Vitacura

Bernardo O'Higgins, Founding Father

Municipal Center of Vitacura

Skyline of Santiago, Providencia

Monday,  February 3, 2014

We head off around the city with our host’s friend Danilo this afternoon.   This morning we enjoy a bit of quiet.  Yesterday, though, was rather busy with a trip to San Miguel, a working class suburb south of the city.   That was where the woman who found my passports works.  When we arrived she sweetly produced them and did not want the reward for finding them.   John pressed her and she accepted.   She is in her mid-20s and very pleasant.   An hour to get there, two minutes in the huge El Lider grocery store that felt like Wal-mart.  

San Miguel and environs are definitely the other side of Chile.  Not poor, but not well-off.  Much like the less wealthy parts of the US, but more extensive, miles and miles and miles.  And since Chile doesn’t get rain, to speak of, during the summer months, dusty and harsh.

Not the same in Viticura.   We spent a good bit of the afternoon exploring the Parc Bicentario near Tim’s home.  It’s a grand expanse of riverfront, really an arroyo, with no water in it, well planted with indigenous and imported flowers and bushes.  And a grand view of the Andes.

It’s also a statuary center.  We found the statue of Bernardo O’Higgins, one of the founding fathers of Chile, and several other war heroes.  The interesting municipal building, a three sided triangle was quite unique.

Andes from Park Bicentario

Red, black-necked Swan and green billed duck