Santiago - revisited

(let's get international here...)

Coming back after three years or so, Santiago still seems pretty familar - the same atmosphere on the streets, the same smell in the underground, the same feeling of never going to get across the Alameda, because traffic just won't end... And all of this is nice in its own way, it's how it was supposed to be. ;) In the first days I enjoyed walking through the city, no special aim, soaking in everything that surrounded me (if it didn't smell too badly). Here's some of it:

In the city centre nothing really changed much, the same buzzing life as usual, Cerro Santa Lucia is still crowded with those closely embraced teenage couples, but gives a nice view on the mountains, the city and the smog that's hovering above it... They built a bunch of new high rise buildings in every possible corner, so that's something new. And some new scyscrapers in Vitacura and Las Condes:

These have definitely not been here three years ago. The Eastern part of Santiago is the new business district, and they are building like mad there! Chilean economic miracle in glass and concrete... Not too ugly actually - let's see if there is still need after the crisis... Want some contrast? (Santiago is good for contrasts...)

No, that's not an official garbage dump, doesn't seem to make a difference, though. Except that there's people living there... Thanks to my bike (in case it works) it's quite easy to go around different quarters plus I don't look to touristy, which is rather handy. And I can go up Cerro Santa Lucia to share those pictures with you:

ps: ok, das mit der sprache ist gar nicht so leicht - aber weil die meisten von euch ja eh super englisch können und damit all die leute, die kein deutsch verstehen, auch mal vorbeischauen können, werd ich wohl immer mal die sprache wechseln, je nach gemütslage... ;)