Back to Chile: Santa Lucía’s Hill

After a really interesting experience in USA, I go back to South America in order to continue with my English teaching activities and studies. The first thing I had to deal with, it was to speak Spanish again. I can’t believe how normal it was for me to be the whole time speaking in English. When I arrived to Santiago’s airport, I was greeting everyone in English… until I realized that nobody replied. That’s surely quite strange.

여기 ~ 스페인어 !

Unfortunately, I forgot completely to tell somebody I was arriving to Chile. So it’s not strange that nobody came to receive me. I had to carry all my heavy stuff (including my drawing and figure out how to get to my relatives house). There are plenty of them living in Santiago, but I don’t visit them too often, only on summer holidays. Santiago is quite a big city in comparison with the rest of Chilean cities. Santiago is located almost in the middle of Chile. A high number of people live in this city. When I got there it was winter season in Chile, so you could not expect to see a beautiful scenery of Santiago.

Santiago de Chile

If you want to see beautiful landscapes, I would rather choose the previous region located in the north. (Viña del Mar or Valparaíso) However, I like visiting historical places in Santiago, like “Santa Lucia” hill. This place is located right in front of “Santa Lucía” subway station. You can see “Alameda” street which goes straight along several important locations in Santiago.

Cerro Santa Lucia

It is in the middle of this city. When Spaniards came to South America, an Spanish soldier called “Pedro de Valdivia” founded the city of Santiago on February 12th, 1541. He planned the city according to the traditional Spanish checkerboard layout which is still evident in the downtown area today (and many Chilean cities too ~ Spanish were not too artistic in this aspect… jajaja! ).

Entrada del Cerro! lots of stairs!

This is surely a nice place, with a magnificent entrance. The part I like most is going upstairs and taking a look at the scenery below… I love high places!

Vista desde arriba

As you keep going up, you can take a look at different levels of “Santa Lucia” hill. Lots of couples like to come here to sit down and talk as they enjoy the view (when you come to Chile, We will visit this place together! just like Chilean pololos! ♥)

Segundo nivel del cerro

I don’t think it is clear. But the next sculpture is supposed to be a “Mapuche” … the indigenous who were living here before “españoles” (Spaniards). This statue commemorates the famous mapuche called “Caupolican“. He was one of the chief mapuches that fought the spanish soldiers as he didn’t want this land to be conquered by the spaniards. He fought Pedro de Valdivia (founder of the city) again and again, making his plans quite difficult.

Caupolicán: The brave warrior

Due to the fact that this place was supposed to be an strategic place for protection, it is not strange that you can see some old “cañones” (cannons) around there.

Spanish Cannons

This is the middle level of Santa Lucia Hill.

Be careful! Don't look downwards !

“Los Andes” can be seen in the back of Santiago. I am pretty sure those mountains look gorgeous when it is not cloudy… jaja! The true is I just like taking a deep look around… but cities… are not special… they are almost the same everywhere.. but standing at a high place and looking at it… is quite cool.

Los Andes: Bellas Montañas

*I got there…. I mean, to the top of this hill. unfortunately, I was doing some secret business alone, so I couldn’t take many pictures including me on them… I asked someone to take a picture of me with “Los Andes” mountains in my back.. At the top of “Santa Lucia” hill. I read somewhere it has around 65 M height.

저는Santa Lucia's Top 에서

I went to Chinese and Korean embassy in order to get some information about the Visa process and costs for when I visit you. For my surprise, it is quite cheap and simple if we compare with the tedious process for applying to USA. I even managed to know that there are some scholarships for Chilean students! ♥ I can’t wait to graduate and apply for them!