Santiago de Chile

Arriving around midday, elegantly dropping the rented car off with German punctuality; then a 3h walking tour to get a first glance of this marvelous city under 35 degrees heat! Its inner city is absolutely flawless and Chile is certainly on its way towards becoming the first world, yet remaining a profound and pleasant Latin country.
In fact we found it more Latin and less European than Argentina from its culture and customs, despite its more modern infrastructure and appearance. And as a special highlight, wherever we went, always the impressive mountain range of the Andes, like a wall 4-6000 meters high.

Santiago allowed us to really get to know it well, including even a 5.0 earthquake waking us up at 2:00a.m; well, what would be a Chile visit without one?!
Getting to know Chile's dreams and hopes by visiting Pablo Neruda's house and getting to know Chile's nightmares, visiting the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, dedicated to the victims of the dictatorship of Pinochet...yet what a remarkable country, building a museum like a big wound in their inner city, to constantly remind itself of the darkest moments of its past.

Emotional highlight certainly was the wonderful dinner invitation by the parents of Ulf's Erasmus friend Pablo, who tragically died four years ago at age 29...We were invited as part of the family, and the friendship that started between Ulf and Pablo will go on between the families.Read more