Date : October 11, 2000
From: America Latina 2001
Subject : Cuidad de Santiago
Place : Chili / Santiago

Hola !
Here we are in Santiago, and before we bought our car we enjoyed visiting the town by a wonderful day... Ciudad de Santiago The city spreads over kilometers at the bottom of the Andies. The Andies, looking like a fortress covered with snow, borders the east of Santiago and its summits can be up to 6000 meters high. During our excursions we can't do other that staring constantly at these mighty mountains. A second chain of the andies called the Andies of the Coast ends circling the town on its west side... the landscapes there really let you out of breath ! The Santa Lucia hill offers an excellent overview of the whole town that had organised itself around the hill since the Spanish arrived in 1541. The center of the town is kept for the pedestrians only; one can find several places valued by the inhabitants, where there are concerts with traditional dances. What stroke us first was the impression of heat given off by all the houses painted in blue, green, yellow... hot colours that cling to South America. And of course the music that is played at every corner; one has barely seen so many guitars in the streets ! And open and smiling faces of the Chilian people that put forward the richness of their culture and of their language in front of their Argentinian cousins. Last January, the Chilian people elected President Lagos from the socialist party but still, one can see some "Viva Pinochet" written on walls. The pouplation seems very divided between the pro and anti Pinochet. We will try to know more about it during our tour on the Chilian soil.

Hasta Luego !
Olivier and Philippe