Tag: Santiago

Cono Sur Trip 2002 – Argentina, Uruguay, Chile

Southern Cone 2002

This was a month-long trip I took in November and December 2002 with a primary focus on Patagonia and the Andes regions.  I still remember how constantly I was on the move, so much to see over a HUGE geography.  The conventional maps (oriented with the northern hemisphere at the center) don’t adequately scale South America, but new reversed map constructs such as the Upside-Down map better represent land mass proportions.  Imagine taking a bus over half the continental USA in a mere four weeks, sightseeing to boot.

These entries were originally emails to friends and family, here they are presented with photos.  Enjoy!

Chillin’ and Illin’ in Santiago‏

“The mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir
“The mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir

17 Dec 2002

Greetings again!  I’ve been in Santiago, Chile for the past few days and have enjoyed myself greatly.  I wasn’t sure what to expect of the city, but many other travelers I met had fine impressions, and boy were they right!  Santiago, like Buenos Aires, is a very modern, first-world city with abundant parks, paseos (pedestrian walkways), beautiful plazas, interesting architecture, and the people refreshingly friendly for a large, and in many ways, congested city.

Cerro San Cristobal, Santiago, Chile
Cerro San Cristobal, Santiago, Chile

I arrived the afternoon of my birthday, having spent the first half of the day on a bus crossing the Andes from Argentina — a thrilling ride, down a dizzying series of serious switchbacks to the temperate valley, rife with vineyards, olive groves, etc.  I had spent the night before in a small Argentine town near the border, Puente del Inca, so I could hike beneath the massive Cerro Aconcagua (America’s highest peak).

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