First week: Santiago de Chile

asiaquentin
20 nov. 2017
3 min de lecture

That's it, Europe is behind us and here we are in Chile. Not without some "small adventures", such as the lack of bus/plain ticket proving that we will quit Chile in the requested dealy- withouth which you can't enter on the Chilean territhory... We got to know this obligation only when the airport staff wouldn't proceed with your check-in... Eh well... better late than never. After losing some time, phlegm and money (because an internet connection and printing in a shop at Madrid's airport is far from beaing cheap), we were able to buy bus tickets from Santiago to Mendoza, the big city on the argentinian side of the border. We have canceled them once arrived in Chile and got refunded by 85% of the value, but hey no other choice tough. We've spent the first week in the capital, Santiago. Before, we didn't imagine spend such a long time there, but in the end these 7 days passed so quickly: knowing that it took almost 2 to 3 days to win the battle against the jetlag (Asia's first Jetlag even if she traveled a lot). We wanted to do some tourism (hey, if we're already here) and of course prepare the next stage of this trip (as the name of the blog requires, this trip is quite an improvisation). Between a little rest and research what to do and where to go, we managed to visit a little bit the city (spoiler: the next two weeks we've spent near Muerto Montt):

The view of the city from Santa Lucia Park ... well, I know that just before leaving we've spent some time in the french countryside, but Santiago is a really noisy city.

The city begins to seriously rise in heights. Most recent high-rise apartaments of over 20 stories stand side by side with old buildings which are much lower as well.

Santa Lucia Park, built on a volcanic hill in the heart of the city. It udes to be a sacred place

for the Indians and forbidden from entering, but for the new settlers it was more like a strategic

place to build a fort.

The Metropolitan Cathedral located on the main square of the city (Plaza de Armas).

One of the rooms of the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, located just off Plaza de Armas. Unluckily for us, a significant part of the exhibition was not open to the public at that moment. And for all those who knows the adventures of Tintin: Big up for those who noticed the statues from “the Broken Ear” comic book!

If that can give you some ideas ...

Quinta Normal Park, the great place to spend a lazy day:

View from the park: the church inspired by the Sacré Coeur basilica architecture, except that was built in pretty putrid concrete... and just next to it your can find a replica of the Grotto of Lourdes also in concrete ^ ^ (but unfortunately not pictured here). In the foreground one can see small presentation of the graffiti, ubiquitous in the city.

One of the park's museum. To better understand the recent history of Chile, the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, is a must. Located just next to the park, it details the everyday reality and the trauma of the Pinochet regime. The museum focus mainly on the opposants to the regime, the disappeared, the tortured and those militant associations located within the country borders and internationally. As for thepeople out of the context, for us it lacked a little after- and post-putch historical context, but regarding the fact that"the Pinochet era" is still an extremely sensitive subject, it seems quite logical that goverment-sponsored museum talks about the objectives facts that are undeniable.

On the bank holidays and weekends, the park looks like more of open-air market, where you can buy some snakcs, children's toys and everything you may (or may not) need .