Camacho Watcho

We hit Santiago de Chile in one day…but we hit it hard! We were physically in the city of Santiago for about 20 hours and in that time we did all the sightseeing, eating, shopping, salsa dancing and sleeping that we could. Now that I think about it, we salsa danced for the same amount of time that we actually slept!

So, I will rewind a bit. A couple of friends and I went to Chile for the weekend, spending one day in Santiago and then on to Vina del Mar the next day. I’ll concentrate on Santiago de Chile today and will write about Vina del Mar another day. Chile is such a beautiful country! I am really hoping to go back sometime to spend more time and to explore more of Chile, as it has so much to offer! To get there from here, you fly over the Andes mountain and I must say, that is quite an experience. I know there are many mountain ranges and I’ve flown over many in my lifetime, but this was different. The experience simply left me in awe.

Santiago de Chile is just over the Andes mountains and is a sprawling city, bustling with activity. Full of culture, it has a wonderful mix of neighborhoods, plazas, green spaces and new and historic buildings that make you wonder if you could ever really experience all is has to offer. Believe me, however, we tried! Our sighteeing led us from the Plaza de Armas to Mercado Central and up into the hills overlooking the city below and back again.

The afternoon began with lunch in the Plaza de Armas. There is a restaurant there, anonymous to the public, as it is unmarked and located in an upper floor of one of the buildings surrounding the plaza. Entering was a maze, even for our friend who had eaten there a number of times. Once inside and upstairs, you enter a plain looking door and find yourself standing inside an apartment. The restaurant is literally inside an apartment and is actually a place of business, where the dark, ornate office is an actual working office for someone and you can eat in any of the rooms, including the man’s office! We ate a simple meal, from a simple menu, but it was quite tasty and we certainly had a lovely view of the plaza below. We ordered “special tea”, which is actually wine served in ornate tea cups. They do not actually have a liquor license, but do they serve the tastiest of “teas”! After lunch, we went on with our exploring, wandering through the pedestrian streets and trying local favorites such as a peach and corn sweet drink that was quite interesting.

Then we were on to Mercado Central, which is the sister market of El Mercado del Puerto in Montevideo, but is focused on seafood instead of asado (grilled meat). The structure is essentially the same and is so beautiful, with its tall ceilings and ornate windows. By the time we arrived, the bustle of lunch was over, however, we still took time to meander among the fish mongers, fruit stands and restaurants. Every kind of fish and sea creature you could imagine lay on display; similar, yet different, from the scene at Pike’s Market in Seattle. The difference is that these fish mongers are all business. They are serious about their fish. As serious as I was about wanting to eat Chilean seabass that night….but I’ll get to that part later.

After Mercado Central, we went to Parque Metropolitano to ride the funicular up into the hills overlooking the city. The view from the top is truly a sight to behold. I would recommend this part to everyone who visits Santiago. As expected, the first platform that you arrive to upon leaving the funicular is very touristy. But, this does not distract from the urban sprawl set amongst the distant mountains that you gaze upon from there. Truly beautiful. however, the truly special sight to experience is to climb the stairs to the sanctuary just above the overlook. The sanctuary is an outdoor church with pews set among garden rows and a small chapel just off to one side. Above the sanctuary, and overlooking the entire city, is a 72 foot statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, a porcelain white presence set against the clear blue sky.

Leaving the sanctuary, you have the option to ride the teleferico (cable car) across the park and down the other side of the hill, which we chose to do. Floating through the trees, suspended above Santiago, is definitely a must-do when visiting this city. Each cable car seats only four people which makes the experience very intimate and peaceful. The few times we did talk during this ride, our voices were just a whisper, each of us feeling overwhelmed at the beauty and respectful of the experience itself.

That night, we met some friends for dinner at a Peruvian restaurant called “El Otro Sitio”. To celebrate the evening, we started out with a local Chilean drink called a Pisco Sour. I’m not sure what exactly is in this drink, but it was tart, sweet and frothy and very delicious! The perfect start to a very fun evening. For appetizers, we ordered fresh fish ceviche and scallops baked in parmesan cheese. For the main entree, I had Chilean seabass with tomatoes and onions and of course, to complement this perfect meal, we had a bottle of Chilean wine. When I said that Chile had a lot to offer, I meant a lot to offer! Not only is there a plethora of activities to do in Chile, but the food and wine are reasons to visit in and of themselves.

What better way to spend the rest of the evening than in a salsa club, dancing the night away! We danced, watched salsa demonstrations and listened to the live band until it was time to go home and sleep a couple hours in preparation for our adventures the next day. As my travel partner and friend Holly says once we’ve explored and done everything we can in a new city, “Santiago de Chile….check!”

Posted on November 5th, 2007 by katiejocannon
Filed under: Chile, Customs, Entertainment, Food, Travel