Santiago - Day 3 (From the old Spanish name O'Higgins)

Despite being a Latin American nation, Chile is far more diverse than many may give it credit for. Just walk through Santiago and you will see a street scene that could easily be any major American or European city. Nothing better tells the story of Chilean diversity than the story of their creation.

To start the day we made our way to the Palacio de La Moneda, the presidential palace located unshockingly in the heart of the city center. On certain days of the week they have a changing of the guard at 10:00am. What you do want is to schedule a free tour of the palace. The tour begins on the side of the palace facing Bernardo O'Higgins Avenue, and don't worry, the tour is in English. After entering you will get to tour to many rooms and even sit in the very seat the President of Chile sits in when welcoming guest dignitaries.  Along the way you will learn about the history of the Chilean people from the Spanish conquest of the land in 1541 under Pedro de Valdivia, the break from Spain in the Chilean War of Independence in the 19th Century led by the descendent of Irish immigrants Bernardo O'Higgins, and the fascist 20th Century regime of Augusto Pinochet (he is not very popular). An interesting point about Pedro de Valdivia is no one knew what he looked like, so the massive portrait of him in the palace is a just what the artist believed he looked like. When you are done walk down to the Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda for a free museum dedicated to the history of the people. The museum of the Rapa Nui located within is nicer and has more objects than the museum located on Easter Island itself.

From the palace walk down Bernardo O'Higgins Avenue to the Church of San Francisco. The 17th Century cathedral is the oldest building in Santiago, and is still home to an active covenant of monks. After you have toured the church go through the museum attached to the side of the church. Inside you will find, according to the museum, the largest collection of 17th Century American paintings on the continent. Dedicated mostly to St. Francis of Assisi, these massive portraits were painted by the monks who occupied the convent four hundred years ago. One fascinating painting even outlines the genealogical history of the convent through the 17th Century. Check out the garden in the center of the convent which may be a peaceful respite for the withdrawn monks living there.

 

Across the street from the Church of San Francisco is the beautiful Santa Lucia Hill Park. Santa Lucia Hill was the site Pedro de Valdivia stationed his men in 1541, and was the site of a fort for more than three hundred years used to defend the city, which by the late 19th Century had moved well beyond the reach of the fort. Since then the site has been a park that allows you to walk through the former 19th Century fort built there, and by climbing to the top gives you a wonderful view of the city and the Andes Mountains to the east.

For dinner wander to the Barrio Lastarria, a very bohemian neighborhood filled with restaurants, bars, and street performers. Each corner is a covered with vendors and artists peddling their goods, and musicians playing for change. We sat down at Patagonico, a craft beer restaurant and wonderful restaurant for dining and people watching. When you leave cross the street to the famous La Rosa Imporio, the most famous ice cream shop in the city. After that the rest of the night is up to you, stay out for a drink or call it a night, either way you probably had a great day.