Back in Santiago, I spent the last couple days on the coast. It is known as the Italian Rivera of Chile. Or something like that. My Dad was great and got me a free night at the Shereton. A whole bunch of Latin Stars were staying at my hotel for an annual summer festival. It was really cool. I could look outside and see a television show being filmed and turn on the TV and see the same thing. Unfortunately, it was foggy the whole time I was there so I did not get to sunbathe. Better for my skin I guess.
Today I hiked El Cerro San Cristobal in Santiago. It is a hill that contains one of the cities largest recretional parks. At the top of the hill is a statue of the Virgen Mary along with a fantastic view of Santiago. The city is a juxtaposition of tall modern skyscrapers amoung the historial foundations of Santiago´s Spanish and French arquitecture.
Then in the afternoon I headed to the artsy, hip, bohemian neighborhood of Bellavista. It is filled with youthful bars, restaurants, clubs, shops, and boutiques all painted in various vibrant colors. Murals can be found at most corners. In this neighborhood is the home of the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Pablo Neruda named the house after his lover Matilde. He called it ¨Chascona,¨ which means one with the wild hair in Quechua-language of the Incas. She had curly red hair! Like me! Anyways he was obsessed with the sea and built his house like a ship and a lighthouse. It was like a dollhouse. I saw the actual nobel prize he won for literature.
Today I hiked El Cerro San Cristobal in Santiago. It is a hill that contains one of the cities largest recretional parks. At the top of the hill is a statue of the Virgen Mary along with a fantastic view of Santiago. The city is a juxtaposition of tall modern skyscrapers amoung the historial foundations of Santiago´s Spanish and French arquitecture.
Then in the afternoon I headed to the artsy, hip, bohemian neighborhood of Bellavista. It is filled with youthful bars, restaurants, clubs, shops, and boutiques all painted in various vibrant colors. Murals can be found at most corners. In this neighborhood is the home of the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Pablo Neruda named the house after his lover Matilde. He called it ¨Chascona,¨ which means one with the wild hair in Quechua-language of the Incas. She had curly red hair! Like me! Anyways he was obsessed with the sea and built his house like a ship and a lighthouse. It was like a dollhouse. I saw the actual nobel prize he won for literature.
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