It's Santiago, Baby!

I'd like to take just a moment to say hi to my fellow bloggers who are dropping by today from Blog around the world. Welcome! Please pull up a chair, or grab some space over on the couch and get comfortable.

My maid should be by in a moment or two if you would like to try a Pisco Sour. It's the national drink here. It's not too strong, and it has the right combination of sweet and sour.

For my pregnant friends, I do have some lemonade. And for those of us (note, I say us ) who cannot make it through the day without a Coke beverage, I have some stashed in the fridge. Now because I have guests today, I went ahead and made some ice. As a friendly reminder, I should warn you that the rest of your stay here in Chile shall be for the most part, "ice free". For some reason or another, they are not big on ice.

My name is Leslie and I will be your waitress, flight attendant, nurse, hostess for today. Yes, sometimes I still get confused. I've worn many hats. For now, I am a stay at home mommy to two rambunctious kids. I am also an overly devoted Air Force wife to DH. He's camera shy, so you won't catch pictures of him here. In fact, he's just plain shy. Which is why he left the building when I told him you all were coming. He really is a nice guy though. And that's why I stick around. Oh, and he cooks too. (But I digress.)

Let's dig right in, shall we? Chile is the longest country in the world. It stretches roughly 2700 miles from tip to tip. That's about the same distance from San Francisco to New York.

The city of Santiago is nestled at the foothills of the Andes mountains. We are located just a short 25 miles to the nearest skiing. Home to 1/3 of the entire population of Chile, we have close to 6 million people here!

{Do you see the tan building just above the terra cotta colored roof at the bottom of the picture? This is the hotel we stayed in for 61 days. Really.}

There is a terrific resort that I am just itching to get to. It's called Valle Nevado. With fantastic tour packages, discount half day tickets, as well as off season pricing, one just can't go wrong. I see a trip here in the very near future for my family. Especially since I have never been skiing in my life.

Now if you might be thinking that it's hot here, it isn't! Here in Santiago, we are coming to the end of our winter. It's reversed from the United States. Winter is from June until August, with temperatures rarely dipping below 32 degrees, and staying mainly in the 40's and 50's. The summer months are from December through February. I have yet to experience a hot Christmas, but they tell me that the temps range from 80 degrees on up to 90.

Santiago also has an incredible walking tour that takes you up to the top of Cerro San Cristobal, which is the highest point in the city. Once you arrive, you will have the most incredible panoramic views of the city. There are two swimming pools up on the hill that open during summer, and a variety of gift shops and stops along the way to grab a snack and a beverage. If walking isn't your thing, there is also a funicular, or cable car ride. Be on the lookout for the car that took Pope John Paul II up the hill back in 1987.

Close by, is the Mercado Central. This steel constructed building was actually made in England before being brought over to Santiago. It is an amazing and busy market place with an abundance of fresh produce and a seemingly endless supply of seafood sliced and diced before your eyes. It doesn't get any fresher than this. You must try the restaurants in the middle of the market, they are fabulous!

Being that you are now in the center of town, you must swing by the Plaza de Armas, a large square surrounded by historical buildings that date back to the 1540's. You might see painters selling their artwork along the walk as you pass by. And without a doubt there will be a variety of young people (and some not so young) dancing, singing or performing flips from the shoulders of a partner in hopes of a tip from the onlookers. Some consider this place the heart of Santiago. Take a stroll, soak it up, and enjoy!


There are many beautiful things to appreciate about this city. On your way to investigate, you might want to hop on the metro (our subway system). It's very fast, quiet, surprisingly clean, and extremely cheap! You can get from one side of town to the other in a matter of minutes. I wouldn't go during rush hours, because that is when the bulk of the people are trying to get to or from work. And I promise you, you will get to know your neighbors up close and personal.

If you are a shopper like myself, then I must share a little gem with you. The Bellavista neighborhood is one you must see. This quaint old residential neighborhood has colorfully painted homes up and down it's tree lined streets. Some of the homes have been transformed into cafes, shoppes, restaurants or bars. Here you can find many of the local art shops, crafts, clothing, and the lovely Lapis lazuli a brilliant blue stone, which is made into a variety of jewelry pieces here in Chile. Along the way, you will want to stop at the former home of Pablo Neruda. He is Chile's Nobel Prize winning poet.

A few of the things that are on my to do list in the coming months are to hit up a couple of museums: The Museo Interactivo Mirador, which was recommended to us as being a great place for the family and kids. And the National Museum of Natural History. (Kids under 8 are free, and so are military personnel. Need I say more? I'm all about a good deal here.) I also want to take a dip in this little pool. And in case you didn't want to click on the link, the pool has made it into the Guinness book of world records. Pretty cool! When the weather warms up of course. Here is the actual website for San Alfonso del Mar.

Since I previously mentioned shopping, I wanted to add a word about the malls. Santiago has some rather impressive shopping malls. Our anchor department stores here are called Falabella, Ripley, and Paris. I would have to say that they are pretty first class, as far as shopping goes. You won't be disappointed.

So, in case you are wondering, some things here are cheap. MOST are not. And that includes our gas prices. At 660 pesos per liter, that works out to about 4.99 a gallon. (given an exchange rate of 500 pesos for the dollar) The dollar does fluctuate, so some days are better than others. Since I've been here (arrived June 15) I've seen the dollar go down to 490 pesos, and all the way up to 521. It hoovers around the 500 mark.


Now, on to some things that most likely won't be in your travel guide.

~The milk comes in a box. It's not refrigerated until after you open it. It tastes weird.

~It's perfectly acceptable to chain your dog up inside the grocery store while you shop. And though acceptable, it's annoying to hear said dog barking throughout your entire trip.

~In certain malls you must pay 150 pesos (about 30 cents) to use the bathroom.

~Don't forget to grab the funky coin they give you to pass through the turn style.

~You must also note that you should grab some toilet paper from the ONE dispenser on the wall before entering. Not all bathrooms are like this, so pay attention.

~If you use a public restroom near the street, you will actually have to pay more for #2. There is an attendant there, and they will hand you toilet paper depending on how much you pay.

~ They serve alcohol in Pizza Hut. (that's pretty cool) If you happen to stop in on Father's day, they will give you free Pisco Sours!

~ Pizza Hut in Santiago uses breakable dishware. Real glasses and ceramic plates. No plastic. It's like fine dining. Maybe this is why it costs so much to eat there.

~ Toys are insanely overpriced. I don't recommend buying any.

~Products such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, and jelly all come in a bag. Which doesn't make for good storage does it?

~ They have a problem with strays. It's kind of heartbreaking to see it, but there are dogs all over the city.

~ Apartments here are called departementos.

~ People will run you over. And by that, I mean run into you, on foot, with a shopping cart, with a bag, they don't care. Just get out of the way. Don't block aisles, you will get hit. (yes, I've been hit)

~ People don't really have a "personal space" thing here like they do in the states. They will get all up on you. I'm not kidding.

~ There is no "right of way" here. It's all about me. Whoever me happens to be. And that goes for cars, bikes, motorcycles, and foot traffic. Don't assume someone will stop for you, they won't.

~ If you speak Spanish already, you will be confused when you get here. I promise. Santiaguinos have their own language complete with a large vocabulary of made up English/Spanish words and uncountable slang words that make my Spanish speaking English as a second language husband dizzy.

~ Trying to dial a number here takes a PhD. You first have to figure out if you are dialing land to land, land to cell, cell to cell, or cell to land. There are numbers you must dial first, sometimes and only if you are dialing a cell. None if you are dialing land to land, and then sometimes if someone has a funky cell number. I still can't explain it. And they gave me a laminated card to teach me how. I obviously do not have a PhD. So I haven't figured it out yet. I'd call to ask for help, ah but you see my dilemma

~ The grocery stores here have the largest and most extensive seafood section that I've ever seen in my life.

~ Some people stand at certain intersections and work for tips. They juggle, and do cheerleader type stunts while you wait at the light.

And there you have it. I'm certain that after I hit publish, I'm going to think of 5 more things I forgot to tell you. But you kind of get the picture. It's different. And it's my job as an Air Force wife stationed abroad to appreciate what this country has to offer.

Thanks for stopping by. Please visit me any time, and feel free to ask any questions or post a comment. I'll be sure to answer! Take care~

Ciao~ (Oh yeah, there's another one. They don't say Adios here. It's always Ciao~)