LOCATION: Santiagoju
Back on the guided tour trail today and after taking up our "regular" spot in the breakfast dining room it was a 9 30 meetup with @Lisette.
This was a 5 hour walking/driving tour and @Lisette spoke for every minute of that 5 hours with an energy level that would rival the energiser bunnies. We had to take it in turns to respond and ask questions because it was impossible for just one of us to keep up. I think we got a review of every restaurant we drove by, had the economic significance of every company logo, reviewed the shape of every quake proof building and had 17 sets of instructions on how to get to the observation deck of the once tallest building in South America - now second to the one in Sao Palo.
We did get a brief pause when we suggested we might go independently to the coast tomorrow. That set off a string of very sincere and very concerned warnings - thinking we may have to reconsider.
In all seriousness, it was a great day. @Lisette had loads to share about the growth and development of the city and country and when we were in the town square, the politics of Chile was fascinating. We tried to follow up with some reading this evening, but so complicated! So much corruption and so many sacrifices by the people - it is amazing that they continue to have so much optimism. When we saw the riot car on the city walk and heard about protests and Molotov cocktails - were grateful it was all quiet today! Add to that there were no earthquake tremors and no-one tried to steal our belongings especially gold jewellery, including ripping earrings from your ears or charge us 10 times a pirate cab rate - we were having a top notch day.
First official stop was San Cristobel Hill and a ride on the gondola before the crowds arrived. We did a dash, got the obligatory photos and were soon swinging (much to @Deb's delght) in the tiny pod of the gondola to arrive in time for the mass that was being conducted in the simple church at the Sanctuary on San Cristóbal Hill.
Back in the car we were off to the old town precinct we had strolled yesterday and got some context. Visited the presidential palace (La Moneda), Court of Justice, National Congress and former Customs
(now Art Museum) and strolled to reach the Plaza de Armas. This is the heart of the city and is home to the Cathedral, City Hall, Central Post Office and National Historical Museum. Of course, stories attached to each landmark, statue and map.
Broke the tour up with local coffee stop hosted by @Lisette, a bank visit aided by @Lisette and an emergency toilet access with a "thank goodness for @Lisette."
With heads spinning, we were absolutely relieved to find a seat in the cone of silence of our hotel bar before settling in to a tense and excitement packed final round of the masters.
Dinner plans were a little muddled because Sunday unexpectedly for us, saw some venues closed. But we did find a roadside table at a local and ordered our very first "real meal" in a long time.
Had a first time experience with a busker with more than a hat. One of the musicians approached our table asking if we would like to make a "contribution of appreciation" and offered us a portable payment machine. A whole new world of buskers' hats.
Dinner finished, we followed in the wake of the security vehicles as they encouraged the entrepreneurs to pack up and call it quits.
@DeLoys are packing up tomorrow ready for a late night escape and our dinner conversation had turned to "next week" plans and home. Wow. It is nearly done.
Can you believe this?
Weird & Amazing Facts About the San Cristóbal Gondola from Co-Pilot
🚡 Construction Oddities
- Built in 1979–1980: Engineers struggled with the hard volcanic rock terrain, which made installing the 12 support towers unusually difficult.
- The gondola originally featured 72 ovoid cabins, nicknamed “huevitos” (little eggs), giving it a futuristic yet quirky look.
⚡ Strange Shutdown & Revival
- In 2009, a mechanical failure forced the system to close abruptly, leaving Santiago without its iconic aerial tramway for seven years.
- Locals joked that the gondola had “gone extinct” like a dinosaur until it was revamped and reopened in 2016 with new cabins and infrastructure.
🌳 Park Connection
- The gondola runs inside Parque Metropolitano, the fourth-largest urban park in the world (over 700 acres).
- Riders float above botanical gardens, pools, and the National Zoo, making it one of the few gondolas where you can spot lions and flamingos from the air.
🌀 Technical Quirks
- Line length: 4.8 km (3 miles).
- Speed: 14–18 km/h, meaning the ride takes about 20 minutes end-to-end.
- Powered by an electric bullwheel motor, which was considered cutting-edge in 1980.
Survival Barometer
Steps 10 517
Weather 27 - picture perfect
Health - gaining control and confidence
For Jesse: still in the Andes riding the gondola in the city. Lots of fun things for kids - zoo, swimming pool, climbing centres
"So many choices every day."
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