One week in Santiago de Chile, a change of scenery!

I couldn't contain the excitement of me landing to South America...it must have been for the similarity with the culture with mine, for the long lasting love for tango, for my favourite movie and book "The house of Spirits"...and for all the other Isabel Allende's stories...but I was really happy to land in South America. First stop, Santiago de Chile.

Photo by Maria Teresa Salvati

I wasn't planning to do too much in a week, because New Zealand had literally sucked all the energy, so I was more looking forward to learn something about the history, get myself into cultural activities and sip great red wine while eating superb meat!
Most of the experience in Chile met the expectations...however, the change of scenery with the previous Thailand, Australia and New Zealand was clear, especially in terms of security...or the sensation of it, at least!

The first night arrived in Santiago, I went for a walk in the very central Plaza de Armas with a guy met at the (very central) hostel; in only 5 minutes I saw a couple of tourists being mugged, a homeless man laying on the floor bleeding and surrounded by people trying to call an ambulance, which didn't arrive even after half an hour and two guys fighting with a big metal chain.
Bear in mind that Santiago is considered the safest city in South America!

I met Joe (an English teacher from London) in a restaurant the day after I arrived!
In Plaza de Armas, again, I was having something resembling to a pizza and a guy at the next table was approached by a homeless man that started talking to him. Joe didn't get a word of what he was saying so didn't reply. All of a sudden, the man stole his burger and left! Joe looked around, clearly to share that moment of "incredulity"...and that's how he found my eyes looking at him with the same feeling! What do you do in these cases?? You laugh!!
So, we started to talk and share our brief South American stories. He's in Chile for one year teaching English in a private school, just moved in Santiago 2 days before we met.
Both hadn't seen anything of the city, so it seemed nice to go around and discover the city together, at least I could look after his meal and him of my camera! ;)

We went to Sant Cristobal mount with the funicular, where you can see al the city from the top! It's a very religious place, where silence and "meditation" reign! We had a bit of laugh, admired the city and took some pictures.
We went, by chance to the barrio Bellavista - well, he wanted to go but didn't know how and we arrived to the right place anyway...a lovely neighbourhood with coloured houses, painted walls with Gregory Isaac, Bob Marley and other inspiring people's faces.
Stopped to a very stylish place, had something to eat and tried the Pisco Sour...a local drink very strong, made with something stronger than vodka, lime and sugar! Well, at 4pm we were a bit, let's say, tipsy ;)

Photo by Maria Teresa Salvati

So, we continued exploring the city moving to barrio Brazil...met two Americans travelling and volunteering in Santiago that gave us some good tips of what to do in the city...had a strong and creative coffee and moved to the next place: "la vaca ingorda", a restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet as the best place to eat a perfect meat steak. It was absolutely perfect! I remember saying "Oh My God" at every bite, accompained by an absolutely superb Chilenian wine.
That's what I was after, landing to South America!

The following days, in the hostel I met Gabriella, a dentist from Texas trying to move to Santiago for her big passion for the South American culture, meat, wine and especially salsa!
I met 2 lovely Uruguanian cousins, Martin and Fabian, they were in Santiago because Paola, Martin's sister, a very famous house music dj, was going to perform at a party for the end of the most famous festival in South America, the Vina del Mar festival.
Ah, and one of the biggest celebrities here is Paolo Meneguzzi, an Italian singer. I saw ladies, young and not pulling their hair off for him, crying and screaming...mah!!!

It was also pretty refreshing to discover that Uruguanians are more proud of their Nation than me. Now, if you see me abroud I sound like someone hired from the Italian Government to promote the Nation abroad hearing how patriotic I am! Uruguanians compete very well! According to them, they have the best meat, the best douce de leche, the best playas and the tango has been invented (or has bourne) in Montevideo...why? Because tango borns with Gardel, which is from Uruguay, but moved to Buenos Aires as it was a richer city. Now, tango, really borns in France, earlier than Gardel, but Fabian didn't want to hear that! In the end, it's nice to live with your own convictions! I also, strongly believe that Italy is the most beautiful country in the world and I don't accept any proof of the contrary! :)

The weekend, Martin, Fabian, Gabrielle and I went to a stylish club/bar where Paola was going to perform, in Santiago...it was a very fun night...the mojtos were so strong that after the third one, I was completely knocked out and asked Fabian to put me in a taxi and send me to the hostel...
I remember meeting Antonio, Paola's manager and a lot of other men...at a certain point I was surrounded by so many men and I was looking for friendly faces to rescue me! But, no panic! They were all gay!! In the end, that bar was too cool.

Had a great week in Santiago...didn't do too much, but saw many museums, explored the city, had great meat and wine (other than these two meal, the rest of the food sucks), met great people and made myself ready to Buenos Aires.