Corrugated City

Wednesday 28 November 2007

Santiago

So we'll start our mini-tour of Chile backwards, kicking off where we ended our 12 day trip: Santiago.

As anyone who's been reading this blog for a while can tell you, i'm not a big fan of Chile's capital. It's a big, smoggy hellhole actually. Still there are a few redeeming features.

One of them is Cerro San Cristobal. The bubble lift ride up is fun and the funicular down the other side is quite cool as well. When you're actually at the top, you can sometimes get fantastic views of all of Santiago. This depends on the smog. This was the view we got yesterday. Smogolicious.



The top of the hill is a religious sanctuary. There's a big virgin up there pleading with God. "Why Santiago? Why? Why? Why? I give birth to your son-he gets Rio and i get Santiago??? Not fair."



They're currently doing some renovations up there and there are loads of these posters up, urging Catholics and, particularly Catholic Priests, to do their Catholic duty. "A Coger!"*** Look at the hand trying to grab me. Saucy.


When you go down the funicular, you end up in Bellavista. It's been over 3 years since i went to the area. I always liked Bellavista-it has some fab architecture and good restaurants and bars- but it used to be a bit flaite and penca. However, in the last few years, it appears to have really moved up a notch and there are now some really nice parts. It actually reminds of Palermo Soho in Buenos Aires and has much the same feel. Definitely worth a trip over if you happen to get stuck for a day in Santiago.

Next stop on the backwards tour: Pucon.



















***Ok, it doesn't actually say "A Coger!", it says "Acoger". This means something else entirely.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, it's only in Argentina where "Coger" means shag. In Chile it just means, pick up. But then you know that.

Pedro

Matt said...

I wouldn't say that 'coger' only means 'to shag' in argentina-every chilean i know has made it pretty clear it means the same here. in ecuador as well it's not something i'd be saying. 'recoger' and 'acoger' are commonly used but 'coger' most definitely isn't...