We were some 100kms South of Santiago, stopped at a gas station having a snack. A biker with a R1200GS stopped and we began talking. This way we learned about a mc encounter that was taking place not far away. We decided to go see what was going on. The meeting was being hosted by Caballeros Negros MC and attended by more than 400 bikers. We hang out mostly with the friends of the guy who invited us there, who were from the Perros Enduro and TPLC clubs. At some point the organizers invited us to the scene to be presented to the crowd, then they gave us a diploma and a handcrafted prize to remember about this event. Thanks again for such wonderful treatment, guys! The included video depicts the Chilean national dance.
The motorcycle meeting
The metro system
Serving (with it’s 95 stations and over 100kms of track) most areas of greater Santiago, the metro system is a convenient way to travel around. Since most lines have been opened recently, the stations and trains feature mostly a modern/industrial design. Some lines go along with boulevard or freeways at ground level, while others are underground or elevated above streets.
Cerro San Cristóbal
This is one of the biggest parks in Santiago. Taking advantage of the hilly terrain, the designers installed here a funicular system (as early as 1925; also famous for being used by Pope John Paul II in 1987 for visiting the religious site on top of the hill) and a gondola. There are many bike paths, playgrounds, picnic areas, observation points and even a zoo.
In Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina
We are still alive, but unable to post. I understand the GPS tracker hasn´t been tracking for a while (I have to send a congratulations letter to findmespot.com for that) so here´s the update: yesterday we rode over 800km through the pampas without encountering anything else than a gas station. We arrived in Rio Gallegos at night and fell asleep instantly. Today we will continue to Ushuaia. Once there, I will resume posting from the past. Cheers!
Santiago de Chile
Santiago de Chile surprised us more than any other city in Latin America. Nobody could guess this is actually in America. The feeling is so European! Walking around felt so much like a walk in Bucharest from Kiseleff to Romana Square and then to Cismigiu: small villas with forged iron fences, interwar era apartment buildings, palaces and parks everywhere. Wealth is everywhere, from luxury restaurants to abundant shopping areas to niche car brands like Alfa Romeo, Porsche or Rolls Royce. Traffic is no longer a big issue, thanks to the well developed mass transit system. This is definitely the best big city we encountered, surpassing Medellin in our top. Some sort of protest movement was also taking place so now we know how tear gas smells like 🙂
