Talking to The Walls

As I woke up on Monday morning after months of planning I was a combination of excited, nervous and terrified all at once! I had always wanted to go to South America however embarking on a solo trip and not knowing what to expect my stomach felt like a battle between good and bad butterflies. I set out for the airport and knew there was no turning back. Having travelled around the world to Japan, Dubai, France, Costa Rica and multiple cities across the US I had been exposed to different cultures and ways of life however never this far by myself. As sat in my plane seat I was able to relax my mind a bit excited for what was to come. My first distraction was the inflight entertainment and getting lost in the series “Task” on HBO Max (highly recommended) then a 6 hour stopover in Atlanta. I was very impressed with the airport as lots of shops and restaurants to keep busy and was greeted by the famous Southern Hospitality. I was able to check out Ludacris’ restaurant “Chicken and Beer” which set the bar high for meals on my vacation (little did I know what was to come).

Now came the time to board my next flight just after 10pm and scheduled to arrive around 7am. Luckily I was able to continue to binge watch and get a couple hours sleep before arriving in Santiago. I was greeted on arrival with multiple options for a ride to my accommodations and decided to take a taxi as I was very tired from the flight and wanted to make it there as soon as possible. I learned very quickly in my taxi ride I was going to have to pick up a few Spanish phrases as English wasn’t going to take me very far. I arrived to my accommodations and was pleasantly surprised to see I had access to a fridge, stove and microwave which was a nice bonus especially for a long stay.

After awaking from my short nap I was excited to get out and walk around and get my barrings in Santiago. First impressions were amazing as I had always been drawn to the city from the photos I had seen online but seeing the views in person was truly impressive.

My walk lead me to the market La Viga Central a famous market in the city. It was my mission to try the famous “Completo” which is essentially a giant hotdog with multiple toppings including avocado, mayonnaise, diced tomatoes and ketchup – It did not disappoint. After a few funny exchanges with the waitress fumbling my Spanish it was time to continue my journey.

As I continued on my walk I came across a stand serving a drink I had researched before I left called “Mote con huesillo” which consists of dried peaches and husked wheat and a sweet nectar made with sugar, cinnamon, dried and peaches and boiled water mixed together. My curiosity got the best of me and gave it a try – not bad!

After a long walk through the city centre I made my way back and wound down from the long flight and settling down in my new environment.

Going into day 2 all rested up and having a bit of a general idea of how the city worked made a big difference in how I decided to plan my day. After waking up early and catching another episode of “Task” I was ready to get out and explore. I began with a hike up Santa Lucia Hill which was a bit of a trek to the top but worth it for the morning views of the city and the Andes in the background – A pretty peaceful way to wake up with your morning coffee.

Next up was a trip to “Mercado Central” (Central Market). Knowing the lay of the land a bit more I knew it was time to dust off my Spanish a bit more (via Apple Translate) which led to a few more funny exchanges however was treated amazing as I sat down to eat and try Ceviche and Razor Clam and Cheese Empanadas. As I mentioned earlier the bar for meals was now raised to another level and I was even treated to a free sample of the “Pisco Sour” which is a very famous drink in Chile and Peru.

It was time to head back and chill for a bit and rest my legs and finish my series (7 episodes in 2 days – impressive!). After a short rest I made my way out for another long walk and ate at a famous Chilean restaurant “Galindo”.

Here I tried another famous dish called Pastel de Choclo which is a corn pie made of mashed corn, olives, raisins, minced meet, eggs, chicken and onions. The bar was raised once again as was an incredible meal and also tried the Shrimp and Cheese Empanadas on the side (Chef’s kiss) and of course washed down with my new found love – the Pisco Sour.

I must say my first impressions of Santiago are pretty impressive all around and looking forward to discovering more.