5th capital city

Trip Start Sep 01, 2009
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35
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Trip End Nov 24, 2009


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Flag of Chile  ,
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Just a couple days in Santiago - but I squeezed in as much sight-seeing as possible =)  Walked around the city...just looking around. Tried to take pics of the Chilean flag...it´s almost identical to the Texas state flag.  Have you ever tried to take a pic of a flag fluttering in the breeze...not as easy as it sounds!!!  

Went to up to the top of Cerro Santa Lucia (a big hill).  Rode a FUNicular...and it was FUN =)  Great views of the city from the top...and in South American style, atop the hill was a religous statue.  The interesting part is this was the best maintained (and most pretty) area of the park. 

I also took a hop-on/hop-off bus tour where they point out all the important buildings and talk about the history.  Santiago is home to South America´s largest shopping mall (Parque Arauco, if you´re ever in the neighborhood) no breeze =(
no breeze =(
 .  I got off at this stop trying to get a cup of coffee - it was a chilly day to be up top of an open air double decker bus.  Problem is...in South America, very few restraunts/cafes have cups for the street (take-away).  I asked at 3 different places and they all pointed to Starbucks...which seems to be running a close third behind CocaCola and McD´s in global domination!  BOO HISS - I don´t even like Starbucks =(

I also hung out in the Plaza de Armas (main plaza).  Santiago is the economic center of Chile so there is a contrast of new buildings vs. historic.  Near the Plaza was a pedestrian mall, including a movie theater.  I had some time to kill before dinner so I watched ´2012.´  Yes, it was in English but subtitled in Spanish.  Interesting how they don´t always subtitle the curse words...

 


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