We took two different walking tours of the city on the first and second day in Santiago. One allowed us to see the downtown, the other the markets and the lively cemetery.
Santiago, the capital of the huge country of Chile founded in 1541, is a bustling city (except on Christmas day) with lively markets covering a large area. We appreciated the 19th century neo-classical architecture. We saw several statues of president Salvador Allende, none of dictator Augusto Pinochet. We heard some gruesome stories of what happened during the Pinochet dictatorship (1973-1990) and how president Allende's life ended. It was interesting to hear the point of view of the younger Chilean generation. A prison in downtown Santiago where abuse, persecution, political repression, and torture of opponents of the Pinochet dictatorship took place, was converted to a cultural center for the new generations to enjoy.
Chileans love the "completo" which is a hot dog with additional ingredients, such as chopped tomatoes, sauerkraut, avocado, and tons of mayo!! The completo can be Chilean completo or a variation of it, the Italian completo.
Walking tour of the city with our friendly guide "Waldo"
There are many stray dogs in Santiago. They each have their neighborhood of choice and are taken care of, food wise, by the people living in the neighborhood. They bark at people that look "suspicious" (I was so relieved to notice that they were NOT barking at us!). They also follow people as they walk through town, kindly insuring that they remain safe. It is quite remarkable and we really got to like these dogs.We had at least one following us on each of our walks. The dog would wait at the door if we entered into a building and would rejoin the group when we got out and continued our walk..
The lively markets - watch your belongings here!
Christmas is tomorrow!
We explored the cemetery, a place often visited by Chileans to keep the memory of their loved ones alive. People put lots of flowers on the graves. It is not unusual to find bicyclists in the cemetery. Some families even have birthday parties for a child they have lost, bringing table and chairs, cake..... It is actually a vibrant place. A stray dog will likely be there and may accompany you during your visit.
Each of the squares are individual graves.
The more expensive choice.....
Flowers and plaques are often seen on the graves
Grave of beloved Chilean President Salvador Allende
Christmas day afternoon..... let's exercice!
The funicular to go to the top of San Cristobal hill
Beautiful view of Santiago from the top of the hill
Tasting "mote", a popular beverage in Chile - we liked it
On San Cristobal hill is a sanctuary dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.
Chileans are very religious.
Enjoying an excellent Argentinian steak the day after Christmas!
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated"
Mahatma Gandhi
