Santiago (Take 3)

Our pickup flies to Santiago so that we can reach the BMW at 3PM.

We drop the bike there. The good news is that they can start working on it straight away. In the meantime we head back to Casa Bonita, where luckily they have a room available for the night.

Pic 1 Hotel Casa Bonita in Santiago centre

The following day we pack and wait all morning for the phone to ring to tell us that the bike is ready.

We know that if the bike is not ready today (Friday) we will have to spend the whole weekend in Santiago losing 3 precious days.

We call at 1and 2pm but they tell us that there is a problem and they are still working on the electric system.

At 3pm we know is now too late to pick up the bike so we extend our booking at the hotel.

In the meantime, to make things even more interesting, the war has exploded in the streets of Santiago.
Thousands of students are fighting against the army.
Their request is to have a free university.
The protest begins quietly......

Pic 2 protesters marching in O'Higgins street

then things really get out of control.
We witness from the windows of the hotel some scene of extreme brutality. (for safety reasons we did not take any pictures)
The army’s tanks are charging at fairly high speed the crowd, spraying them with water and gas.
We see people falling on the ground in the panic and being stumped over.

We are not that safe either: One of the windows of the hotel is hit by the water spayed by the tanks exploding in thousands of pieces.

As we draw close to 6pm peace comes back in the streets.

We call once again BMW and agree to meet on Monday morning.
..............................................................................................................................
Spending an extra weekend in Santiago is not the end of the world.

This forced break gives us the opportunity to explore areas that are normally outside the tourist track.

To cheer herself up Elena has organised the tour of the “Los Dominicos Market”. I can confirm that in 4 hrs we have managed to see every single one of the 177 shops available.

Pic 3 it wasn't easy to convince Elena that the skying pinguin would not fit in the panniers.

Pic 4 We were enchanted by this little shop selling.......everything!!!!

Pic 5 More shops to visit. Luckily the settings is stunning

Pic 6 And finally we get to the end: Shop N 177
Another area that has certainly caught our eye is the “Italian’s barrios” where furniture ateliers and antiquaries fill the streets with wooden furniture in the process of being restored.

Pic 7 Furniture for sale....in the middle of the road

Pic 8 Artisans at work in the street restoring old furniture

The musical scene in the capital is also particularly active.
During the weekend we bumped into a blues festival and into a folk festival.

On Sunday we head to “cerro San Cristobal where we enjoy the sun and the best views of the capital”.

Pic 9 View of Santiago with snow topped mauntains in the background
Then we head to barrio Brasil where you can find some of the best restaurants in town.

Pic 10 The stylish "Ostras Azocar" where they serve excellent sea food and free oysters to start with!

Pic 11 If it's meat that you are after just head to "La vacas gorda"

Pic 12 "Oceano pacifico" has probably the best setting