Hola de Santiago! Well I won't carry on in spanish as not all can understand! So im finally in my last continent before home! I arrived here on the 11th and man what a long day that was as went back 16hrs so I arrived in santiago before I'd even left auckland - confusing or what!!
So when I arrived I grabbed a shuttle bus with some people from my flight to the hostel called Hostel Bellavista. So after a hot shower - well it was semi hot - I went exploring with two irish guys I had got the bus with. So after looking at some markets we stopped at an outside bar for some Escudo beer!! That's when the kiwi guy from our flight joined us too. So after sitting there a while I started talking to the chilean girls next to us to find out where was good to go out etc in chile that's when they invited us to drink at their flat and then head out with them that evening. Anyway, before heading out we went for some food at restaurante 125 where I had a panqueque primavera. Then we got some taxis (as there was like 8 of us) to the girls flat (luna y daniela) where we drank some beer and some piscos (a chilean liquor) q nice actually. So chatted with them - quite amusing as out of 8 of us only 2 could speak spanish so since I've been here in santiago I've been acting as a translator which has been fab for my spanish and it is coming back slowly - still not up to scratch but it's getting there!
Anyway, about 1.30 I had enough as couldn't keep eyes open any longer so some of us came back to hostel whilst the others went on to the club with the girls.
The next day I met corina, melanie and gerard in the centre to do some cultural things. So we had a look around the catedral (so beautiful - has amazingly high ceilings with paintings on them), la plaza de las armas, el mercado central, el palacio de la moneda (presidential palace) and went to a precolombian arts museum. It was all really interesting and it's great to be back in a country with loads of history again.
So today me and gerard took the funicular up to the top of the hill to see the giant Virgen Mary statue which looks over the city. Some great views up there and also a really beautiful chapel. So took loads of photos and then took the cable car down - cable car wasn't that great - the views were amazing but the door didn't close properly and it was a lil shaky so not too impressed (mum, you would've hated it!!)
Anyway, don't leave til tomo so I will edit this at some point to put in the extras
love nikki
x