Last Day in Santiago, off to Valparaiso and Back to Santiago

Go where the wind blows or the bus goes
Sometimes you just need to jump on the bus and see where it takes you. You've jammed a lot into these days...action packed and more ice cream! Lovely sunny days. Keep those blogs coming.

Voluptuous Valpo
So glad you enjoyed wonderful Valpo with its incredible colors and energy! I remember that green Anglican church in this photo--picturesque neighborhoods to wander up there. So what was the museum in Santiago you visited--maybe the Pre-Columbian or the Museum of Memory about the Pinochet period? Those were my 2 faves, though there were also fine others. Glad you enjoyed the ice cream--orange-ginger and one with beets were my faves. Yum!

hanging cars
Are you sure there wasn't a car wash nearby and they were just hanging the cars up to dry? lol Loving the pictures! Looks like you're having a great time! :)

chago
i've enjoyed your detailed travelog, reliving some of my travels in bolivia and chile. just a quick note on the changing of the guard. those are not soldiers, they are police officers. the police are not part of the military, though they can be regarded as a militarized police force (so can the american police, with their helicopters, body armour, machine guns, armoured vehicles, and battering rams). it is a national police force based on the italian national police, the carabineri (hence "carabinero" in chile). too bad about the hamburger, but chileans make crappy burgers. you would have been better off eating a chararero or a churrasco sandwhich. doggies is also considered to be the worst of the hot dog places, but it'll work in a pinch. santiago does need to improve its communication with tourists. there are a couple of tourist offices (near plaza de armas and in providencia) but not well marked. santiago is a city that rewards the patient traveller. it's not as in your face as buenos aires or rio. the city has a subtle personality, much like chileans themselves. i hope you made it to other parts of the city, like the plaza brasil area to the west of downtown or plaza ñuñoa which is southeast of downtown. anywho. happy trails!

Valparaiso streets.....
....looks like a great place for street photography. First in best dressed with the changing of the guards, fair enough you keep your place at the front!