The day started with Ms K picking me up from the hotel and we started our touring day at Los Dominicos, a version of a typical chilean village that sells touristy knickknacks - ceramic ware, clothing jewellery. The evening prior the temperature had dropped and we spotted a car with a thick layer of snow and ice. It was definitely a cool day "frio" and snow was falling on the Andes.
We then went on to Alto Las Condes visiting a typical chilean mall - very popular here with a supermarket style shop with - yes, we counted them to confirm, 65 checkouts. Ms K told me that on the weekend all 65 are in operation as everyone does their shopping then. Incredible!
Onwards and upwards, we drove up through the Parque Metropolitano which is otherwise known as Cerro San Cristobal - cerro meaning hill. Lovely views over Santiago to the Andes can be seen from the viewing points on the drive/walk/cycle up. We walked to the top of the hill to check out the Virgen de la Immaculada Concepcion - I pretended I was in Rio, as I am not getting that far north on this trip. Ok, I realise she is female and not as large as the jesus at Rio, but one can pretend on occasion.... Being a tourist plus a local we took the funicular down to Bellavista, had a wander around the streets & their restaurants, a pretty but on occasion slightly unsafe area, and then headed down to the Mercado Central for a late lunch. The Mercado is the main fish market, and we had a wander through discovering a few fish that can't be purchased in Australia, at least not at the Sydney Fish Markets! For lunch we had a lovely black coloured fish, Reineta, fried with an ensalada chilean, mi gusto!
We then wandered over to the Estacion Mapocho bravely wandering through areas not usually traversed by my friends. The building is a lovely old 1800s train station with intricate ironwork, influenced by European architecture, now well maintained and used for expos and such.
We wandered a bit further into unknown territory, to take some photos of an unusual church spire. I was banned by Ms K from using my camera, due to safety concerns, and she took photos instead with her phone camera. Getting very odd looks & comments from the locals. (Hadn't they seen tourists around this area? Maybe not very often.)
We then went on to Alto Las Condes visiting a typical chilean mall - very popular here with a supermarket style shop with - yes, we counted them to confirm, 65 checkouts. Ms K told me that on the weekend all 65 are in operation as everyone does their shopping then. Incredible!
Onwards and upwards, we drove up through the Parque Metropolitano which is otherwise known as Cerro San Cristobal - cerro meaning hill. Lovely views over Santiago to the Andes can be seen from the viewing points on the drive/walk/cycle up. We walked to the top of the hill to check out the Virgen de la Immaculada Concepcion - I pretended I was in Rio, as I am not getting that far north on this trip. Ok, I realise she is female and not as large as the jesus at Rio, but one can pretend on occasion.... Being a tourist plus a local we took the funicular down to Bellavista, had a wander around the streets & their restaurants, a pretty but on occasion slightly unsafe area, and then headed down to the Mercado Central for a late lunch. The Mercado is the main fish market, and we had a wander through discovering a few fish that can't be purchased in Australia, at least not at the Sydney Fish Markets! For lunch we had a lovely black coloured fish, Reineta, fried with an ensalada chilean, mi gusto!
We then wandered over to the Estacion Mapocho bravely wandering through areas not usually traversed by my friends. The building is a lovely old 1800s train station with intricate ironwork, influenced by European architecture, now well maintained and used for expos and such.
We wandered a bit further into unknown territory, to take some photos of an unusual church spire. I was banned by Ms K from using my camera, due to safety concerns, and she took photos instead with her phone camera. Getting very odd looks & comments from the locals. (Hadn't they seen tourists around this area? Maybe not very often.)
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