I arrived in Santiago on a Sunday afternoon. The summer was coming to an end, but no one seemed to want it to. I stolled around a nearby park, ate some ice cream, and decided that Santiago seemed very hip. Over the next couple days, I explored Cerro Santa Lucia, hiked to the top of Cerro San Cristóbal as the sun set over the mountains, and practiced my Spanish by taking a city bus forty minutes away to buy an overnight bus ticket to Villarrica. On my last day, I was able to meet Rodrigo, a university student studying close to my hostel. He took me on a tour around the city and we had a great time chatting about art and culture.
I was in the city for a total of three days. I never really felt in danger and everyone seemed so kind and friendly.
I really enjoyed the warm weather, the hundreds of dogs that roamed the city, and the feeling of being fully present in a place so new and foreign. Santiago, you were fun.
LOCATION: Santiago, Chile
DATE: March 2013