As we drew nearer to Santiago, the Copper City of Chile, passing orchards, fields of vegetables and acres of vineyards all heavy with fruit,we didn't know quite what to expect of Santiago as we took the bus up from Valpo. Another Buenos Aires perhaps? Or maybe something more third world? A place that might have seen better days?

Whichever way you cut it, Santiago is a very impressive place. The city lies in a bowl of the Andes mountains and even in the height of summer, there is a sprinkling of snow on the high peaks. There are still the Eternal Snows not far away to admire while you bask in a hot summer sun.

Impressive as the Eternal Snows are, it is the charming mix of architecture and infrastructure that gives the city such an impressive air. Modern buildings reach for the sky in designs that rival London or New York while there are plenty of buildings to reflect the colonial past.

There are plenty of open green spaces and parks that allow the city to breathe and its inhabitants to escape from themselves. Here and there are bohemian enclaves that reflect places of alternative thinking and outlooks.

In the central business district, there are little coffee places nicknamed cafe con piernas(coffee with legs), where you can have a coffee, discuss the business of the day and admire the tightly clad female (ONLY!) baristas who have legs that would not be out of place in a fashion magazine. Certainly a different dimension to the concept of customer satisfaction then?!

We were going to see an old friend from our Camino days, Antonio, and needed to get from the bus station to the other side of the city. In any other South American city, that would have taken the better part of a few hours on local buses navigating the Saturday traffic.

However in Santiago, the very modern metro system had us from bus station to Antonio's in 20 minutes flat. In a lovely air conditioned carriage, thank you very much! Impressive! Clearly, Santiago has enjoyed the benefits of the new copper boom!

But since we had very limited time in Santiago, less than 48hrs actually, we had much to see and do in that time! Antonio was a very willing tour guide and showed us little nooks and crannies that only a local would know.

Clearly, he is very proud of his city and quite happy to show it off. Since his grandfather was an official historian of the government and highly respected by all, Antonio's was happy to point out where his grandfather's office was. With Antonio's knowledge, it was clear that love of history had passed to Antonio too!

Saturday night was spent up far too late, with far too many pisco sours (a locally made drink that kicks like a mule! Or it did me!), with some of Antonio's friends. Warm, friendly and extremely hospitable are pale descriptions of how welcome we were made to feel. This was a place where mi casa, su casa was made manifest; and the hangover the next day was testimony to that too!

Since Antonio loves his good food and excellent wine (he really should be a food critic), he is forever seeking value for money! So he knows all the good little spots.

We spent a lazy Sunday afternoon deep in the Andes mountains enjoying French wine and good, enjoying the last of the dry summer weather and swimming in a pool. We never thought that we would see a pool in Chile! Never mind swim in one in a swanky little place far from the city's maddening crowd!

It was a great place to detox and let those nasty little picso sours (and red and wine red, a few beers and something after the braai that might have been used to preserve dead animals) seep out of my lethargic body!

We did have a 0330 taxi for the airport and us oldies need a little time to recover from late and wild nights!I promise I will never EVER drink again.......yeah right!