Chile People

We experienced Santiago as a wonderful city in the spring. Nice restaurants, shops, cafes, streets, sights, people and feeling...
I thought it was one of the cities I would come back!

A vivid city with a wonderful sandy beach! Many attractions on the beach like music, shows, different food, laughing and happy people all over! And a beautiful sunset...

Chile is a great country and Santiago is one big, huge city with lots and lots of things to see en do but you have to know that a lot of people are realy poor. This makes that, if you do not be carefull, you can be robbed. Here are some advices I learned from my best friend Andres, which lives in Santiago.
On the bus:
- When you take a bus try to sit as close as possible to the driver.
- Never let a place next to you where a possible robber can sit down.

When walking on the street:
- If you cross people looking dangerous try not to speak on the moment of crossing. Otherwise they will hear you are tourists and easy victims.
- Don't put stuff (money, creditcards, passports) in your pants. Put it in a safe place.
- Look carefully when crossing a street even if there are lights.
- Do not start talking with beggars.

San Pedro is the point for setting off into the Atacama desert. The village itself is dusty, full of backpackers drinking pisco sour and full of people trying to get you to join their tour. However: rent a bike and cycle into the wonderful dry and deserted world of Atacama and all is soon fogotten. What a magical place! Leave early, take plenty of water and suncream and go back at the end of the day to watch the landscape become all Mars-like sitting on a hill. Also: do book a tour from San Pedro to go see El Tatio geisers early in the morning. Very toursity, but when was the last time you swam in a hot pool at 4500 meters, or boiled an egg in the open air without a heater in sight?!

You have different areas in Santiago where you can go out. This means that in these areas the concentration of café's, discothecs and restaurants is higher then other.
Very popular are Bellavista, across the river and against the flancs of a popular mountain. On and near the bridge people are selling things and there is also a local market with artisanal things.
Nunoa, on a big square with parc and lots of cafés and restaurants, very nice during the day.
Suecia like Bellavista a nice area with a lot of terrases and very well alive.
In Providencia and Las Condes, El Golf you also have restaurants and cafes but they are more spread, more expensive and more for business lunches.

Enjoy!!