Arrived Santiago: Downtown

We have arrived in Santiago. We’ve been here about an hour. I feel all the better for a beer and two very alcoholic “welcome to Chile”aperitifs.

A long journey but not a tiring one as there was plenty of opportunity to sleep on the ‘planes. We spent quite a bit of time trying to work out who may be on our trip, which at times was quite depressing☺) This is the first organized tour we have really undertaken, and I have not been looking forward to that part of it. I’m quite tempted to begin a diary and even write a book having met a few of the group. I can see a bestseller here somewhere!

Santiago is quite an interesting place. An emerging economy so they say, I hate to think where it was before it began to emerge. There is very little history due to earthquakes and an awful lot of reinforced concrete!! It is bustling and it so far seems the way to make money is to be an optician or a gas appliance repair man.

Tomorrow, we are on an organized tour (ugh!), may be good, I’m always positive. Then we fly down to Patagonia, can’t wait!

I took this blip about 100 metres from our quite plush hotel. I liked it because it depicts an old and a modern Santiago. To be honest, I haven’t really had time to find a fitting blip yet to sum up our short time here. Tomorrow we will have a whole day to take some pics.

P.S. thanks for the great comments on yesterday's sunrise. For some reason, it wouldn't be accepted for the Lovers of Light?

I will find it difficult to reply to your comments this next two weeks, but I do love reading them and they provide a great stimulus to grab a decent blip, so please write if you would like to!