In Chile, there are generally less panhandlers than in the US—surprising, eh? In the plazas and walking malls, you do see disabled people—blind, amputees, etc—asking for change. But more often you see them doing something for money, like singing or selling something.
And at intersections you never see people just asking for a handout. Instead you see performances. Mostly jugglers—juggling fire while on a unicycle or something like that. When the light turns red, they begin their act, and just before the green, they go around asking for money. And they deserve it, because we’ve seen some awesome performers.
Here’s our favorite. His costume makes it look like he’s upside down. Even though it looks cheesy in the picture, when he starts moving and dancing and flipping, it looks real and really impossible. Imagine—just if he hops on one foot, it looks like he’s hopping on one hand. We have watched this guy from the sidewalk for three or four stoplights worth of time. Very cool. Yes, I had to pay him for the picture—40 cents.
And at intersections you never see people just asking for a handout. Instead you see performances. Mostly jugglers—juggling fire while on a unicycle or something like that. When the light turns red, they begin their act, and just before the green, they go around asking for money. And they deserve it, because we’ve seen some awesome performers.
Here’s our favorite. His costume makes it look like he’s upside down. Even though it looks cheesy in the picture, when he starts moving and dancing and flipping, it looks real and really impossible. Imagine—just if he hops on one foot, it looks like he’s hopping on one hand. We have watched this guy from the sidewalk for three or four stoplights worth of time. Very cool. Yes, I had to pay him for the picture—40 cents.
