Living in the Land of Soccer

Closed. So I went to a second store. Closed. Then, a third. Also, closed. I found myself walking for blocks looking for an open little grocery store so I could buy a couple food items. I knew that it was not a national holiday and, as far as I was aware, no national figure had died. So, seriously, why was every single store closed? Finally, I found one little store that was open and grabbed what I needed. As I was walking home, I realized I must be unaware of some aspect of Chilean culture because why else would everything be shut down in the middle of the day? 

Later, as I discussed this with a friend, I realized the all important reason Chile shut down for the afternoon- a soccer game!!! Why I didn't think of that? Let's shut down whole neighborhoods so we can watch guys kick a ball around on a field. The love of soccer here is incomprehensible. 

I am learning though and, next time I need to go grocery shopping, I will make sure to check the soccer schedule first. However, the real puzzle now is, why can't people here get this excited about NBA finals?