Japan flavors in Chile Eating good ramens and yakisobas, it is possible at Kintaro, The atmophere is Japanese, the food tasted like in Japan! The dog is not part of the furniture, it is a regular customer that comes in and does not want to leave the place. The cook threw at him good meat but as soon as the dog reached the threshold, he went back inside... Bellas Artes 2 minutes away from Kintaro restaurant, Bellas Artes. Bellas Artes is the national museum that presents diverse exhibitions. One was about Fascism. Messages about fascism are written on brigh coloured panels with a drawing underneath. It is interesting for a country like Chile that became a democracy in 1989 after 17 years of dictatorship. What I discovered at the end, is that the exhibition was ready to be inaugurated by Allende in September 1973. It had not time for that as Allende was overthrown on 11th September 2018. The project has been reconsidered and exhibited. Other artists: Paz Errazuriz a Chilean photograph that took pictures from the bourgeoisie, trans, women (nude), wrestlers. He had different period and projects over the time. http://www.pazerrazuriz.com/ Jose Venturelli: Retrospective - 30 years after his death. He came to Chile with his parents when he was 4. He travelled the world and gathered impressions in his paintings. He spent some time in China where he died. http://joseventurelli.com/ Winter is still here... No sign of spring yet... It is good to enjoy a cheesecake with berries!
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Quinta normal Located in the west side of the city, Quinta normal is a huge park where families come together on weekends to have a barbecue, to eat street food, to relax, and to go to museums. There are the Chilean National Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, the Railway museum, Museum of science and technology, and the Museum of Contemporary art. Across the park A French touch in Santiago... The Artequin museum that is more an interactive museum to learn how to paint, to discover art for kids and adults. The most interesting part is the building. It was built in 1889 in France to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the revolution and it was kept for the universal exhibition to represent Chile during the exhibition. After the building was dismantled and transported to Valparaiso to finally reconstructed in Santiago in 1894. The Basilica of Lourdes was built in 1930 and is ringed by 16 apostles. Opposite the Basilica, there is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes referring to the ones in France. MAC.... Sundays is the MAC supposed to be opened but not on 23rd... From Quinta normal to Plaza de armas A 40 minutes walk, enjoy the old facades, unfortunately abandoned although the area has great potential.
Maybe one day this neighbourhood will be restored. 18th 19th September During a week, 600 000 people leave the city. It is so quiet and so empty that Santiago turns into a ghost town The D - Day! Time to go to a fonda to celebrate the Festas de la patria. What is a fonda? It is a place usually where people celebrate the festivals. It takes place in parks. How do people celebrate? By eating lots of meat (BBQ) and have some beers or wine and going to a fonda. Once there, you have areas to play old fashion games but very fun, booths where you can buy local products such as food, hats, ponchos, jewelries, and even Egyptian statues,military forces´ presentation. You also have bands, playing Chilean music and people dancing the local folklore called cueca. The most expected show is the horses ones. It rarely in Chile but on 17th evening and night it poured cats and dogs, on 18th it was on and off. It was a pity as not so many people went to the fonda and the horses's shows were called off. I went with 2 friends and arrived at 2 p.m. to leave at 7. The irony of the situation was the sun came out when we were leaving, FESTAS DA PATRIA! CHILENIDAD TRADITIONS and MORE CUECA DANCER FUN GAMES FOR 1 euro! FOOD - BBQ & MEAT WAS IT RAINING THE WHOLE DAY? REALLY!
Chile in September September in Chile. The city changes its face. Flags grow like mushrooms everywhere. People get ready for THE week off to celebrating: las festas de la patria. The celebration is about Chilean started thinking of being independent. The idea sprouted when Napoléon overthrew the Spanish king (Ferdinand VII) and placed his own brother Joseph Napoléon on the Spanish throne back in 1810. It took 6 years for Chile to be independent after blood shed and battles. Chile signed its independence in February 1816. Another visit of one Santiago´s neighbourhood or let´s say streets: The London - Paris ones. Any gathering is an excuse to celebrate 18th September. Le´ts visit and learn more about Chile! The first Franciscan Church built in Chile - dated back 1554 when Pedro de Valdivia invaded Chile. The church because of earthquakes needed to be rebuilt several time. Therefore material and shapes differed from time to time. Franciscan owned a large territory here in Santiago. In front of the Church was held a flower market called La pergola. It was not only a market but a place where politicians gathered and families strolled. In 1940 the market moved to the North of the city. A famous Chilean theater piece is named after the market: La pergola. Londres Paris streets - neighbourhood The neighbourhood consists of 2 or 3 streets. It should represent Europe, maybe the Colonial era at its best. It was a upper class neighbourhood where wealthy people lived but moved away when middle class and artists began to move in. It turned into a prostitute area and had a bohemian flair. There is a story about the prostitute: la Mariposa nocturna (nocturn mariposa) and a killer: el enano maldito (the cursed dwarf). The nocturne butterfly was murdered in that hotel called now La vegas. To close the case the police charged the cursed dwarf that spent much of his life in prison for a crime that he finally did not commit. He already had some cases so he was an easy catch. At some point the real killer was caught and did not spend much time in jail as he was old and sick. Now Chilean used the expression enano maldito in their language as a common expression. There are a second case: a young and rich Brazilian couple who went to Santiago and stayed at Las Vegas hotel. The young girl disappeared and was found dead several days later. Her husband went back to Brazil. No one was found guilty at that time but the police figured out that the husband was the murderer! Londres 38 - London nb 38 A country has to heal its past and to live with it. This is one of the place where tortures took place during the 70 - 80´s. This place has been turned into a museum. Names´plaques on the pavement have been placed to remember victims of the systems. Londres Paris is a neighbourhood with companies, the extreme right party, and universities, It was a very nice tour, learned a lot! La serrena Another story in Chile. We end up in an Italian restaurant where half of the menu is pizza. The group I was with arrived quite early, 1 p.m. For Chile it is an early time to have lunch. Actually only our table was ready! The waiter told us that the oven to bake the pizza was out of order. It meant no pizza. What???!!! I was looking forward to it so badly. That day I could not change my mind so I decided not to order anything. Out of the sudden, 30 minutes later, when everybody was almost done with its meal, the waiter made an announcement. Pizza can be ordered now! I chose a blue cheese, mozzarella, cheese, and ham pizza. It was tasty but missing mozzarella and blue cheese! I did not have a pizza since I left China.... It did not matter. I enjoyed it! On my way back home. striking colours...
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