Santiago de Chile
Flight to Santiago was uneventful, that is, if you don’t count the three tag-teaming screaming babies. Residencial Londres, a bit of a cross between a hostel and hotel (private room, shared bathroom / shower), is in an excellent location. Think picturesque cobbled streets a few blocks from downtown Santiago, and easy walking distance from Mercado Central (Central Markets) and other tourist attractions.
My room’s pretty bare though, and the bathroom was a bit scary at first (it being a few years since my backpacker / student days), but it’s really not that bad and at $7,000 Chilean pesos per night (~A$17) I’m not complaining.
Spent my first afternoon and evening wandering around the city, took a cable car ride over the Parque Metropolitano and Cerro San Cristobal (cerro means hill), and then a funicular ride down the hill.
View of Santiago from the cable car
Ate some kind of fried pancake/pastry thing and tasty skewered beef from street vendors (both come with a yummy chilli/salsa sauce). The street performers in downtown Santiago (shopping mall area) were interesting. I saw a couple of Beatles impersonators, who were surprising good, despite not quite looking the part (being latinos). Also saw a couple dancing tango who drew quite a big crowd – can’t wait to get to Argentina!
Today I visited a couple of museums and had lunch at Donde Agusto, located in the middle of the Mercado Central. The restaurant specializes in seafood (which isn’t surprising since most of Chile sits on the coast and the seafood market is just next door). I had v. yummy garlic prawns [see pic], and tasty grilled conger eel (which according to the waiter is really a type of eel-shaped fish rather than an actual eel). I accompanied my meal with pisco sour [see pic] made from pisco (really strong local alcohol made from grapes), lime and sugar. Sis - note the big plate of lemon that they gave me without my having to ask for it!
The locals here have been really friendly. For example, the supermarket check-out chicks smiled and patiently waited as I examined and clumsily counted out my money. Crossing the road can be a bit daunting though, and after having one kind man help me the first time I crossed a busy road, I have now learnt to take charge …. “It’s MY little green man damn-it and I’m going to cross whether you stop or not!” It also helps to try to keep a local between you and oncoming traffic.
Tonight I’m venturing out to another seafood restaurant recommended by the waiter at Donde Agusto. Then off to the airport tomorrow morning to fly to Cuzco, Peru (via Lima). Have to leave for the airport at 5.00am … eeeek!
p.s. Using computer commands and websites that are all in spanish is an interesting experience ... good thing I already know that "atras" means back ... (just thought I´d slip in a little salsa casino "in" joke :). The keyboard´s driving me bonkers though - all symbol keys have moved, as well as the "enter" key!
My room’s pretty bare though, and the bathroom was a bit scary at first (it being a few years since my backpacker / student days), but it’s really not that bad and at $7,000 Chilean pesos per night (~A$17) I’m not complaining.
Spent my first afternoon and evening wandering around the city, took a cable car ride over the Parque Metropolitano and Cerro San Cristobal (cerro means hill), and then a funicular ride down the hill.
View of Santiago from the cable car
Ate some kind of fried pancake/pastry thing and tasty skewered beef from street vendors (both come with a yummy chilli/salsa sauce). The street performers in downtown Santiago (shopping mall area) were interesting. I saw a couple of Beatles impersonators, who were surprising good, despite not quite looking the part (being latinos). Also saw a couple dancing tango who drew quite a big crowd – can’t wait to get to Argentina!
Today I visited a couple of museums and had lunch at Donde Agusto, located in the middle of the Mercado Central. The restaurant specializes in seafood (which isn’t surprising since most of Chile sits on the coast and the seafood market is just next door). I had v. yummy garlic prawns [see pic], and tasty grilled conger eel (which according to the waiter is really a type of eel-shaped fish rather than an actual eel). I accompanied my meal with pisco sour [see pic] made from pisco (really strong local alcohol made from grapes), lime and sugar. Sis - note the big plate of lemon that they gave me without my having to ask for it!
The locals here have been really friendly. For example, the supermarket check-out chicks smiled and patiently waited as I examined and clumsily counted out my money. Crossing the road can be a bit daunting though, and after having one kind man help me the first time I crossed a busy road, I have now learnt to take charge …. “It’s MY little green man damn-it and I’m going to cross whether you stop or not!” It also helps to try to keep a local between you and oncoming traffic.
Tonight I’m venturing out to another seafood restaurant recommended by the waiter at Donde Agusto. Then off to the airport tomorrow morning to fly to Cuzco, Peru (via Lima). Have to leave for the airport at 5.00am … eeeek!
p.s. Using computer commands and websites that are all in spanish is an interesting experience ... good thing I already know that "atras" means back ... (just thought I´d slip in a little salsa casino "in" joke :). The keyboard´s driving me bonkers though - all symbol keys have moved, as well as the "enter" key!
posted by linh at 00:38
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