Last day in Santiago

Sadly it's our last day in Santiago and after the exertion of yesterday we decided to have a pottering day. In the morning we did our chores and went to the launderette and did a couple of loads of washing.  In between loads we wandered around the leafy streets of Providencia.  It's quite a well off barrio and has some lovely houses, but mainly smart apartment blocks.

In the afternoon we turned right at the river and headed toward Las Condas another smart area,. We didn't too far but with the number of huge shopping malls confirmed that the Chileans are just as much in love shopping as elsewhere.  Although I will admit that if we come back any time as the same time of year I will come with a half empty suitcase, cos the sales are on and there is some good stuff around.

Tidbits about Santiago

There are stray dogs everywhere in Santiago, usually asleep under a tree.  But although they are stray they look quite healthy and don't seem at all vicious or snappy. Parents seem quite about their children petting them.  Someone told us that the residents come down and feed them regularly.  I think that says a lot about a society, and the Chileans are very caring.

We got chatting to a couple of guys last night at dinner who said there was great inequality between rich and poor, same old story really. The economy is quite stable with inflation, not like Argentina which is running sky high at the moment. One big problem they have is with healthcare.  Only 20% of people have any healthcare the rest have to rely on the public service, which they told us was very overloaded and at time not very good.  There is a lot of ill health here.

The shops are not particularly cheap, neither is food and drinks, although of course  we are in the capital and in a nice part of it.  But there were plenty of people out in the restaurants every night.  I wonder what the average wage is.

We have seen some people sleeping rough, but not many, but are quite a few beggars, which are either disabled people or musicians.

We seen some funny sights. The traffic is manic, with cars pulling out sharply or weaving through the lanes. The other day we saw three lanes of traffic pull up at the lights, suddenly a three piece jazz band with a trombone jumped out in front of them, played for two minutes, run up the lanes collecting tips and then leap onto the pavement as the lights changed.  Bizarre... We stayed and watched them a second time.

The other, a man in a wheelchair in the middle of four lanes of traffic just sitting there with the traffic parting around him. When they stopped at the lights he darted down the lanes asking for money.  I think he did quite well.

Anyway I will stop blathering. We've packed and went next door to a restaurant called Liguria for dinner. We had the best bottle of Chilean champagne available and it cost £20. It was glorious.