The Papal Cumbia

In the spirit of the holiday weekend - even though freelancers like myself never have weekends - I would like to share a treatment of the recently ascended Pope Francis from an Argentine variety show called Peligro sin Codificar (roughly translatable as “Uncoded Danger,” as opposed to, say, “Code Red”).

While the program leans toward heavy-handed caricature rather than wit and wordplay in the style of Tom Lehrer, the so-called “Cumbia Papal” has become an Internet sensation, depicting churchly figures taunting neighboring Brazil to a cumbia beat. Clad in cardinal red robes, the keytar-playing singer and his backups praise the new Argentine pope – many expected the first Latin American pontiff would be Brazilian – and the skills of Argentine soccer players like the retired Diego Maradona and present-day sensation Lionel Messi, supposedly superior to the legendary Pelé.

Moon Handbooks Chile, in Los Altos

In about ten days – April 9 at 7:30 p.m., to be precise – I will offer a digital slide presentation on travel in Chile at the Los Altos Library (13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos 94024, tel. 650/948-7683). Coverage will also include the Chilean Pacific Islands of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and Juan Fernández (Robinson Crusoe), as well as southernmost Argentina (Tierra del Fuego and the vicinity of El Calafate) that appear in the book. I will also be available to answer questions about Argentina and Buenos Aires. The presentation is free of charge, but books will be available for purchase.