Cavorting in Chile: Valparaíso

This post will be my final installment for my Cavorting in Chile Series. It has been a great visit, and it was nice that even though we went to Santiago for a conference, we were also able to see some sights in the city as well. For this final entry, I am talking about Valparaíso, which is a city about 2 hours by bus from Santiago, next to the Pacific Coast.

Cavorting in Chile: Barrio París-Londres

West of the Artisan Market and east of the Presidential Palace, one can find this small neighborhood, the Barrio París-Londres. This is named after two small cobblestoned streets, París and Londres. There is a church that anchors this neighborhood, which is the Iglesia de San Francisco.

Cavorting in Chile: Correo Central to Estación Mapocho

Santiago has so many small establishments to see, that one can string them together and design a walking tour that leads oneself from one to the other. And during our stay, that was what we usually did: I had a map with me, and I planned what we would be seeing as we explored the city on foot.

Cavorting in Chile: Plazas in Santiago

During our stay in Santiago, there were plenty of places that we went to and saw. Most of the time, we were busy participating in the academic conference, yet there were times when we had a little bit of time and therefore, we took the opportunity to go out and see the city. For this entry, I am showing pictures of a couple of open spaces in Santiago, centering around two plazas, the Plaza de Armas and the Plaza de La Constitución.

Cavorting in Chile: Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago

As much as I do not believe in religion, I believe in the cultural role that religion plays in society. Religion has been the pivot of most social concepts: it has moved people to immigrate, it has moved people to congregate, and it has moved people to kill. Extreme cases aside, religion also gives reason for nice architecture.

Cavorting in Chile: Baquedano

Baquedano is actually a big area: it's an area of town that is one metro station away from where we were staying. And there are plenty of things that can be seen. This post is thus a collection of various things that I found in and around that area.

Cavorting in Chile: Basilica de la Merced

As with any Roman Catholic country, there were plenty of churches to visit in Santiago. I remember visiting at least three of them. One of them, however, stands out to my memory, and this is the Templo Basilica de la Merced. The thing is, we visited this church at night, after coming back from a restaurant. I think I especially liked the lighting and how this church glowed, given the night sky.

Cavorting in Chile: Cerro Santa Lucía

A visit to Santiago will never be complete without paying a visit to the Cerro Santa Lucía, which is a small hill right in the middle of the city. It borders the main avenue of the city, Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins. A metro station is nearby, and so was the hostel that we were staying while we were there.

Cavorting in Chile: Barrio Concha y Toro

For this episode of my Cavorting in Chile series, I will present a series of pictures of a rather funky neighborhood. Nothing much happens in this neighborhood, but it's a little enclave in an industrial area. The neighborhood sits around a small neglected fountain, surrounded by mansions that are of the beaux-art and art deco architectural styles. I don't have much to say about this area, so I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Cavorting in Chile: Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

During one of the days in which we were in Santiago, we decided to check out the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, or the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. It is located in a building in Bandera Avenue, the Palacio de la Real Aduana.

Cavorting in Chile: Cementerio General

One of the places we visited in Chile was the Cementerio General. We visited it one cold morning, which perhaps made the experience more spooky. But at least, it was a great glimpse at Chilean society, as somehow, even after death, social divisions are preserved, as my following pictures testify.

Cavorting in Chile: Centro Cultural Matucana 100

We have spent almost two weeks in Santiago. Of course, there was a conference that we attended and presented, but we also had days of sight-seeing before and after the event. And we pretty much saw everything that one can see in Santiago. One of those is the Centro Cultural Matucana 100.

Cavorting in Chile: Viña del Mar

Yes folks, I am back. I just finished a trip in Greater Santiago, as there was a conference where I had to give a talk. As it was my first time in Chile, we figured that it would be a good idea to add a few days to see the sights as well. So, as a first of this series, I am blogging about Viña del Mar.

The Mounties and the Visa

Ah, finally, the three pieces of documentation that I need for this upcoming conference trip is set in place. I now have a new Canadian visa! Let me explain why that is needed.

Bernardo and the Visa

The other day, I just got back from New York City. I was there to pick up a visa. I went to New York City and back within 24 hours. Crazy eh?