Natural Discovery in Santiago
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Wed 5 May 2010 01:33
the corner call " café Opera" it is up market, with fantastic ice cream, I
am sitting at a marble bar on a stool, connected to the internet by wifi (a
common model here, they ask you when you walk in) I have a cup of Cappuccino
and bowl of Passion Fruit Ice cream, and there are about 12 others in the
Café, reading, talking.
Today the weather was again clear and we decided to explore the natural side
of Santiago, this took us back to one of the big hills with a park around
it, and we climbed up to get a view, there was a smog haze across the city
with the Andes mountains popping out the top, (smog is typical in Santiago
in the winter) as the city is really in a bowl boxed on all sides by huge
mountains. As we wandered through the golden and red autumn trees, we
noticed the zoo, or Latin American version, this gave us the opportunity to
climb further up the hill but looking at South American animals with the
boys, like Lamus and some of the very shaggy camels (must be in cold
deserts, and the huge condor birds). We spent 4 hours wandering through the
aviaries, and up the hill side, looking at animals and views at the same
time, (some of these animals have the million dollar views of the city and
mountains!!! All of this is built into the downtown park, there is a forest
section which we did not get to on this run as the boys ran out steam, but
it was a good education morning, it is remarkable how well they remember and
associate, stating when they see animal what it is and where it comes from,
last year we did South Africa and Australia, and now we concentrating on the
South American birds and animals, this is a good nature outing.
The temperature is nice we are in short sleeved tops, and in the 20s, at
night it drops a bit but not too bad next week we down at the "horn" so it
will be cold.
Alex is nearly back to himself walking and eating ice cream, and running off
after Sean, making comment everywhere and he is even answering people in
some Spanish.
One of the books on Santiago I read said "do not expect a spectacular city
like Paris , London, or BA, but expect a city which is safe, friendly and
culture. When you are there become a local and absorb the atmosphere, and
vibe."
How so very true this comment is, the city has some nice buildings but it
has suffered from earth quakes over the years, so you have new and old
mixed, but it is atmosphere and discussion, friendly culture that draws you
to the city. I just completed a couple of block walk, it was around lunch
each café which you pass at least 5 on a block has a lunch special with a
number of choices. When I asked people do they always eat out for lunch the
answer was yes, but we have this special, it averages 5 to 6 dollars, and
includes to courses, and they usually combine it with meeting with others.
So everywhere was full, spilling out on to the street walkways, music is
playing, buskers do their tunes, and the coffee flows, not the wine at this
stage, we see wine after work on the way home. The public transport system
here is clean, and good, so people jump on the underground and head off, but
people seam to work long hours as they still heading about 6 to 7 pm.
We tried a different café for lunch with quiche and salad, easy and light,
sitting on the street walk way, boys having milk shakes, and discussing what
they had seen that morning. As I sit here and look around the café I am in,
the sent of coffee rises and fills the air, a man to my back reads the
paper, the rest a couples or want to be couples, joking and laughing over
coffee and salad, or cake. It is very comfortable to relax I notice a lot of
book shops the small but rich in old and used book types, certainly around
where we are staying, and I see a number of people reading at lunch again
while enjoying a coffee, we have picked up a couple of books here. See the
photo of even a book stand selling books in the park.
An interesting one is" Beyond the Classroom" Why school reform has Failed,
it is very interesting comparing the US system with Asia, and attitude in
students in the US vs the want and hungry attitude to education in Asia,
many questions are asked. This book we picked up as we past one of these
stores along with a couple of others good for the boat trip, and keeps your
mind going.
We visited the main park again with the boys as the sun set, getting the
last of energy out of them, and then we went our quest for anew restaurant
on the cobble streets we found a different one. It was more unusual, we were
able to get Asian food and Peruvian stew (very nice), and then we went a few
doors down to have desert. We also dropped into a number of Art shops
looking for sketch books and pencils for the boys and Tracy, as I have mine
and the boys are getting into drawing at dinner.
I looked around at the hotel, the buildings and tried to understand why I
feel so comfortable, and it hit me, that it is the West end of London which
was my base for many years in the 80s, and then Ghent in Belgium a
university town which I lived for 12 months back in the early 90s while
working on a steel plant out of town. The builds and even the scent in the
air, the business of the people, and stores and shops while not the same
they provide an environment which I enjoyed at the time, and feel at ease
with. Tracy and I discussed how if we have to live in a city we need to live
down town, where there is vibe and happening or else we need to be in the
open, but still with a community.
This is a final full day in Santiago on this part of the trip and really
tomorrow our South American adventure begins, as we head to the coast,
Santiago has been good to adjust to a different climate, get everyone
healthy and use to people again, it is city worth staying in and
experiencing we will many times over.
Photos:
Zoo Park slide with Alex
The Zoo Park
Street Café1
Street Café2
Street Café3
Street Café4 Menu
Street Café5
Multiple Cafes next each other
Art Museum
Book store in Park (one of many as well as street book shops)
Looking down the street we eat at dinner
Active street night life at 7 pm
Family back at health
