Quick Tour of Santiago

---

Geo: -33.4691, -70.642

Paula Kay arranged for us to have a driver pick us up for the transfer to the hotel. We found him quickly right where they said he would be. He spoke English, but didn't talk much on the ride to the hotel. The traffic was heavy but kept moving, and we got to the Grand Hyatt (also recommended by Paula Kay) in about 45 minutes. We were able to check in right away although it was only 11:00 in the morning. The food on the plane wasn't the worst, but it was only airplane food so we were ready for a real meal. We ate a light lunch at the Atrium Lobby Lounge in the hotel and rested a bit before venturing outside to get some exercise.

It turned out to be a hot afternoon and there was nothing much of interest to us in the area immediately surrounding the hotel, so we didn't go very far. The concierge pointed out some shopping places that were within walking distance, but we were tired of the heat and the traffic before we got to the first one and turned around to return to the hotel. A tour around the hotel grounds was all that we managed this afternoon. It is quite beautiful with a lush tropical-looking area with a huge lagoon-shaped pool. We used the ATM inside the hotel to get local currency—70,000 in Chilean pesos which is equal to about $100.00. The hotel receptionist was able to exchange the ATM money for smaller bills for tips. As we almost always do on the first night after a long flight, we ate a proper dinner in the hotel, this time at Senso, then went to bed early. Santiago is four hours ahead of Albuquerque time.

For the only full day we have in Santiago, we chose to take a half-day city tour for an overview of the city. The guide picked us up about 15 minutes before the expected time, but we were ready and waiting in the lobby. Then he drove to two more hotels to pick up other guests. Fortunately, there was a big group at one hotel that almost filled the van so we didn't need to make a lot of stops. The traffic was heavy and there was a lot of construction that slowed us down particularly right around the hotel which was on Avenida Presidente Kennedy. It was torn up so it could be rebuilt with tunnels and overpasses to avoid having as many intersections. The guide said Kennedy was a good supporter of Chile, but didn't say what, in particular, Kennedy supported.

The tour took us by Santa Lucia hill first, then on to stop at La Moneda Palace to see the government building holding the official residence and office of President Michelle Bachelet. Her office is behind three windows on the top floor of the Palacio de Gobierno, aka La Moneda. Since we could see that the national flag with the added presidential seal printed on it was flying, we knew that she was in Santiago at the time. La Moneda is on a massive plaza with other government buildings nearby and has a gigantic Chilean flag standing in the middle of the plaza. Guards in various uniforms that our guide described as German or French style were at the entrance to all the important buildings.

We got back in the van to drive the short distance to the Plaza de Armas for a walk around the square. While there, we went inside the Catedral Metropolitana de Chile with its beautiful baroque interior--ornate but not too much. Again back in the van, we drove as close to the top of Cerro San Cristobal as we could get then walked around to see the view of the city. Phil and I did not take the stairs up to the very top to see the statue of the Virgin Mary, but we could see her as we rode through the city.

After the tour, the traffic was even worse than before taking a long time to drop off everyone at the hotels. Ours was the last stop. We made it back by 1 p.m. which gave us just enough time to get ready to go to lunch. Before leaving home, I made us a 2 o'clock reservation at Bocanariz wine bar. We went down to get a taxi about 1:30 as the concierge had recommended yesterday. However, the doorman and transportation manager acted like we should have been there earlier. They quickly arranged a hotel car to take us to lunch and promised that they would return to pick us up at 3:30.

Bocanariz was wonderful. It is a small restaurant on a side street in the Lastarria neighborhood very near a number of tourist attractions including La Moneda and La Plaza de Armas. Each person who waited on us was extremely kind and helpful. We were greeted and seated by the head sommelier who introduced the waiter. The food was delicious, but we were there mainly for the wine tasting so we each ordered a different flight of wine recommended by the waiter as good matches for our meals. They have over 400 kinds of Chilean wine, too much for us to choose from easily.

Stuffed and completely happy with our meals, we paid the bill and were ready to go when the waiter reappeared and asked us to wait. "My boss wants to talk to you," he explained. We had only a few moments to wonder why when the head sommelier (his boss) showed up and asked if we wanted to see the wine cellar. Of course! We did not turn down that opportunity or his friendly gesture. The stairs to the cellar were in the front dining room (we'd had lunch in the back room) where we had to squeeze by a couple of tables to get to the steep stairs going down. Cool and dark, the cellar was picture-perfect and filled to the ceiling on all sides. Lautaro, the sommelier, proudly showed off his collection and told us more about the wines of Chile.

After climbing back up the narrow, nearly vertical staircase, we stepped outside to wait for the hotel car to pick us up. It was scheduled to be at the restaurant at 3:30, but never did show up. After waiting 20 minutes or so, we called the hotel concierge, only to be put on interminable hold. With the cell phone though, I wasn't sure if we had dropped the connection or if they had forgotten us or what, but they did not come back on the line. While I was redialing, Lautaro came out the front door of the wine bar and was surprised to see us still waiting. He gallantly took over the conversation with the hotel, and somehow it was decided that we would take a taxi rather than wait for the hotel car service. Lautaro did not want us to flag down just any taxi. Instead, he called one for us and waited with us until it arrived. “It's safer,” he said. (Earlier in the day, the tour guide said the same thing when talking about getting cabs.) He insisted on waiting for the cab with us and matched the cab number on the car with the number that the phone dispatcher had given him.

We made it back to the hotel safely even though the cab driver was texting for much of the time. We went immediately to talk to the concierge about what happened. Although apologetic and willing to comp another ride later that day for us, he did not have much of a reason for one of his team not picking us up as arranged. It just happened. I am certainly glad we were not in a remote location without a helpful sommelier when we were expecting the ride.

During the day's drive, we noticed a lot of enterprising entrepreneurs trying to earn a living from drivers. When cars were stopped, people, both men and women, hurried out into the street to sell a variety of goods—food, water, umbrellas, and other things. At one corner, we saw a couple of dancers in costume wait for the light to turn green for walkers then hurry out into the intersection and start dancing. It was a traditional Chilean dance that the guide named for us. I don't remember which one. When I asked, he confirmed that they were working for tips from the drivers. Later we saw a man juggling bowling pins in an intersection. As soon as the light changed, he moved out of the cars' way, but stood between the lanes with hand out and open. The walk signal was a moving man who walked at first, then as the time to cross was about over, he started running.

For dinner, we opted for bar food in Duke's bar at the hotel. We did not need another big meal.

---