Santiago, Chile

Day 8, Fri. June 15 Santiago.
My agenda for the day included changing $30 to CLP so I could pay for the taxi ride to airport (28.000 clp), the Cultural Center, climbing Santa Lucia Hill (Cerro), shopping for some Chile magnets, the Pre-Colombian museum (the only one that cost anything), and possibly the art museum (didn’t make it). The Centre Gabriela Mistral/GAM Cultural center had “poster” and art displays for each of the 15 regions of Chile. They were very well done and I loved the art. The Center (1972) has had a very interesting political background when Pinochet had issues with it and Allende’s propaganda initiative. It became a cultural center in 2010. Unfortunately, my battery on the camera was dying so my photos didn’t get recorded.
Then I headed back towards the hotel to climb Cerro Santa Lucia, the 1872 landmark public park next to hotel. The hill had many great lookout points of the city and the Andes and was only a block from the hotel. After getting the CLP for my taxi, I decided to go to the Pre-Colombian Museum (1981), the only museum that has an entry fee. If the artifacts are real, they are very well-preserved and old (some almost 2000 years). (Note: Chile claims they were doing mummies long before Egypt – they fill the body with twigs and leaves – Is that really what a mummy is? Just a skin covering; I guess so).
While waiting for my taxi to the airport, a G adventure traveler who had just finished her 2 country tour, asked for a cab to the airport and we offered her to ride with me. Now, I had 14.000 clp to get rid of. Got to the airport by 6:30 for 9:30 flight. It was good that I had boarding pass and no checked luggage b/c the line for United was at least 2 blocks long. No wonder they say 3 hrs ahead of time. Got through security and started walking around the Duty free shop to spend money. I was able to spend it all at the duty free shop, including $9 candy bars (regular size) with help from the cashier who made up the difference when I was about $1 short.
Pictures: 1-5: at top of Santa Lucia and Andes 6: example of poster at GAM (battery died)Read more