The Funicular and More Bellavista
Trip Start
Feb 17, 2010
1
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Trip End
Apr 15, 2010
Where I stayed
Santiago, Chile
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Today is my last day...and I was just beginning to know my way around Santiago a little. I had to check out of the hotel before going out in the morning and store my bags in the lobby again. The break.fast was a disappointment after the Best Western Majestic: instant coffee and one-half slice--individually wrapped--each of cheese and cold cut per person. I suppose you could take several plates before someone caught you.
I walked to Bellavista over the bridge and went to the Parque Metropolitano for the funicular to the Virgin Mary statue. There was an overlook with a panoramic view of Santiago with art students drawing on their pads. I couldn't really see their work closely but they seemed to have bold, confident strokes. I walked up stairs to the statue itself. Just below it there was terraced seating with flowers planted and meditative music playing. There were quite a few people sitting with prayer books open. Off to the side were racks of votive candles and signs of peoples' wishes - lots of babies.
I came back down the hill in the funicular with a bunch of school children. At first I was going to wait for the next ride, but I got tired of waiting and decided to chance it. It actually was fine - the kids were noisy, but quite polite. A chaperone commiserated by sign language about the noise. I walked around Bellavista, took more photos of the colorful sidewalk mosaics, and checked out the jewelry shop again. I found some little lapis lazuli animals as presents. I took the subway back to the Plaza de Armas station, squeezed in a quick email at an internet cafe before going back to the hotel.and catching a taxi to the airport. I was anxious to get home at this point but sad that my long vacation was over.
