(cont.) We landed and I hopped on a bus heading near downtown. I took a seat near the back and I realized that I had no idea where I’d be spending the night. I took out the fold-out map that I’d found inside the airport and saw an ad for the Andes Hostel: a newly built hostel that was located in the center of downtown.  After the bus dropped me off I took the subway downtown and walked a few blocks to the hostel. (The exchange was 475 Pesos to the Dollar, and the subway fare is about 420 pesos during non-rush hour times).

The hostel was located in a six-story building, with rooms on the top five floors, a lounge/lobby on the main floor, and a basement kitchen where a complimentary breakfast is served daily. I was given a bed in a room with three bunk beds for $8,000 pesos (or US$15). As the ad said, the hostel and its furnishings were brand new, making it one of the best deals in the city. The one thing they didn’t have was a lending library -- only a small stack of books on a coffee table -- so to help them out I left a copy of the “Lets Go” that I’d taken from my last hostel.

It was only noon when I got there, so I took a walk to get a feel for the area. I headed ten minutes west on Monjitas into the business section of Santiago where, several years ago, the city redesigned the entire district, eliminating all car traffic and making it the most pedestrian-friendly city-centers in the world.

At the symbolic center of the city is the plaza, Plaza de Armas, where there’s the Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago, the Museo Historico Nacional, as well as hundreds of city dwellers out-and-about, enjoying the weather, having lunch, and listening to one of the many street performers that call the square home. I went into the historic cathedral where the noise and bustle of the city is immediately whisked away and absorbed by the solemnity of the church environment. Dating back to 1748, the cathedral’s ceiling was painted to resemble the frescoes of European cathedrals, and the numerous chapels located within the church are home an impressive array of artwork ranging from sculptures to full-size portraitures.

After the cathedral I walked south to a second square, Plaza de la Constitucion, to see the Palacio de La Moneda, or “Mint Palace,” home of the President’s offices and his Cabinet. As I approached the plaza I began to hear a loud roar, and when I got close I saw the source of the noise: today marked the first day of a strike by the state museum workers. In the square there were several thousand protestors chanting and yelling towards the government buildings. Naturally I joined the masses for a bit, but the afternoon heat was getting to me, so I doubled back to the hostel and fell asleep for a few hours while Chile’s fledgling democracy continued on into the day.

That night I met up with my friend’s brother who was with his cousin and girlfriend and we drove to her friend’s house and watched Chile get beaten by Ecuador in football on a T.V. set up in her backyard patio. (Apparently the Chilean football team has been less than spectacular the last few years.)

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