Capital City, Chile - Santiago

Welcome to Metropolis. With over a third of it's 16.6 million inhabitants, Santiago is, arguably, Chile.

In our experience, it was always worthwhile to begin our time in a new city with a (free) walking tour. So with a camera in one hand and a water bottle in the other that's just what we did.

Starting in the central square, our guide talked us through the long and bloody history of Chile.

He told us how the fierce Mapuche warriors achieved legendary status by being the first tribe on the continent to successfully defend their territory against the land-hungry Spaniards and resist European colonisation. Right through to the infamous Pinochet Dictatorship which encompassed the deaths and disappearances of many Spanish citizens in the aftermath of a coup he lead in 1973. These matters were still under investigation by the international courts at the time of his death in 2006 and his legacy remains extremely controversial among Chileans.

Despite the somewhat oppressive regime of the past I was pleased to see present-day Santiago was a proud and vibrant city, rich in art and culture.

The city is saturated in their national flag, hung with pride and precision (there are strict laws to be adhered to as to the manner in which the flag should be hung - primarily the star should the to the top left/over the heart) at every point possible.

Set to the backdrop of gargantuan snow-tipped Andean peaks, Santiago has museums, multiple universities, pretty parks and gardens, trendy bars and cafes, a vast array of restaurants and street vendors and best of all (at least in the eyes of one of my sweet-toothed travel companions!) "Emporio La Rosa" ice cream parlour; delicious handmade ice-cream and loads of whacky flavours like rose petal and chocolate basil to choose from.

Having been lucky enough to spend almost a week in Santiago it's easy to see why the bulk of the population choose to live here. This is a capital in the true sense - it's not just an administrative centre, not just the location of the main airport, not just the centre of finance...it's the beating heart of Chile, where everyone wants to be. Diverse, dynamic and for me surprising. I expected Santiago to be conservative and jaded by its turmoiltuous past. Thankfully Capital City proved me wrong! First time for everything!