Santiago cultural

Last sunday was the day of Chile's cultural heritage. This means that all museums and monuments are open and for free. Even palaces or historical properties that are normally closed to general public open just on this day, again, for free. As people go for everything that is for free, there were frightening cues to enter some places. Taking into account that they stay open only until 15:00 and that there are a few tens of places to see in Santiago, a chilean can spend a lifetime before seeing everything!

I woke up at noon. Tough night, indeed. This left us with 3 hours to wander. We first went to the famous Palacio Cousiño, one of those that only opens on this day. A nice cue was formed, but it took us no longer than 10 minutes to get in. Two tour guides showed people around, telling out the palace history. I think opulence is the proper word, each and every little thing was in fact huge. Afterwards, La Bolsa, where all Chile's stock market goes through. Another guided tour, but without cue this time. We learned that now stockbrokers don't buy and sell live inside the building, everything is computerized and they work from their offices scattered around the city. An impressive monitor still exists, showing the stock values. Above it a huge old painting remembering that el trabajo da riqueza.

No time for more unfortunately. The presidential residence was also open but the cue was too big. The concept however works, the streets were fuller than on a normal weekend. In the end we ate a comforting cazuela for lunch, to help with the headache...
© Images by Violeta Ramos

San Pedro Revisited

Going back to San Pedro feels a bit like going back home. You see familiar faces, exchange meaningful smiles, know where to find fresh bread in the morning. I stayed at the same hostal, where I was warmly welcomed by the staff, including Maca, the crazy perrita. The difference this time was that I did not go alone. I went with Francesca, an astronomer friend who is sharing the house with the rest of us in Santiago, for a few months. We shared the dorm mainly with a few chilean students from Santiago, who were there with more people to end a recent fly plague that was harassing the fruit. They were really nice, but there were some problems and in two days we were moved from the room and they were moved from the hostal. Unfortunately, we lost contact...

I used these five days in San Pedro to see and do what I didn't have time to before. We saw the altiplano lagoons, populated by flamingos, did some horseback riding, had an awesome astronomical tour in the night by a former ESO colleague who settled in San Pedro to bring people closer to the sky, trekked for 6 hours across rivers, mountains and valleys and visited geological and archaeological sites. I spent a lot more money this time but it was definitely worth it. I leave you with the pictures. Next time, I'm going for the volcanos!

San Pedro Revisited Photo Album

Sueño Porteño

I was missing the ocean... Since I left Portugal, I only had the chance to be close to it for a few minutes, in Antofagasta. So, I decided to go closer to the coast for a few days, to the World Heritage portuary city, Valparaiso. It is one of the largest and most important ports in south america, while hosting some impressive military vessels as well. The activity is permanent! But, guarding the port, from the top of its 44 steep cerros, lies a cultural jewel, recognised by UNESCO in 2003.

The weather was bad, cloudy and a bit rainy. As soon as I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by a student riot on the streets. Police everywhere, streets closed. Being a student in Chile is all but boring! I found myself a hostel, in a familiar hospedaje right in the middle of the main hill, Cerro Concepción. Beautiful architecture, from the 19th century, which is the image of the city. In fact, the beauty of Valparaiso is to be able to wander around its steep streets, narrow alleys or endless staircases, to go up and down the hills on the old elevators, scattered around the whole city, or just to take a walk along the coast, watching sea lions and pelicans. The city has a cultural atmosphere that Santiago does not have. This can be seen not only on the streets, with a lot of young people painting or drawing, not for selling, most probably for their studies, but also inside many cafés and restaurants.

One perfect example is called Café con Letras. This time I wasn't so lucky with my roommates, so I just decided to walk on my own. I found this place by accident, while I was looking for food. Inside, it is decorated with bookshelves, filled with books of different types. One can just order a coffee, pick a book from the shelf and read it. The first time I went there, a literature class was going on. I didn't have classes in cafés!! I picked a book, asked for my coffee (by the way, this was the first time in Chile where I drank a genuine coffee) and sat comfortably. The concept is excellent because this made me come back to finish the book, every evening, after exploring the city. In the end, I read a book (in spanish) in three days and made some friends. One evening I asked for advice on some nice jazz bars, to relax a bit, and suddenly, each and every girl from the bar, from the waitresses to the kitchen staff (the café has this young atmosphere), was coming in turn to recommend some nice places to go. They were great!! I didn't find jazz, but I found this awesome universitary disco, with great DJs and great music. Three dancefloors, each with a different kind of music, but so good, that I spent the whole night jumping from one to the other. These people are party animals!!

Valparaiso Photo Album