2025_26 Oosterdam, San Antonio, Chile...

No sail in for me today it was still very dark and foggy in the port of San Antonio when we docked. San Antonio is a turnaround port so many guests were disembarking…we did not know exactly what would happen as shuttle buses were being used from the ship to the cruise terminal but it was quite efficient and we had plenty of time before we met our guide Juan Carlos to take us to Santiago. The traffic in Santiago is horrific; so congested that a lot of time is spent in the car. Our first stop was the Presidential Palace, where we watched the Changing of the Guard.  Driving around the city you see the contrast of its traditional architecture to some nearby modern buildings. Leaving the city center we drove around the Santa Lucia Park, a picturesque hill with gardens, fountains, and the iconic Neptune Fountain. At the base of Santa Lucia Park is the neighborhood known as Barrio Lastarria, The area has many vendors that you can shop around as you enjoy the atmosphere and greenery on the buildings. We walked around and visited the Church of the Assumption, one of the oldest in Santiago. On November 12, 2019 and again on October 18, 2020 the church was burned and artwork and holy images were looted after the wave of violent street protests. The church has been structurally rebuilt but the scorched walls remain to show the impact of the horror what took place…Very Sad! Next, we drove to San Cristobal Hill, home of the Santiago Metropolitan Park. This park encompasses a large hill located in the center of the city. The hill has a funicular and cable car, offering great city views from its summit. We took the cable car up to the top and then walked up to the Chapel before climbing to the statue of the Virgin Mary. Also, at the summit there are nice gardens and some great panoramic views of the city and the modern buildings like the World Trade Center and the Sky Constanta in the financial district known as Sanhanttan. Our next stop was a local bakery for empanadas…very tasty! Due to the traffic congestion, we did not have time to return to the Place Armas in the city center as we had nearly a two hour drive back to San Antonio. We have toured with Juan Carlos in the past and had another good day in Chile…