My gate at Panama City airport.
My row all to myself. (Full disclosure: I scooted over to the window seat after the flight began, and half-way through the flight a woman from a row ahead of mine moved to the aisle seat in my row.)
The flight to Santiago was a little more than six hours. Copa provided free meal service, which was nice considering I had spent way too much money on my one meal while in Panama. The choice was beef with veggies or "spaghetti." Being a vegetarian (pescatarian), I chose the spaghetti, which ended up actually being "penne." I thought the flight attendant said that the spaghetti had chicken, but as far as I could tell it did not. (Side note: I signed up for a vegetarian meal in advance via the Copa Airlines website, but either it didn't work or special meals were not offered on this flight.)
The plane had individual in-seat monitors, so I watched a few movies during the flight: Words and Pictures (meh) and Guardians of the Galaxy (meh.) Oddly, the seatbelt sign was not turned off at all during the flight, even though there was no turbulence. Obviously, people ignored that and got up anyway. From my window seat, I mostly saw only clouds. I started to see land when we were over Ecuador or northern Peru. I was very excited to have my first glimpse of South America!
Toward the end of the flight, they came around with a snack. The options were a chicken and cheese sandwich or a cream cheese empanada. I chose the empanada. It seemed to have a chicken-like substance in it though, so I only ate the crust.
My beverage of choice on Copa - guava pineapple juice.
As we got closer to southern Peru and Chile, I could see more and more mountains from the window. Approaching Santiago, the mountains were snow-capped.
Near Lima, Peru.
Snow-capped Andes Mountains near Santiago.
I landed in Santiago at 9pm, and by then it had just gotten dark outside. After walking down a really long hallway, I reached Immigration and Customs. The process was easy and fast. Once I entered the airport terminal, things were very confusing, as usual. There were crowds of people waiting for passengers and taxi drivers hovering all over. I needed to find an ATM to start my trip with some Chilean pesos. I could not figure out how to use the machine though. I first was denied service because I did not choose the display option entitled "foreign." After doing that correctly, I was then denied service because my transaction was over the 200000 peso ($315) limit due to the 4000 peso fee that was added. Completely frustrated, and feeling like a complete idiot, I tried a third time and finally got some dinero.
Next, I needed to find transportation to my hotel. I inquired at the kiosk of the transport service company that my hotel recommended, but they had no idea what I was talking about. I didn't want to take a taxi based on my experience in Panama, but it was late, I was tired, and I just wanted to get out of that airport. I went to the first random taxi service I saw. It definitely wasn't a regulated taxi service, but I didn't care. The young driver was very nice and I briefly spoke to him in Spanish during the drive. The cost of the ride to my hotel ended up being 19000 pesos (~$30), which was actually a better price than I had expected based on my prior research.
My hotel was in the Providencia neighborhood. The taxi driver told me it was "tranquilo," like that was a bad thing. I guess he figured that I was younger than I am and would rather be in a party zone. I specifically choose a hotel in this neighborhood though because it was more residential and upscale than downtown Santiago, meaning that it should be a place where I would feel safe and comfortable when walking around alone at night.
I stayed at the Petit Hotel Meridiano Sur (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294305-d1645620-Reviews-Meridiano_Sur-Santiago_Santiago_Metropolitan_Region.html.) I was very relieved when I got there. The neighborhood and the hotel were just as I expected - clean, quiet, and pretty. After looking around the hotel, and eating some snacks I brought from home, I went to bed around midnight. My room was on the bottom level of the hotel, as was the kitchen and eating area. The floors were tile, and this made sounds carry far. It sounded like there was noise coming from the kitchen area all night! I intended to wake up the next morning at 8am, but I had such a hard time falling asleep. The hotel provided ear plugs in the room, so I eventually popped them in. They worked, but I ended up sleeping until 10am.
My hotel. (This photo was taken the following day, since it was dark when I arrived.)
My single bed. Small room, but it served me well.
In-room bathroom.
Breakfast buffet by day. Tea and coffee service by night, along with a variety of newspapers.
Eating area. Also, a fridge and table full of snacks available for purchase, which was nice for when I was feeling lazy and hungry.
I didn't get to breakfast until 10:20am, and it was scheduled to end at 10:30am. I felt bad about coming so late, but I was starving and wanted my free food! I ate a lot: rolls with cheese, avocado, and tomato; cereal with corn milk (whatever that is); raspberry juice and orange juice; tea; pickles (that tasted like sushi); and slices of fresh pears, apples, peaches, and cherries. Side note: I know that when traveling to foreign countries, you are supposed to be weary of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. In this case though, I figured that since so much produce in the US comes from Chile, I would survive. Plus, it looked so good!
After breakfast, I was still tired and lacked motivation. The weather was gloomy and cold, so I had no idea what I should do that day. I slept a little more, and then did a lot of researching on things to do in the city. After getting myself ready, I finally headed out at 2pm.
Even though the weather was less than ideal, I decided to walk. The Parque de los Esculturas (Park of Sculptures) wasn't too far from my hotel. Along the way, I passed by many foreign embassies on Andrés Bello road. The park/open air museum (which is free) stretches between the roads Pedro de Valdivia Norte and Padre Letelier along Santa María. Among the trees and plants are all different kinds of sculptures - realistic, abstract, stone, metal. It was a Saturday afternoon, yet there were very few people in the park.
Three sculptures along the bridge. Santiago is surrounded my towering mountains, but none were visible that day.
Map of the park. I entered from the west - Pedro de Valdivia Norte.
All of the sculptures were done by Chilean artists. There are 40 in total. Here are some views from inside the park:
Semilla by Patricia del Canto
Puerta del agua by Raúl Valdivieso
Vuelo I by Lucía Waiser
Pachamama by Marta Colvin
Percepción by Lisi Fox
Looking inward from the east entrance of the park.
On the road outside east end of the park.
View of the park from across the street. It is located on the northern bank of the Mapocho River.
After that, I walked to the nearest Metro entrance since my next destination was quite a ways away. I bought my ticket (640 pesos, approximately $1), still not fully having a grasp of the conversion rate. The woman behind the counter handed me a ticket and some coins as change, so I said "gracias" and walked away. I did not realize that the coins were only part of my change. As I was standing nearby trying to figure out which direction I needed to go, I heard an old man yell "chica." I looked up and realized he was talking to me. I guess he was in line behind me, and he was currently at the ticket window. Turns out, the cashier had bills to give to me as change as well. I felt so stupid...because I was stupid. But at least they were all nice about it.
I had no other problems using the Metro. There are only five Metro lines, so figuring out how to get to where you are going is not very difficult. The trains seemed to come fairly frequently also. I took the Red - L1 line and exited at Escuela Militar.
What a one ride Metro ticket looks like.
My Metro map.
A McDonald's ice cream kiosk inside the Metro station. Most of the Metro stations were like mini-malls.
View from a train platform.
The Escuela Militar (Military Academy.) The huge complex was surrounded by a fence and guards who looked rather bored.
Along my walk after exiting the Metro, I saw the following two advertisements. I think it was a sign that I bought myself the right phone. Side note: I broke down and finally got my first smartphone in preparation for this trip. Also, I can confirm that this phone is in fact waterproof, as mine got rained on while I walked around that day and still worked like a charm.
My destination was a few miles up the road along Américo Vespucio Norte. It was drizzling and my walk wasn't very interesting, but I enjoyed seeing the sights of the more residential part of town.
Cha-ching!!
Do you know what this guy is doing?
Juggling for tips in the middle of the road! Now that's what I call a street performer.
At last I finally reached my destination - the Museo de la Moda (Fashion Museum.) The museum is located in the former childhood home of the museum's founder, Jorge Yarur Bascuñán. From what I understand, this is an upscale part of town. According to the museum's website, the museum was currently featuring a Fashion of the 1980s exhibit. I was really excited to see that!
When I approached the entrance however, I found it to be quite daunting as it was a driveway with orange cones and a metal gate, which was patrolled by a security guard and pack of dogs. I asked the guard if this was the entrance to the Museo de la Moda and he asked me why I was there. I thought that was a strange question. He explained to me (in Spanish, as he did not speak English) that the 1980s exhibit ended "hace dos años," which would mean two years ago, and that the current exhibit was about the World Cup ("soccer.") I was crestfallen. I love pop culture from the past, so I was very disappointed that the exhibit was gone. I got the impression that the security guard had explained this very thing to many, many visitors before. He said that I was welcome to tour the exterior of the museum, which was essentially the former front yard of the house. Side note: By this time, I noticed that the pack of dogs were actually golden retrievers and other friendly breeds.
There were a few sculptures on the lawn, and the guard offered to take my picture. I figured I might was well since I walked all the way up there. To my surprise, the guard took lots of photos. I assumed doing this type of thing was the highlight of his day, since the museum didn't seem to have many visitors.
I was happy with this photo.
But the security guard wanted to take more, and one of the "guard" dogs came over to play.
He wanted me to have fun with it, and suggested this pose. (The guard, not the dog.)
I aim to please.
The guard suggested this photo too, I suppose to make me look even shorter than I am. I think this is the founder, or his father.
I was still confused as to whether or not the museum was actually open. So I asked the guard. Then I said that I wanted to go inside. He looked stunned, as if he had never received this type of response before from someone who had been wanting to see the 1980s exhibit. He confirmed that I fully understood the situation regarding the exhibits, and then he showed me to the museum's entrance. Once inside, I paid the admittance fee of 3000 pesos ($5) to a young girl.
The first part of the museum was a few rooms of the house, still decorated as they were in the 1960s. The rooms were dimly lit and expensively furnished.
The living room, and dining room behind the half wall.
The bar. Rather gaudy for my taste, but it has a nice funky, retro feel to it I guess.
In the center of the museum there was a room entirely closed off by windows that had vintage Taca-Tacas (foosball tables) from around the world. It never occurred to me before that there would even be such a thing as a vintage foosball tables. They ranged from the 1920s to the 1970s.
How did I know they were called Taca-Tacas? Because of this sign.
A few rooms were dedicated to the World Cup exhibit. I ended up enjoying it a lot! It had a bit of fashion, art, foreign culture, and history, which are all things that I love.
World Cup posters from various years.
The evolution of the fútbol (soocer ball) and cleats.
How jerseys have changed over time.
Old-school ball pumps and knee guards.
Programs, rosters, etc.
Odds and ends.
World Cup collectables.
Chilean jerseys from over the years.
Va va va voom!
Toys and such.
Fútbol knickknacks.
At the end of the curio cabinets was this - a jacket from Back to the Future II. This was obviously leftover from the 1980s exhibit...and totally random.
While I walked around the museum, I asked the lone security guard inside if photos were allowed (in Spanish.) He said that they were without a flash. Later on, he began a conversation with me in Spanish. (Again, I concluded that he was very bored since the museum only had two to four other visitors while I was there.) I struggled a bit, but did alright speaking Spanish. He guessed that I was from Germany, which I found amusing. I wonder why he thought that? At the end, he asked if he could take my picture. I felt like a celebrity! Never in my life had so many people ask to take my picture!
The photo he took of me.
If you couldn't tell, that wall is made of VHS tapes. Very cool!
While walking out, I perused the gift shop items. The prices were pretty good. I particularly liked some metal bookmarks, so I got some.
Tip: I realize now why I had such misinformation about the museum's current exhibit. In my research, I clicked on an English link to the museum that was actually very outdated. So, learn from my mistake. If you want to find out more about the museum, click one of these links below.
When I left the museum, it was pouring rain. A Starbucks was across the street, so I decided to seek shelter there and see if the rain would stop. Plus, a hot chai latte sounded really good! The young male cashier was very nice and asked where I was from (in Spanish.) He even asked if I wanted soy milk, which I was pleased about because I didn't even think to ask for that, and that's my preference. When he wrote my name on my cup, he showed it to me and asked if he spelled it correctly. I'd say that was great service!
Official website (in Spanish): http://www.museodelamoda.cl/web/
Official website (translated to English by Google): http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.museodelamoda.cl/&prev=search
When I left the museum, it was pouring rain. A Starbucks was across the street, so I decided to seek shelter there and see if the rain would stop. Plus, a hot chai latte sounded really good! The young male cashier was very nice and asked where I was from (in Spanish.) He even asked if I wanted soy milk, which I was pleased about because I didn't even think to ask for that, and that's my preference. When he wrote my name on my cup, he showed it to me and asked if he spelled it correctly. I'd say that was great service!
Starbucks was in the seasonal spirit, just like back home.
Even though it was still raining, I felt recharged after a few sips, so I headed out. I walked back down Amerigo Vespiccio street, this time taking an inner path through a park rather than the outer sidewalks. The park had lots of exercise options - playgrounds, bike rentals, and fitness course stations. I was very impressed by that!
Huge statues.
Self-serve bike rentals.
Telecommunications tower, a.k.a. the ugliest fake palm tree on earth.
One of the fitness course stations.
I finally worked my way back to the nearest Metro station. I looked around in some of the shops. In a grocery/convenience store named Ekono, I found a cute painted ceramic Santa garden gnome. Since it was cheap, and this was a unique (to me) store, I bought him. I did not realize until later that this store is the Walmart of Chile...literally. The store is owned by Walmart! Ugh. I wasn't happy to find that out, but I still like my little, non-unique Chilean-American Santa. (Side note: Upon Googling this store now, I realize Ekono is actually the Walmart of all of Central/South America.)
When I looked at this tag later on, that's how I found out this was Chilean Walmart. (I added the red circle for emphasis.)
After drinking my chai latte, I felt it would be a good idea to hit the restroom. So, I paid 500 pesos (less than a dollar) to use the restroom at the Metro station. The bathroom was nothing special, but definitely not gross either. Tip: Just be sure to grab some toilet paper from the wall before you walk into the stall!
Admit one to the baño subterraneo.
I rode the Metro across town to get to the Mercado Central (Central Market.) According to my guide book, it was open until 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights. But to my surprise, and annoyance, it was already closed when I arrived at 7pm.
A peek inside through the gate.
It was still raining hard and this seemed like a dirty and grungy part of town, but since there was still daylight and I wasn't too exhausted, I explored the area a little bit.
An obelisk covered in graffiti. All business on top, all party on the bottom. I dub it the Mullet Obelisk.
I'm sure some people would look at this photo and say "yuck," while others would say "rad."
The sights of the city, good and not so good. The church is the Parroquia Milagroso Niño Jesús de Praga.
From across the street I could see this beautiful building and I had to go find out what it was. It looked like a train station. There were hardly any people around but the doors were open. I asked the guard what the building was, and he told me it was the Cultural Center. He also said it was free to walk around, so I happily did.
I found out that the full name of the building was Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho. It used to be a train station from 1912 to 1987. After years of neglect, the building was restored and it is BEAUTIFUL! I just love historic train stations.
Gorgeous!
This area was behind locked doors, and if I am recalling correctly, it can be rented out for events.
So lovely!
A few different rooms in the building had art on display. One area featured modern art (pictures below) and another area had photographs of "the life and customs of the gypsy community (comunidad gitana.)" The photographs were so interesting, but I didn't feel comfortable taking pictures of them since they were raw moments from people's lives.
Watch where you step!
I had enough exploring for the day, so I rode the Metro back to my hotel. I was very wet and my shoes were soaked, so changing my clothes was my first priority. Next, I had to decide on dinner, since it was late and I never even ate lunch. I looked up a lot of places online to help narrow things down, and read reviews on Yelp to help me choose some place good. Since I was in the mood for seafood, I took a gamble by going to a "fancy" place without a reservation.Aquí Está Coco (http://aquiestacoco.cl/?lang=en) was a few blocks from my hotel. When I walked in, they asked if I had a reservation. I said that I did not, but was just eating alone. That seemed to do the trick, because they seated me right away at bar style seating in the back of the restaurant. This ended up being the perfect spot, because my back was toward the restaurant and there was a large mirror on the wall ahead of me. So, I could see what was going on in the restaurant, but didn't have to stare straight ahead at everyone like I did in Panama City the previous evening.
Dinner selfie.
So many things on the menu sounded great. I decided on ensalada de la huerta (goat cheese salad) and a small pastel de centolla (crab pie.) Both were very good, but I would not say that they were out of this world delicious. They also provided bread rolls and a salsa/bruschetta of sorts. That was yummy.
I decided to eat only a few pieces of goat cheese, and not risk getting sick from my stomach being in shock from eating too much "foreign" cheese.
My pastel de centolla (crab pie.) This is a signature Chilean dish. I thought it would have a flakey crust underneath. But it's just entirely crab in a creamy sauce, and served in a cast iron dish.
My pastel de centolla (crab pie.) This is a signature Chilean dish. I thought it would have a flakey crust underneath. But it's just entirely crab in a creamy sauce, and served in a cast iron dish.
Toward the end of my meal, my waiter asked where I was from (in Spanish.) I told him USA, then he asked which state. I told him Arizona and he asked which city. When I replied with Phoenix, his response was "Phoenix Suns." I was surprised by this. He told me that he loves basketball. We then began a conversation that was partly in English and partly in Spanish. We talked about sports, writers/books, and travel. It was so much fun! I couldn't believe I was having a real conversation with a Chilean person and doing alright speaking Spanish!
I was too full after my meal to try one of their desserts. I went back to the hotel and called it a night. I had such a nice day full of surprises, even with the cold and rainy weather. I was also totally comfortable being by myself all day, and rather enjoyed it!
Next up: Beyond Santiago
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