Sunday Morning and we are in Santiago Chile

Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Sun 2 May 2010 22:15
Location: Santiago, Chile (38:26.395 70:38.448W)
We flew yesterday on LAN Airways to Santiago Chile, arriving late in the
afternoon, catching a community van into central town, where our hotel is
situated.
Alex was still been sick improving slowly but we tried a Starbucks (first
one in 5 months) and he down the hot chocolate to only have it come up just
as we boarded the plane, (what timing and site) but that is travelling with
sick kids. This morning Alex is asking a lot and walking around, and
demanding things so I think he is coming back to himself.
This is the first time both Tracy and I have been able to see Santiago, we
staying in an old apartment hotel next to central park down town. We
wandered out of it last night down some side streets, I could have been in
the westend of London, the old buildings of similar vintage with some new
same architecture, and trees. We found a street full of street restaurants
similar to westend, and antique stalls spilling onto the street,
intermingled with café/coffee shops very trendy style. The streets are
cobbled and the atmosphere is very welcoming, we wandered and then settled
on a dinner on a street restaurant on the corner. Buskers played their
instruments under the trees trying to earn some dinner money, but today was
a holiday so many places were closed.
But the food was very European, and nice, it is nice to be sitting at proper
restaurant instead of beach thatched restaurants, and eating fish and other
foods. (I suspect after 2 months we will look forward to returning to the
tropics) but as they say a change is as good as a holiday. Today we start
exploring this town and country.
We took a 3 hour city tour, this is a typically effective way to get the
essential information on a city and orientation very quickly. We were able
to get a feel for the city, with it's two hill parks which we climbed, and
the history especially around where we are staying. The effects of the earth
quake are still viable remembering it 8.3 here for 3 minutes, and some
things are still closed and some statues still missing getting repaired. We
got off at the fish market down town for lunch had superb food and then we
wandered through the markets and indoor restaurants. From there we wandered
back walking pas the main square and then on back to the hotel, been Sunday
it was quiet but it gives you a feel, and a chance to talk with some locals.
Both Tracy and I have an initial feeling of a very comfortable and warm town
with culture, not as spectacular as some due to constant rebuilding due to
earth quakes.
Exploring more tonight.