SUNDAY IN SANTIAGO

Summer sundays in Santiago Centro can be really low-key affairs, and yesterday´s cool, gray and drab morning certainly fit that description. But there is one event of note which has become a weekly ritual for many Santigueños, and that is the Sunday Antique and Book Vendor´s fair which takes place on the Paseo Estado, starting at the Plaza de Armas and extending for several blocks along this pedestrian-only walkway. The above picture shows one of the booths set up along the paseo, this one in particular is specializing in sales of poster art. Also, on one of the additional paseos which intersects with Estado, vendors of fresh fruits and vegetables mingle with booths that are selling jewelry, clothing and handicrafts. It all makes for a leisurely way to pass a few hours.
Now today I am finally setting out on my travels, with my first destination the city of Quillota, located about 125 km north of Santiago in the heart of Chile´s avocado-growing country. I will be visiting with a friend whom I first met up in San Pedro de Atacama during my trip last year. Then on Tuesday I will head on to the beach resort town of Maitencillo, where I will connect with my friend and agent Andrés, who is up there vacationing with his kids. I expect it will be a fun reunion because we will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow, but I will also need to have him prepare my Argentina Permit, which will be necessary for me to cross into that country. Without that permit I will have to make some severe adjustments to my travel plans. We´ll see about all that, and will give a full report the next time I have an opportunity to post news here.
Chao a todos.