Chile Beacon of LATAM
Chile | Country 13 | 8 day |
It’s not a violent protest. Just everyone celebrating a local soccer team’s latest win on a Sunday night.
I arrived in Santiago, having connected through Mexico. I would be spending the next week and a half in this wonderful South American country.
Some aspects of the Chile trip that I find really unique:
- Chile is vertically gifted, boasting a variety of geographies.
- Demographically, it’s much ‘lighter’ than other LATAM countries, such as Ecuador.
- Summer runs from December to February, much like in South Africa.
- What a well developed country with modern infrastructure
Santiago
The capital is modern and full of life.
I took the bus to the top of the San Cristobal, with a fantastic view of the whole city. You can see all the way up to the mountains that surround Chile to the East.
Coatanera Tower
Passion in the Streets
Colo-Colo had won!
The streets were alive - honking everywhere, people in jerseys, group cheers all around.
As someone just walking towards the city center, I was stunned by the passion and the intensity, something which I haven’t experienced in a long while.
It resembled a Warriors parade but without any organization; people simply gathered spontaneously.
The fantastic food!
Mote de huesillos is a traditional Chilean summertime drink. There is dried peach soaked inside of nectar, sprinkled with wheat grains. I can’t recommend the experience enough.
Empanadas are everywhere in Chile, enough said.
I had my first sopaipillas during the Colo-Colo post-game celebration. It’s a type of fried dough, and you add sriracha and other sauces on top. It’s simple, the corn is filling and wonderful for street food.
During my week, I also had my fair share of sit-down food. I think modern Chilean food consists of a lot of hamburger-like sandwiches. The traditional food on the other hand is so rich in nutrition and flavor.
Traditional veggie soup | Heart attack that’s famous in Valparaiso
A Controversial Past
I visited the Museum of Memory and Human Rights. Pinochet was certainly a controversial figure.
On one hand, his government sowed the seeds that led to the economic developments that we see in Chile that dwarfs the other LATAM countries; but on the other hand, there has been so many people silenced because they opposed his government.
Pinochet’s party overtook the Allende far left government in 1973. He instead adopted many economic reforms, privatization and free market ideas, which had a very positive effect on the development of Chile. (Look up GDP per capita Chile since 1960s) That is of course no excuse for the human rights issues that occurred.
Trip from Santiago
I went with a group to see the famed Cajón del Maipo and San José de Maipo.
The town was small but known for their famous lake, the “mirror lake”. What a clear reflection!
I was amongst two of the only folks who spoke English - a Russian girl was also there (to take time off while the Russo-Ukrainian War was happening). We were in awe of the barren mountains and the fault lines.
Valparaiso
I took the bus to Valparaiso, a beautiful beach town about an hour away from Santiago.
It is a port city, known for:
- Funicular cable cars are vital for transporting people up the hills
- Goes without saying an incredibly hilly city
- Painted staircases and just fantastic street art
- Bohemian and colorful
I will always remember this.
I unfortunately had caught a terrible “cold” at the end of my trip.
I stayed in Valparaiso for two days and returned to Santiago to get home.
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