Last night after skiing, I convinced myself that I wanted to go to some International party that happens every Wednesday night, but I had no one to go with from my hostel and fell asleep at 10. Oh well. I slept in until 10am this morning, which was much needed rest. The night before, I was so nervous that I wouldn't wake up in time to catch the ski bus that I tossed and turned forever. I took the Metro to the entrance to El Parque Metropolitano de Santiago, also known as Cerro San Cristóbal. I paid $1.50 to ride a Funicular up to the summit of the mountain, where there was a large balcony overlooking the city and a statue of Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción.
After snapping some pictures of Santiago (amid it's notorious smog), I made my way along the trails to wander the park. I told myself, go ahead...get lost. What else is there to do? There are endless picnic spots, stone stairways, and trails in every direction. Eventually I stuck to the paved road to find the (now closed for winter) beautiful outdoor swimming pool, El Jardín Botánico Mapulemus, and El Jardín Japonés.
I had packed an apple and also treated myself to a chocolate ice cream bar along the way. I brought my large canteen, but was pleased to re-fill it in the gardens. This is not Ghana! No filtration necessary! After the Japanese Gardens, I continued along the paved road and exited the park on the opposite side of the mountain. I walked for a little while until I came to El Parque de las Esculturas, a stretch of park filled with sculptures along the bank of the river that runs through Santiago. All of the statues are made by Chilean artists and make for the perfect spot for young local couples canoodling in the sun.
I continued to walk into the neighborhood called Providencia, where I sought out a pocket dictionary (unsuccessfully) and the correct converter for my laptop (successfully). Rush hour traffic on the metro reminded me of fighting for a spot in a tro-tro, but I eventually made it back to my hostel's neighborhood, Barrio Brasil. I bought some sandwich supplies for my lunch on the mountain tomorrow on my way home, then plugged in my computer with much relief and uploaded pictures. Hope you enjoy them!
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