Santiago de Chile

On January 11 we had a long travel day. We flew from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires and then Buenos Aires to Santiago, arriving just before midnight. We booked another apartment so that we could use some of our savings for a couple of day tours. 

Cute apartment

Comfy bed

We hadn't really planned our itinerary for our 13 day stay in Santiago but knew we would at least go wine tasting…On Sunday, January 12 we strolled around our neighborhood - one of many strolls we would take. It's a very different scene on a Sunday - empty streets and pretty much everything is closed.

Ghost Town on Sundays

I won't bore you with which day we saw what so here's a summary of all the places we saw in Santiago between January 13 and January 23 (separate posts for the day tours we took).

View from the laundry room of San Cristobal Hill

Walking around the Lastarria neighborhood

Lots of restaurant choices but not many places spoke English

Nice building in the neighborhood

Lots of stray dogs laying around

New York Avenue

Cathedral Metropolitana de Santiago

Inside the Cathedral Metropolitana de Santiago

Door shot

Another shot of the Cathedral Metropolitana de Santiago

Cathedral Metropolitana de Santiago and Plaza de Armas (being renovated)

Mercado Central has lots of seafood

Nuestra Senora Del Rosario

Nice building for the central post office

This is across the street from Plaza de Armas (which is being renovated)

The Bella Vista neighborhood was cute. Walking there we passed by a museum and park.

Paul is admiring the statue

Museo de Bellas Artes

Forestal Park

Dog houses for the many strays in the city

Walking towards San Cristobal Hill

Bella Vista neighborhood

We decided to take yet another funicular to the top of San Cristobal Hill.

Up Up 

Chilean flag looks like the Texas flag

The view from San Cristobal Hill

Another view of Santiago

Panoramic

Bees

Small chapel

22 meter statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This peak is the second highest point in the city

Surrounded by mountains

Close up of the statue

Pretty view at the top

Floating head in the garden

Here you can see the statue and the small chapel to the right

We then walked back through the Bella Vista neighborhood.

I liked this door

And this one

Walk signal is a little off

Passing by the Museo de Bellas Artes again

We got another view of the city on top of Santa Lucia hill. 

Statues 

There's a small church

View of San Cristobal Hill

View of Santiago

Juxtaposition

Church door

Paul is rock climbing

So athletic

Reflections

We also checked out San Francisco Church and the Paris/London neighborhood. 

San Francisco Church

Entrance to San Francisco Church

The oldest colonial-era building in Chile

Yes, I like doors

The Paris/London neighborhood was cute

Cobblestone tree-lined streets

Strolling (and yes, he was whistling too)

Cute

Picturesque

88

What's up there?

Nice building

Corner

Since we didn't make it to Easter Island, this was the next best thing

Iglesia La Merced (side view)

Iglesia La Merced (from the front)

Vega Central - another market where you can find everything

Like bins of pickled veggies and olives

Another cool door