Amazing views of the Andes Mountain from Santiago, Chile
In July I flew to Santiago, Chile - my first trip to this South American city. This was for a sight visit in preparation for November’s 2023 Parapan American Games, a big competition that the U.S. CP MNT would be competing in.
Flying in from Atlanta on an overnight flight, the approach into Santiago was one of the most scenic in recent memory, with the imposing Andes Mountains seeming surrounding the city.
A family relative from Argentina had recently moved to Santiago, so we connected in advance and she picked me up at the airport. Both of us had busy schedules, so we agreed to find time to connect later in the week.
My ‘work’ technically began the following morning, so as I often do in new cities, I dropped my stuff off and went exploring. I knew a trip into the mountains would be difficult to pull off given the time. But I wanted to at least get a good view.
I took a taxi to Parque Metropolitano de Santiago, a huge park north of the center of the city. Right away I knew it was my scene - lots of greenery, with signs pointing to various hiking trails, lookouts and areas to explore. I took a gondola ride up to the Cerro San Cristobal, or, San Cristóbal Hill. The highlight for many is the 14 meter (45 feet?) tall statue of the Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción, with a theater style bench area where the Pope once held mass, years ago. But beyond the religious aspect, this spot provides incredible views of the sprawling city - and on this day, an amazing view of the snowcapped Andes Mountains.
I didn’t trek the full park, but walked around enough to enjoy and appreciate it.
I was staying at a Marriott in Las Condes, which had a number of malls and outdoor shopping nearby, and another public park - Parque Araucano - a couple block south. This park was more set up for locals to enjoy - with playgrounds, a skate park, rose gardens, basketball courts - and during these winter months, even an ice skating rink! Plenty of concrete paths led people wander throughout the park, many enjoying their day walking well-behaved dogs. Of course it also had green space where, people of all ages kicked soccer balls around, and a central area with a handful of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.
The next night, I met up with my cousin Andrea, and her family..going out to eat a nice Argentinian restaurant.
From the ‘work’ side, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee organized the visit so USA teams could ge a sense of where things were and what venues offered before we all came down again in the fall. I got to check out Estadio Bicentanario de la Florida, in a southern-eastern neighborhood. We also went to the southwest part of town to see where they were building the Athletes Village, and the group made a visit to the Estadio Nacional - site of the 1962 FIFA World Cup Final which saw Brazil defeat Czechoslovakia 3-1. It’s part of a larger sporting complex which includes other venues. Sadly, signs outside the stadium remind guests while many great memories are made here, this place was also once used as to imprison and torture people after a coup in the 1970s.
My trip was a short three days. But I also spent time walking the Providencial neighborhood, and closed with a day at Barrio Italia - a quaint neighborhood with a central 5-6 block street lined with locally-owned shops, a number of coffee shops, and plenty of restaurants.
