I lived in Santiago, Chile for a year several years ago, and I
have to say I love the city. It does not have the cultural richness of Buenos Aires or the party-driven intensity of
Rio, but as South American cities go, it is filled with great things to do and see. Chile is rather sedate, overall, as
a country. They say it is the Great Britain of Latin America: serious, staid, reserved, but mercantile and successful.
If you’ve been following the news, then you know they just elected a new president, a woman, and a socialist. Bolivia
(and I am not putting Chile in the same category as Bolivia) also elected a leftist leader. Side note: what’s going on
in Latin America?
OK, that aside, I just read an article in the
Globe and Mail that is quite bullish on Santiago. Good for them. They list a couple of things happening in the city
over the next few months. Among them the Estacion Mapocho will be holding an exhibit dedicated to the transformation of
this former train station into Santiago’s premier cultural centre. They also mention a few of the cool walking spots in
the city like the area around the Plaza de Armas where you can see the 18th-century Municipalidad de Santiago as well as
the towering Catedral Metropolitana. And just because you have to, you should check out the Palacio de La Moneda, where
Allende holed himself up during the military coup in 1973.
All good stuff, and I am pleased to see Santiago
get some ink.