Day 10: Santiago, Chile

Over the years, I have honed my skills in finding a good artisanal bakery. My favorite part of the day is getting a beautiful pastry in a teeny bakery where the smell, and the sound of baking waft out the front door. Often we have good conversations with the baker or the people around us, and we get a real insight into the culture, and also good ideas for the day.

You guys, I may have found Nirvana! In Chile they have French pastries for breakfast, a big meal at noon, and then for their evening meal they have more French pastries (and little savory bites), with tea. TWO MEALS of pastries!

After the Spaniards left in 1831, Chile went through what they called French Fever. Their new constitution and legal system was French. Their education, French. Their love of protesting for their rights, French. Architecture, also French. The French never actually settled here, but the Chilean people went crazy for anything French and hired French architects and legal experts.

This is good news for me because fabulous French bakeries are plentiful. The coffee is TERRIBLE. Even the Chileans say it’s terrible. They don’t really drink it. Many restaurants don’t even serve it. They drink tea. Very civilized.

It’s a sad situation here economically. Chile used to be the richest and most stable country in South America. Then, because of the crises in Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, and Haiti, and then the pandemic over two million immigrants suddenly overwhelmed Santiago’s infrastructure. Everyone warns us about crime. (People will steal the phone out of your hand even in the cathedral!) People have told Jim not to walk around with his camera in view. The formerly beautiful historic center was so overrun with migrants that the government, banks, and other merchants gave up and left that part of the city. The government now operates out of Valparaíso—a town two hours away from Santiago.

I like visiting the homes of renowned artists because they can be like a big piece of art in themselves. Pablo Neruda, Chilean Noble Prize winner in Literature, designed a home here and it’s quirky and fun. It’s filled with pieces he gathered from his many international trips—glasses from Portugal, dolls from Poland and Russia, a side table from Paris, a screen from China, and on and on. I couldn’t take pictures inside, but the gardens are pretty, too.

The neighborhood we are in can either be described as “chic” and “bohemian” or dangerous and sketchy. Or both. The street art is fun. It’s not amazing art, but it’s on every building so the neighborhood has real character.