Crumbling splendid architecture, fantastically elaborate street art, avenues called things like 'Avenida O'Higgins' and 'Avenida Vicuña Mackenna' a combination of Spanish and Irish, sandwiches and empanadas (pastries containing fillings such as Jamon y Queso - ham and cheese), delicious juicy steaks, purple-red fragrant wine, huge Escudos of beer, friendly locals, bars that spill out onto the street, men spinning around beating rhythms on drums they wear on their backs, packs of wild dogs roaming the streets. Messy, frayed at the edges, faded glamour and yet so strangely beguiling that you have to force yourself to leave. Santiago. We didn't know what to expect when the plane touched down four hours later than expected, and bizarrely, two hours before we left New Zealand, making my dream of being Marty McFly come alive. Confused, tired and excited we
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