A tour of Santiago, Chile, our last stop

Somethings that I learned about the Santiago tour this morning--

First of all, Santiago is a shortened form of Saint Diego,  (St James) who is the patron saint of Santiago!  Go figure.  It’s runs along the course of the Mapoche River and it’s summer now so the river is reduced to a stream in most spots.  The first time I’ve celebrated my birthday in the summer.  Santiago is a very dry place with no rain during the summer and each night water truck criss-cross the city watering the many trees and plants that have been planted to help with the pollution that hangs over the city.  

The American Embassy looks like a fortress!

A statue of Salvador Allende, the socialist leader who  committed suicide with an AK-47 given to him by Fidel Castro during the 1973 coup that brought Augusto Pinochet to power.  It had been rumored for years that the US CIA was involved in his murder, but a "scientific autopsy" confirmed that he committed suicide.  Allende and Pinochet are still hot topics with both sides of the debate being very adamant in their beliefs as to the pros and cons of both regimes.

Pope Francis is in town!  30years ago, 90% of Chile was self proclaimed Catholic, Now it's 35%.

me on street art

Black neck swans at a city park

A very modern, but  polluted city

Like much of South America, Chile was a colony of Spain until Jose San Martin “liberated” Argentina, Peru and Chile from Spain.  Another hero of the fight for Chilean Independence from Spain was  Bernardo O’Higgins, and the largest and longest street running through Santiago is Avenue Liberator Bernardo O”Higgins.  He was the illegitimate son of an Irish colonial viceroy and a Chilean woman.  He was not acknowledged by his father and until adulthood was known by his mother’s last name.  He was raised by foster parents but must have had resources. He traveled to England and Spain before returning to Chile to take up the cause of freeing Chile from Spain in 1816. 

There is a type of coffee shop in Santiago called coffee with legs. Funny story--google it!  These are coffee houses where you can have coffee served by scantily clad women in very short, tight skirts.  The windows are partially covered with the name of the coffee shop and as we peeked in the windows, all the customers were men sitting at tables ogling the girls.  There are other levels of “coffee with legs” ranging from completely blacked out windows, men only to coffee shops with guards outside—for what purpose, don’t know!

In 1958 when Jorge Alessandri was elected president, he decided that he didn’t want to move the few blocks to the Presidential Palace—he thought he had a better residence, so he walked the few blocks daily- unescorted- from his home to the President’s office.  Ever since, all Chilean presidents have maintained their own homes, and paid their own bills out of their salaries.  Lots has been written in the media about Salvador Allende and the coup d’état in 1973 by Augusto Pinochet.  Even though Pinochet has been out of power since 1990, there is still a great divide between people who him or hate him!  In Chile, as in the US, you vote for the man, not the party.  They have a 3 part legislature with the main part being in Valparisso, a town north about 45 mins and on the ocean.  It’s a very colorful town with a beautiful sea side of restaurant and hotels and brightly colored houses clinging to the hills.

The Diplomatic University in Santiago is where all diplomats from Chile train. To get in, they must be a graduate of 4 year university, speak English fluently, apply and be accepted by the Diplomatic University—didn’t say how long the course was once you’re in the Diplomatic University.

Indigenous people have inhabited this area for thousands of years and relics of these lost civilizations are in the Pre-Columbian Museum right off Plaza des Armas.  The most local tribe was the Mapuches, a fun loving, laid back not particularly hard working group, but when the Incas attached them in the 14^th century –history hasn’t changed much in 700 years!, they realized what brave warrior they were  and went back to their area of Peru around Cusco and Machu Picchu.  Next to try to conquer them was the Spanish with the same results. In fact, the Mapuches were never conquered, but many were killed off by European diseases, and driven slowly off their land as a result of colonization.  The Mapuches have maintained their identity as a culture.  Many members have integrated into Chilean society, become educated and studied the law and medicine.  These modern day, educated Mapulches are now suing the Chilean government for their ancestral land back.  Several lawsuits are going through the court system and in additions, other Mapuches are fighting for these same rights with guns and some are considered terrorists.

Gay pride

Home tomorrow!