Prat" is the most repeated street name across Chile. There are 162
communes in Chile which have a street with this name.
We stepped out of the hotel Friday morning to see an incredible spectacle of rank after rank of sailors, soldiers and policemen standing at attention in the rain on
Avenida Arturo Prat along the waterfront near the fishmarket.
Officers of the Armada prior to reviewing the troops.
The rain was pouring down at this moment when one of the street dogs decided to join the formation. Discipline prevailed and no one moved a muscle.
The honor guard stood alonside the monument to Prat.
Stirring words issued from the big brass. Elsewhere in Chile on this day, President Michelle Bachelet makes the annual address to the nation.
One of the platoons standing at attention was much shorter than the others. Looking closer I was intrigued to discover it was made up entirely of women.
Here is a trooper in uniform who knows the importance of obedience.
They won't get this fellow into uniform!
Next came the student auxiliary.
Susan helped some students keep dry while their band waited to march past the reviewing stand.
May 21 is "Navy Day" in Chile, or the "Dia de las Glorias Navales". The holiday celebrates the same day in 1879, during the "War of the Pacific" between Chile and the allied forces of Peru and Bolivia, when an old wooden corvette, Esmeralda, captained by Chilean Arturo Prat, was rammed and sunk by the ironclad Peruvian warship, the Huáscar. Prat was killed in the encounter and his death mobilized the Chilean public to support the war and became one of the factors leading to Chile eventually winning the conflict in 1883.
"Arturo Prat" is the most repeated street name across Chile. There are 162 communes in Chile which have a street with this name.
We stepped out of the hotel Friday morning to see an incredible spectacle of rank after rank of sailors, soldiers and policemen standing at attention in the rain on Avenida Arturo Prat along the waterfront near the fishmarket. 
Officers of the Armada prior to reviewing the troops.
The rain was pouring down at this moment when one of the street dogs decided to join the formation. Discipline prevailed and no one moved a muscle.
The honor guard stood alonside the monument to Prat.
Stirring words issued from the big brass. Elsewhere in Chile on this day, President Michelle Bachelet makes the annual address to the nation.
One of the platoons standing at attention was much shorter than the others. Looking closer I was intrigued to discover it was made up entirely of women.
Here is a trooper in uniform who knows the importance of obedience.
They won't get this fellow into uniform!
Next came the student auxiliary.
Susan helped some students keep dry while their band waited to march past the reviewing stand.
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