The bus from Valparaiso stops at the subway station so it's an easy transition to the downtown area. I mentioned the summertime heat in Santiago. Well, this is a unique cooling system in the subway station. There is a cool mist sprayed in front of the fans both for general cooling and immediate relief should you need it.
The subway cars themselves are very hot and stuffy, and we were told that people have passed out in the past. I believe that the cooling fans are a relatively new installation.
As you can see, public transportation is well utilized. This was our third trip to the capital, and we have only managed to get a seat on one or two occasions. (Speaking of public transportation, it is unusual to see a bus less than half full in Valparaiso and Vina. It is not uncommon to have to stand, no matter what time of day. Standing on a bus with a half dozen bags of groceries and a loco driver makes for an interesting ride . . . but that's another story!)
Our first stop of the day after arriving downtown was to locate the "CHIP" offices (CHIP = Chile Information Project). CHIP is an English website with a wide variety of information for living, working and traveling in Chile. It is run by an American by the name of Steve Anderson.
Steve has been living in Chile for the last 20 years, and we have been communicating with him since before leaving Canada. Today was our chance to meet and have lunch with him. He also is the driving force behind the Santiago / Valparaiso / Patagonia Times . They are on-line English newspapers centered in the respective regions of the country.
After lunch, with backpacks in tow, we made the 30-minute walk to discover what sort of hostel we had booked for the night. We knew it was relatively cheap ($40 Cdn) . . . we knew it was in an old area of the city . . . and we knew that it was an old stone building with what we hoped would be character. This isn't it! This is the San Francisco church just down the street from the hostel. Franciscan friars built the original church in 1572 to house the statue of the "Virgen del Socorro", the Helpful Virgin. It was brought to South America by Pedro de Valdivia of Spain. He founded the city in 1541. This is a photo of Valdivia....(this photo dates back to September....note the snow on the mountains).
The Virgen del Socorro was declared the patron of Santiago by the conquistadors after she was said to have saved them during the first major Amerindian attack in the Mapocho Valley by appearing before them and throwing dirt into the attackers' eyes (From "Insight Guides - Chile & Easter Island"). The original church was destroyed in 1583 by an earthquake and replaced in 1612. The distinctive tower was added in 1860. I told you it was an old neighborhood!
The office tower on the left isn't quite as old and, I suspect, may not be around as long as the church has been!
After a short walk through narrow cobble stone streets and old stone buildings the Residencial Londres presented itself to us. Built in the early 1920's as a home to a wealthy family, it now serves weary travelers. Despite showing some signs of neglect, it was an interesting and safe place to spend the night. It's 12-foot ceilings, spiral staircases, hardwood floors, and surrounding neighborhood make it easy to imagine what life may have been like here a hundred years ago.
Our room is at the top of the shot with the geraniums in the window.
The following videos should give you a better idea of the surrounding area. I'm guessing that this is one of the oldest areas of the city, but these few blocks are beautifully preserved.
The above mentioned geraniums.
After getting settled in our room, we headed off to La Moneda to check out an art exhibit that we had been told about. La Moneda is the presidential palace...."moneda" is Spanish for coin/money, and the structure was built between 1788 and 1805 as the country's mint. It eventually became the home of Chile's presidents, sharing the space with the mint until 1929 (this photo was taken in September).
The art gallery is in the basement of the palace and was where a display of works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera were on display.
Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954) was a Mexican painter , who has achieved great international popularity. She painted using vibrant colors in a style that was influenced by indigenous cultures of Mexico as well as by European influences that include Realism, Symbolism, and Surrealism. Many of her works are self-portraits that symbolically express her own pain and sexuality. In 1929 Kahlo married the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Her "Blue" house in Coyoacan, Mexico City is a museum, donated by Diego Rivera upon his death in 1957. (Wikipedia)
Diego Rivera (December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was born in Guanajuato, Gto. He was a world famous Mexican painter, an active communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo, 1929-1939 and 1940-1954 (her death). Rivera's large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Renaissance. Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted murals in Mexico City, Chapingo, Cuernavaca, San Francisco, Detroit, and New York City. (Wikipedia)
Charlene enjoyed it. I thought that it was a nice place to get away from the heat of the day!!But seriously . . . I found some of the works to be very nice . . . others . . . I just didn't get.
The last time that we were in Santiago, we had tried to have supper at a restaurant called Como Agua Para Chocolate. As it didn't open until 8:00, we decided to wait until our next trip. The time was nigh! The atmosphere was very nice . . . the pisco (Chile's national drink) was refreshing . . . the service was good . . . the company was great . . . and the food was . . . .
shaved beef stuffed with mushrooms, artichokes and spinach served on a bed of black beans.
We both had the same dish and both decided that it was good but not outstanding. The wine, however, was muy bueno! (Casillero Del Diablo)
A fine meal and a warm summer evening demanded that we walk home through the busy streets. Cities here seem to come alive at night and that makes an evening stroll a safe and interesting past time. Seeing the tower on Iglesia San Fransisco meant that we were almost home.
We also had a much anticipated appointment on Saturday. Heather, a friend from Saskatoon is living in Santiago with her husband, Ian, and we had talked about connecting with them even before our "most excellent adventure" had begun. Ian is Chilean and just happens to be a professional tour guide! We clearly had some questions for him! We met them at a subway terminal and with no particular destination in mind, started walking. For the next two and a half hours, we meandered through parks and residential areas that we hadn't seen before. This monument celebrates the Chilean air force.
We eventually stopped at the home of Ian's mother. One of our favorite things is being invited into people's homes to see how they live, so this was a very pleasant surprise . . . especially since lunch (almuerzo) was about to be served!
After walking in the Santiago heat, a pisco sour was in order. That was followed by a serving of empanadas and then Porotos granados (Beans, onions, garlic, salt, pumpkin, corn and basil in a broth). Dessert was again traditional, Mote con Huesillos (Peaches and wheat in a peach juice). And at the suggestion of our hostess, we were urged to try a little something to help with our digestion (aperitivo digestivo). How could we refuse??!! Bitter Araucano was served (Ian has the bottle in his hands).
Lastly, and again keeping with Chilean tradition (it is also a tradition in other South American countries), we were served Mate ( pronounced - maa' tay). It is like an herb tea served in a special cup and sipped through a straw. The metal straw has a filter on the end to keep from drawing up the leaves. Heather has a mate in her hand in this shot. The cup is actually a dried gourd but we have also seen Mate cups made of silver. We found it quite strong and bitter, but as you drink it and add more hot water, it eventually becomes weaker.
The tin of Mate leaves is on the table in this shot. Ian is beavering away on the computer gathering information and offering suggestions on our upcoming travel plans to southern Chile. Both Heather and Ian are very familiar with the south and we appreciated their input.
With some time left in the day, Heather suggested that we take a trip to Centro Artesanal de Los Dominicos. It is a wonderland of genuine crafts of all different descriptions. Heather referred to it more as an art gallery than a market, and she was indeed correct. Not only were there good quality products, but the setting itself was splendid.
Just inside the main gate was a small display of exotic animals.
These guys decided to show off for the crowd!
The time spent strolling the market gave us a chance not only to see the offerings, but to continue a casual discussion about life in Chile.
The artisans were creating and selling everything from scarves to sculptures.
This woman was selling blown glass.
Stroll with us now down one of the many alleys of Los Dominicos.
We are constantly amazed at what each and every day presents us with. Some have asked "What do you do all day?" We find that question difficult to answer. We often wake up in the morning without plans for the day, and go to bed filled with amazement at where the day has gone! All we knew for sure on this day was that we were going to meet Heather and Ian. As it turned out, we explored an unseen part of Santiago, were invited into a home for a traditional Chilean meal, discovered the artwork of local artisans and returned safely to our Valparaiso home, tired and happy. Life is good!
Just one more thing before we sign off. This is "Blog Central" and me burning the midnight oil working to get the next edition out on time! (The editor is in bed!) As always, we hope that you enjoy peeking into our little world.
We have two editions in the planning stages. One is a collection of odds and ends that don't warrant a posting on their own. The other is a look at all of the funiculars of Valparaiso. We have visited all of them and are now sorting through the photos and collecting information.
Hasta luego,
Amor,
Me and The Editor!
