No, sorry. The post title is not an existential comment on our relationship, although I am travelling with an awesome travel buddy.
No, the title was an epiphany I had this afternoon at the Pre-Colombian Museum of Art, but more on that later.
Santiago is a city of high contrast. The gap between the wealthy and poverty-stricken is one of the largest in the world - so it is not uncommon on a 20 minute walk to be stepping over rubbish and avoiding Bangkok-style fumes one minute, and then passing schmick residential apartment blocks and up-scale cafes or department stores the next. It's also warm. Very warm.
The language is a challenge, but one that Laurel at least is embracing with gusto. Mia gusto. She's picking up phrases and understanding at least the gist of the locals much faster than I am. While I seem to be the translator of last resort, Laurel is often the first in with a "si" or "gracias", or even short exchanges with ice-cream vendors over specific flavours, while I'm left with the more studied "cafe y te con leche, por favor." Needless to say the both of our Spanish has improved markedly in the 24 hours we've been here.
Today was walking in Santiago day. We discovered yesterday that many public places are closed on Mondays, and so made the most of the only full day we have in Santiago. Our suspicions seem to be confirmed - that Santiago itself is like any major city, with a number of tourist attractions, but that the best sights our outside of the city itself. Southern Chile especially seems to get a good rap, but that may have to wait until another trip.
The highlights of our days walk were both cultural and natural. One the cultural side the first stop was the National Museum, set in an old colonial building and covering the nation's history from a brief description of pre-European civilisations to the more recent Spanish - and Catholic - conquest, the independence movement and finally democracy, notwithstanding the 1973 military coup. The undoubtable, if dubious, highlight of the National Museum was the artwork accompanying many of the exhibitions, best described as "postmodern." Our particular favourite, to paraphrase what must only have been the Spanish titles, were the famous postmodern works "Video of Iguana on Scale Model Couch" and "Commemorate Our Nation with Boobs."
Far more interesting, and relevant, was the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art. A fantastic journey through Chile's 60,000+ year history, the museum showed the artwork, and therefore culture and society, of the many indigenous peoples of the Americas, in the context of modern Chile. Peoples from as far north as Mexico and east as Brazil were described pre-Incan Empire.
It was in this museum that I had my epiphany. Looking through the pre-Incan art, and reading of Chile's history, it struck me how similar the cultural, religious and societal symbols were to those that we are more familiar, i.e. Anglo-European. For instance, a person's position in most pre-Incan societies was determined by their headdress, with many wearing animal skins or furs on their heads to denote a high social standing, like western Justices. Similarly the use of four points on a compass and even the hindu "swastika" are replicated in the artwork of cultures so geographically removed from our own ancestors. These, and other similarities, I couldn't help but feel connected to the people of the Americas, in a disconnected way. Surely, despite an 11 hour flight, there are too many similarities to feel as though we are completely removed. How would the original conquistadors have felt when experiencing these cultures for the first time. Probably not much, they were too busy killing and spreading Christianity.
The natural attractions were no less stunning. The top of the Castillo Hidalgo, a small but dramatic rise more or less in the dead centre of town gave us beautiful views towards the Andes and past the Parque Metropolitano, another rise, this time more dramatic and marking the northern border of the city centre. The latter we scaled courtesy of the funicular, or as Laurel described it, the fun-kiler. The top gave us more remarkable views over the whole of Santiago and to the Andes, which tower over the city so close you can almost see them through the smog.
The food and drink was the final experience of the day. The coffee is strong and black and served to you while standing at a bench, three machines working on raised platforms. Sandwiches are more complicated than our Spanglish allows and dinner was served with a litre of beer. In other words, fantastic.
But it's now 10.30pm, or 12.30pm in Australia, and and we're buggered, so it's definitely jet-lag time.
Until we can get internet access next, adios muchacho.
Cam
Alll sounds terrific and makes one feel like hopping on a plane to join you, but as much as we all get along well, that might just be a step too far! Dad, however, would no doubt relish the coffee, not to mention the arts. I love listening to, and trying to decipher, languages, so that would be an interesting challenge. I do believe much of the scenery is magnificent, but as you have commented, the social divides can be confronting. Hope jet lag is well behind you now and look forward to your next update. Love you both. Mum
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