Troubled by the poor reviews and seemingly disdain from both foreigners and locals about Santiago, we resolved to spend the majority of our time in Valparaiso and only one full day in Santiago. However, I feel that the reviews from foreigners came from a desire for something different than whar they experienced at home, and the locals desired places that were also unlike where they resided.

In my short time, I found Santiago to be a very intriguing city with a rich history and culture. Many events have happened in Santiago from the massacre of people in their soccer stadium by Pinochet (the military dictator) to being the more permanent home of Pablo Neruda (the Nobel Prize winning poet). The city also possessed modern elements uncommon in South America as well as the United States such as extremely clean subways with plasma tv's and underground wi-fi zones.

The most common remark about Santiago is the amount of air pollution. This part is true because otherwise, Santiago would have one of the most dramatic backdrops of any city in the world with the Andes mountains rising sharply in the background. Luckily, we were there on a clearer day and could vaguely see the enormous mountains rising at the city's edge. On the other hand, the city's vibrant "barrios" (neighborhoods) keep your attention quite well with their large trees, old mansions, street café's, and bohemian charm; and you do not feel the desire to look beyond for fear that you will miss something right before you.

We spent our one day visiting the house of Pablo Neruda (Chile's famous poet and politician), and then continued on through the large Paris-like parks to the central Mercado. Here, we tried their famous seafood stew, which is similar to gumbo but is more watery and has more exotic seafood. Then we meandered through the downtown passing their equivalent of our White House, visiting the indigenous artifacts museum, and continuing on to a small hill that rises in the center of town and gives excellent views of the city and mountains beyond. That night we decided to partake in a little culture and watch a football game. Oddly enough, it was a different type of culture and football game because it was the Superbowl, and we met the first Americans that we had seen in a long time.

In all, Santiago, in its small dose, was a fantastic, modern city. I am not sure if I would change my mind had I more time, but I do say to not be lead astray by people and guidebooks about this city and experience it for yourself. From here I am traveling to Patagonia in the far South of Chile and then over to the Argentinean side called the Tierra del Fuego, the "end of the world." Cheers!