Sunday, November 27, 2005
South America Trip - Day 39 - Santiago
Took it pretty easy today as it was quite hot and we didn´t sleep well the night before. It was eleven o´clock last night when I finally called the front desk to tell the kids that were shouting and running around outside our room to be quiet. Is this a hotel or a kindergarten?
We went to a local supermarket and bought a pick and mix salad for lunch. It is priced by weight so it was some odd price. Anyway I found out that although it costs 200 pesos just to use a toilet they still have 1 peso coins! I guess they are still holding out that some massive deflation of their currency will one day make these coins worth something.
In the afternoon we visited Palacio Cousiño. This is the most grand palace in Santiago. When you enter for the tour you are given slippers to put over your shoes so they don´t damage the carpets. A good idea I think. The Palace was owned by a family who owned silver and coal mines. Its clever use of mirrors and windows make it feel larger than it is. Unfortunately the second and third storeys were destroyed in a fire in the 60´s. The second floor was reconstructed in pine, a much inferior wood from the original woods used and it shows. The family had more taste than other Royal palaces we have seen which seem much more over the top and self grandising.
We went to a local supermarket and bought a pick and mix salad for lunch. It is priced by weight so it was some odd price. Anyway I found out that although it costs 200 pesos just to use a toilet they still have 1 peso coins! I guess they are still holding out that some massive deflation of their currency will one day make these coins worth something.
In the afternoon we visited Palacio Cousiño. This is the most grand palace in Santiago. When you enter for the tour you are given slippers to put over your shoes so they don´t damage the carpets. A good idea I think. The Palace was owned by a family who owned silver and coal mines. Its clever use of mirrors and windows make it feel larger than it is. Unfortunately the second and third storeys were destroyed in a fire in the 60´s. The second floor was reconstructed in pine, a much inferior wood from the original woods used and it shows. The family had more taste than other Royal palaces we have seen which seem much more over the top and self grandising.
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