Santiago In Half A Day

We had the pleasure of Lauren & Shaun for half -a- day. So we or rather Luis took them on a quick tour around the lovely city that houses around 8 million people.  See, this was all great for us too , the whole whisk-around-Santiago, the " Oh, wow!  I haven't seen that before", " I'm sure that there was a park here", 
"That building used to be the highest building until there was a huge fire", -  was all very entertaining and reminiscing,  as we were both living abroad for more than a few years now -  Luis for about 3 years, well...  he had to get to Australia, get engaged and get married <smiles>.  I lived in Santiago in 2006,  when I planned that I was going to live in Chile forever with my delicious Latin husband
 ( I must have cracked God up a bit there )...but that's a story for another time.  So re-focusing , for those coming this way,  the must- dos, the must- sees !!



Have a meal at the Central Market



    



Watch the happenings at Plaza de Armas 

  



Visit The Cathedral

  



  Visit Cerro San Cristobal  if you do nothing else at all - the 22 m statue of the blessed Virgin Mary at the top of the hill

 


Engraved blessings

 


A church with an amphitheater can be found on the hill



Visit Cerro Santa Lucia where you can take a nice stroll



The Fountain of Neptune at Plaza Santa Lucia





Have a good slurp of the mote con huesillo - a traditional Chilean refreshing drink made with peaches & cooked husked wheat

 





Chileans are very chilled, relaxed  warm people  - if you're lucky enough to get-to-know Chileans on your trip, you'll most likely get invited to a party or a friendly gathering.   This was at my bother-in-law's, we were having Pisco, another must-try - Chile's national alcoholic beverage :)