Santiago. The beating heart of the nation.

Santiago today: Sunny, 94 degrees.

We walked, and we walked, but it wasn’t too bad. In the shade it was breezy and comfortable, in the sun, not so much.

City view from Cerro San Cristobal

When you have but a short time to visit a metropolitan area of some 6 million people, you obviously won’t get to see much of it. The city has many quarters, each with different vibes. We spent most of our time in “Centro”, the heart of the city, its financial and political center.

Palacio de la Moneda - Chile's presidential palace

Not a very endearing place for photographing fun, but certainly quite interesting and historical.

Salvador Allende who was overthrown and replaced by Pinochet who turned out to be a tyrant, is very much loved by many Chileans.

Gardens of Congress

The steeple of Chile's cathedral is reflected on the glass of a modern building

The cathedral's elaborate interior

The unmissable Plaza de Armas

Barrio Paris Londres

The Gran Torre Costanera is South America's tallest building

In the afternoon we rode the efficient metro to where we could catch the tramway up to Cerro San Cristobal to enjoy the panoramic view of the city. San Cristobal is an anomaly of a hill in the center of the city, surrounded by very flat land. Its verdant environment is enjoyed by Santiaguinos who also come to take pleasure in a waterpark and other fun activities.

The Telefericos to San Cristobal

Adventure Park

At the top of San Cristobal hill, there is also a shrine to Our Lady of Carmen, where many go to pay their respects.

Tomorrow we’ll be in town all day as well. We would like to visit a couple of different barrios.

Our flight to Houston is not until 11PM. Rather than make another post, I think I will do the customary recap of our trip. It would be appreciated if you check it out.

We hope you’ve enjoyed traveling with us. We don’t get many views, but we know we have a few aficionados. To all of you go our thanks.