Final stop: Santiago

Our final stop before heading home was Santiago, a city of 5 million souls. I have not been to any other South American cities, but compared to other large American and European cities, we found it disappointing (Alex more than me). It did have great potential- some beautiful historic buildings and quite a bit of green space- but the history of government unrest / riots has left the city with a fortress feel (barbed wire/security reinforcing at street level), graffiti, and just some dirt/dinginess.

The vibe was decent - just don’t try to go to a cafe for coffee before 10am! At 8:30 it was dead, but by 10:30 it was hopping! Even the Central Market was not open (except for a few fishmonger) at 8:30. By 10:30 though, lots of markets, young people and families were out & about, and of course tourists.

The city was safe and walkable. The highlight for us was the Pre-Columbian Museum recommended by our Maipo Valley guide. The level of sophistication of the indigenous tribes was amazing. The detailed textiles, pottery, and metalurgy was incredible. Fun fact is that the Mapuche people of southern Chile claim to be the only tribe to defeat the Inca and repel the Spaniards who, after unsuccessful encounters, decided to stay in Santiago.

We also spent some our last pesos at the Pueblito Los Dominicos, an artisan village at the end of the subway (which was super clean and efficient). It was cool to by an alpaca scarf and broach from the woman who made them. Alex also went out of his comfort zone with a fun leather sombrero.

In the final analysis, I was so impressed with Chile! I would definitely go back, as we both could have spent more time in Patagonia, and I would love to see the Atacama desert, penguins, and the coastline that we missed.Read more