Santiago Chile

Since we enjoyed the walking tours so much in Buenos Aires, decided to do the same to get to know Santiago a little.  It was an easy walk from our hotel to the starting point of the walk. One thing we notice right away, Santiago does not have nearly the tourists that Buenos Aires did.  We never actually saw a "tourist" shop the entire time we were walking around Santiago. 

Some nice pedestrian walking streets, 2 blocks from our hotel

Waiting for the free walking tour these are a few of the buildings in Plaza des Armas

Cathedral

start of our walking tour

Original congress building, congress is now in Valparaiso

Presidential Palace

New York street

Stock Exchange

Wendy trying Rico Mote, a popular refreshing drink sold on the streets

Opera house beside our hotel.  Unfortunately nothing on while we were there, and they don't give tours

Liguria area, lots of restaurants and bars

Graffiti is everywhere, unfortunately on the monuments as well

University Area

The end of our walking tour took us very close to San Cristobal, where you can take a Funicular to the top of the mountain for views of the city

The base of the statue at the top of the mountain

Decided to take the gondola down.  Quite a line up, they are slow at processing.  We understood it was taking us back to the place we got on the Funicular earlier on.  We realized quickly this was going the entirely wrong way once we got going!  So, another 3km added to our walk on top of 4 hours of walking we had already done today.  

They are not called police here, they are called carabineros

Lunch break part way through our 3 km extra walk. It was hot out, time for a break.

This monument has had the statue toppled twice by protesters.  Nice base...

Chess time on the street...Reminded us of the Queens Gambit movie a bit.  Did not notice any women here

Shared a light supper in the square, and could not finish it.  

Buskers in the square

Very cool mural

Our hotel, with the very handy strip club on the first floor!