November 23, 2024
We arrived in Santiago in the early morning and I was immediately aware of how different it is from India. As we drove from the airport the city was so peaceful and clean and best of all no chaos of horn honking and masses of people.
After dropping our bags at the hotel we headed off to explore Santiago. Home to a third of Chile’s 17 million people, Santiago sits at the confluence of the Mapocho and Maipo rivers, surrounded on all sides by Andean peaks—a dramatic setting for a capital that has witnessed a remarkable history, from settlement by conquistadors in 1541 to the Marxist, military, and democratic governments of the 20th century.
We rode the cable cars to the top of one of the mountains for incredible views of the city. It is way bigger than I imagined. We were blessed with clear sky’s and could see for miles. The city is filled with street art, sculptures and lots green spaces!!!
We had our first briefing with the group and then enjoyed a welcome dinner where we started getting to know each other. On the walk back to the hotel I was treated to a spectacular sunset.
Tomorrow I head to the safari park for my meet and greet with the lions!!
Looks beautiful! Mountains are spectacular!
Good to know you got there without any major delays. Have a great time.
What a beautiful day in Santiago. I’ve been following you since your Queen Mary 2 voyage (on recommendation of Stephanie McMillen) and enjoy all the photos and stories. When you were in Switzerland, we were close by in Austria (and left before you got there), but I didn’t see where I could leave a comment until recently. I have to laugh, we’re right up the coast today in Lima, heading to Machu Picchu tomorrow, then on our way cruising to Buenos Aires (arriving there 12/15). Keep having your “best day ever” and always look forward to the stories!! Maybe we’ll be I. The same place at the same time somewhere and can have a cup of tea! Brian