Santiago Stroll

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Monday 15th

We walked around Santiago (translated into English as Saint James) after a hearty American breakfast. First, a stroll around the local mall, and then with the ‘city tour’ offered by our hosts, Lindblad Expeditions.
The nicest part of the tour was a special walkthrough of the pre-Columbian museum. There the guide pointed to all the figures with big noses, from tribes all across pre-Spanish South America. This, he said, was a universal sign of prominence and leadership. Unfortunately, though, the guide could not think of another group that holds this feature in modern times. Apparently he hasn’t heard of the tribe that runs Hollywood.
Later, after the tour and an hour at the gym, we had a meet and greet with the other expeditionaries. While my dad and me stood uncomfortably in the crowd, holding our too-sour-pisco sour and too-milky-pina colada, Uncle Rick phoned home. Eventually ,we met a nice couple from Connecticut, Jim and Joy. In hindsight, this friendship was obvious before we even thought of taking the trip. The first magnetism came from the matching of white hairs, as both Jim and my dad share Snow White hair. Then, I realized Jim and dad were both doctors, and so their dry humor, cultivated through years of poking and prodding people, placed them in the brotherly MD club. And Jim and Joy were drinkers, which uncle immediately took note of. This trip was off to a great start, and we were still over a thousand miles to coldwhere.
We packed our bags and turned on the Eagles game, en Espanol. Conked out until the 430am wake up call.

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