CHILE’S EARLY HISTORY – THE INCAS AND MAPUCHE

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In the Plaza de Armas there are statues commemorating the battle between Valdivia (he can be seen on a horse) and Lautaro from the Mapuche army who was responsible for the revolution in Chile, and killed Valdivia. In the early days before the Spanish arrived, the Incas and the Mapuche tribes lived together – Mapu is the Inca word for earth and Che means men in Inca so it literally describes men of the earth. Chile got its name from the Inca word for cold. I tell you the Incas would change their mind about that name if they came on this 3 hour walking tour around Santiago during January in 32 degrees of heat!

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Photos

my daily breakfast in the hostel which I eat on the terrace -
a bowl of cornflakes, hot freshly baked bread with butter, strawberry and blackcurrant jam, a cup of coffee or tea. A good start to the day.

one of the many street vendors selling delicious fruit which I eat regularly
different types of melon, yum!