Our apartment for the week is on the corner of Merced and Miraflores, just 4 blocks east of the Plaza de Armas and a block west of Cerro Santa Lucia. From our window we get a great sunset every night, and also a glimpse of some fires burning on the western hills. It has been warm (but not humid) highs in the mid to upper 80s, and that southern hemisphere sun is hot!
I tossed out one of my 3 pairs of boxers today - 6 months to go with only 2 pair remaining. Somewhere between Mendoza and Santiago the entire backside just evaporated (must have been on that hair raising, seat slidding bus ride through the Andes).
At 10am we took a walking tour of the city for 4 hours today picking up some useful knowledge of the many museums to visit later in the week, tips on local food and where to get the best ice cream in Santiago. We started in the Plaza de Armas where workers were busy disasembling the giant fake christmas t
ree adorned with large red Coca Cola ornaments. We ended near the base of Cerro San Cristobal and took the opportunity to ride the funicular to the top, paying respect to the giant white Virgen and getting a birds eye view of the city. Our normal snack while peering down on cities in South America with a large white Cristo or Virgen looming overhead, would be pre-packaged helado from a vendor under a red Coca Cola umbrella. Today, we stepped out a bit and ordered a Mote con Huesillo as instructed by our tour guide this morning. Peach halves in juice with wheat/corn kernals in the bottom of a cup, served with a plastic spoon. I think I am the only one of us who will order it again and the girls are glad it's only a Santiago thing.
Closer to our apartment we met up with Shepard Daniel, cousin of a friend of Debby's that is finishing up 2 years of graduate school in Santiago, for an early dinner. Picked up more tips on the city and our next stop in Valparaiso.
Around 8 we headed back to the Plaza de Armas to see a parade of drummers, 15 foot tall opera singers, violinists and a rock band circus on a truck. Helen and I got separated from Debby and Meghan in the crowd but luckily were reunited about 15 minutes later in the plaza. The streets were packed and it was loud but fun. Ice cream on the walk back, not the best in town but good none-the--less.
I tossed out one of my 3 pairs of boxers today - 6 months to go with only 2 pair remaining. Somewhere between Mendoza and Santiago the entire backside just evaporated (must have been on that hair raising, seat slidding bus ride through the Andes).
At 10am we took a walking tour of the city for 4 hours today picking up some useful knowledge of the many museums to visit later in the week, tips on local food and where to get the best ice cream in Santiago. We started in the Plaza de Armas where workers were busy disasembling the giant fake christmas t
ree adorned with large red Coca Cola ornaments. We ended near the base of Cerro San Cristobal and took the opportunity to ride the funicular to the top, paying respect to the giant white Virgen and getting a birds eye view of the city. Our normal snack while peering down on cities in South America with a large white Cristo or Virgen looming overhead, would be pre-packaged helado from a vendor under a red Coca Cola umbrella. Today, we stepped out a bit and ordered a Mote con Huesillo as instructed by our tour guide this morning. Peach halves in juice with wheat/corn kernals in the bottom of a cup, served with a plastic spoon. I think I am the only one of us who will order it again and the girls are glad it's only a Santiago thing.Closer to our apartment we met up with Shepard Daniel, cousin of a friend of Debby's that is finishing up 2 years of graduate school in Santiago, for an early dinner. Picked up more tips on the city and our next stop in Valparaiso.
Around 8 we headed back to the Plaza de Armas to see a parade of drummers, 15 foot tall opera singers, violinists and a rock band circus on a truck. Helen and I got separated from Debby and Meghan in the crowd but luckily were reunited about 15 minutes later in the plaza. The streets were packed and it was loud but fun. Ice cream on the walk back, not the best in town but good none-the--less.
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