Day 1 - Santiago

Day 1. our flight to Santiago was long but uneventful. Left Dulles midafternoon to Panama where we had a short layover and our flight to Chile, arriving at 0530 local time (same as Denver). Had to walk a long way to get to passport control but breezed through that, got our luggage and our van was waiting for us. A 45 minute ride into Santiago to the Hotel Magnolia in the heart of the downtown. We were early and our room wasn't ready but we had a light breakfast and coffee and tea. Checked in and took our room. Napped for a couple hours to catch up then for a walk around the city center. Took the small streets filled with small shops and people to the central square - Plaza de Armas is the center of the city and the country. Many of the streets are pedestrian only but others are crowded with cars. It is warm - temps in the mid 70s (it's high summer, here) - with slightly hazy sun. Plaza de Arms was crowded with Friday midday Chileans and some street performers. Stopped to explore several churches, the Municipal Cathedral and the Basilica. Both subdued and ornate. Passed the presidential palace (Palacio de la Moneda) and visited the Chilean Cultural Center where they display and sell artisan works from the whole country. Wandered back toward the hotel but stopped at an outdoor café for a lite lunch of a loaded hot dog (Gail) and empanadas (Bruce). Empanadas are a national treat and come in many flavors. It's a pastry shell wrapped around a filling that can be simple cheese or a variety of meat, vegetable, or cheese mixtures. Passed the Municipal Theatre, currently showing the Nutcracker. Now catching some rest in the afternoon at the hotel. Will hit the hotel happy hour this evening and find dinner.

Santiago is vibrant and busy with shoppers and office workers hurrying past the single window store fronts selling electronics, clothes, pharmaceuticals, eats, and many other wares. There are larger, more up-scale stores mixed in with the small ones and small empanada shops everywhere. I'm back into speaking Spanish and don't find the accent too hard to deal with. The Magnolia is a boutique hotel in an old mason that has been modernized and deluxed. The streets are mostly clean and cobblestoned.Read more