Santiago: The Capital At Last!

I have a confession to make. My heart really wasn't in visiting Santiago. In fact, I became downright grumpy and even upset, so consequently changed my departure date from June 22 to June 2. What happened? First, I chose a neighborhood to live in that wasn't comfortable. Recoleta is old and tattered, but at the same time is gentrifying. But it's unsafe at night, and there are no places to go study or hang out in during the day. Then, my Airbnb property, while charmingly designed and huge, was always bitingly cold inside. Colder inside than outside, actually. I used two canisters of propane for my heater during my stay, which never did manage to cut the chill. So, I wore the same four layers of clothing as outside, including a cashmere sweater, a down vest and a down jacket.

In addition, I grew weary of my traveling, slow though it has been. I didn't want to sightsee, or “explore.” I also didn’t want to feel guilty for NOT going out to see things. And, my very high-level Spanish ironically showed me how much I wanted and needed to improve my Thai, so I spent my days speaking one and studying the other. I even joined the Add1Advance Challenge40 to improve my Thai. So there we are.

However, I did have a lovely time going out, and I had many interesting conversations with some curious, friendly, and well-spoken Chileans. The highlights were a visit to the superb Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, and a visit to my friends, the Guerrero family. I enjoyed the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center for chamber music concerts, and the Moneda (Presidential Palace) Cultural Center for spectacular exhibitions. And I enjoyed, as always, walking the city streets, looking around, and studying in cafes with comfy seats. The exploring part of me seems as if it is never going to really go away!

So, here are my “highlight” pictures. If you leave a comment anywhere, please leave your first name as well.Read more