Day 15 - Monday December 4,.2023 - Touring Santiago

By Ellen Outten

The artist that sold me a beautiful plate for my wall


Our hotel in Santiago 

Finally, a semi- relaxing day.  All packed and ready for the airport at 10 am this morning.  Our suitcases were put into storage at the hotel and off we went with our tour guides to see Santiago Chile. 


Our stop at the art exposition and a bench for Wayne 


As much as Valparaiso creeped me out yesterday, I wasn't expecting too much from today.  I was pleasantly surprised.   

Santiago, the capital of Chile, has been the site of several civil wars,. military coups, Presidents assassinating themselves (2 of them) and as recently as September, 2019 riots from mainly students which closed down the transportation system, cut off workers from getting to work for over three weeks, and effectively shut down the entire country.  

Today, the ruling power are those that protested and rioted.  A certain calm has come over the city.  

However, they will, on Sunday December 17, just a few days from today, vote on the adoption of a new constitution.  It will possibly, if passed, be their 4th constitution since they won their independence from Spain.

The city was relatively clean, far less graffiti, and in general, I was more comfortable walking with our tour guides.  

We stopped at a crafts show, not on the agenda.  It was great. Not overcrowded but wonderful handcrafts..  Alpaca scarves and ponchos. All the things I would love to buy if Iived in a cold climate.  

I did have fun "shopping".  I bought a plate for my wall.of plates.. the man was so happy with that his art was going to the US.  

With the purchase of a few more items it ended the trip nicely.

We were then taken to another area of the city for lunch.  We were still all asked to stick together, not to stray, to take off any flashy necklaces and when we decided to eat together outside, our tour director asked that we eat inside on the 2nd floor away from possible harm and theft.  We followed Christian 's advice!  

The country's coat of arms at our lunch stop.  Their motto is "By Reason Or Force".


A little gelato can't hurt.

Lunch was good.  A huge sandwich.  You pick meat or chicken or pork or sausage.  You never really learn what it is.  You go with the flow.  

After lunch and a stop for gelato, we continued downtown to walk past their White House, their Supreme court building, the Governor's house and the National Cathedral of Chile.  Chile is a Catholic country.

Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago Chile 

Pedro de Valdivia Monument conquering general 

Municipalidad de Santiago, The Governor's house 

Justice Courts Palace. Supreme court 

The square in the center of these government buildings

Palacio de La Moneda simply La Moneda, is the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile.  Their White House 

Back on the bus, to the hotel, it's  5:30 pm as I write this in the hotel lobby as we wait for our ride to the airport and the long trip home.


 

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