Words + Books (two of my fav things) at Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda. More on that in a bit.

This week, the circumference of the area of Santiago I can recognize got considerably larger. Thanks to a couple of excursions hosted by my language school and another spontaneous outing or two, I have quite the round-up of city culture to share with you to prove that it’s certainly not for nothing that The New York Times voted this fair city its Numero Uno travel destination for 2011.

Impressive entry, eh?

We made it to the top!

1. Cerro Santa Lucia. This hill in the middle of Santiago offers an incredible wraparound view of the city, only to be beat by Cerro San Cristóbal one carro over. My new friends and I certainly weren’t complaining. Thanks to this being one of our teacher’s favorite spots in the entire city, she told us all  about the man who inspired the park (and founded the city on my birthday–in 1541–no less), conquistador Pedro de Valdivia.

Students have lodged desks and chairs into the fencing of schools all over the city.

2. GAM (Centro Gabriela Mistral). This contemporary cultural center (also pictured in the NYTimes feature) is in my new fav neighborhood, Belles Artes, and like its neighboring barrio, Bellavista, sports healthy doses of Bohemian chic, great restaurants, and that energy I always feel when I cross into the East Village, the Mission, the Castro, various SoHos, etc. It also has the Universidad Católica across the street, so my friends and I emerged from the metro in the middle of one of the student protests (don’t worry, this one was peaceful and sans tear gas) that have been going on the past month or so. The students are calling for real reform for equalized and affordable access to higher ed. It’s humbling, inspiring, and daunting to know the lengths to which these students are going to in order to fight for education rights. My friend and I knew best to just get out of their way and we headed into GAM to check out “Inspiración: Sara Facio en Chile,” a retrospective exhibition of photography spanning 1960-2005. I wasn’t familiar with Sara Facio’s work, but I’m now her new biggest fan. Her black/whites captured Pablo Neruda and every Latin American escritor you can think of (and all the ones you can’t), Salvador Allende, and luminaries of film and feminism.

At only 150 years old, these statures carved by the Mapuches to guide you to the afterlife are the youngest objets d’art in the museo.

The First Computer!! A.k.a. The Quipu. This impressive weaving of strings and knots recorded information about the Incan Empire’s food supplies, population, etc.

3. Museo Chileno de Arte Precolumbino. Our school group was supposed to tour Pablo Neruda’s Santiago home today, but rain put the power out, so we retreated into this amazing museum (near Santiago’s Plaza de Armas, a square with the national post office, a gorgeous cathedral, and within spitting distance of many a government building.) I have to admit that on paper this place doesn’t exactly have my name all over it, but I’m so glad I viewed its incredible collection of ceramics and textiles from South and Central America. I highly recommend a guided tour as our docent told us incredible things about the artifacts housed here, many dating back at least 500 years (Pre-Columbus y conquistadores, as is the museum’s premise) and others up to 5,000 years!!!

The lobby, lined in bambo and a bookstore. What could be better?!

4. Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda. This cultural center is within walking distance of Museo Chileno de Arte Precolumbino, but is all new. It opened in 2006 and houses Chile’s national film archive, the Cineteca Nacional. Many shops offer modern versions of the artifacts across the street as well as classes so you can try your own hand at weaving and metalwork.

All of this culture makes for one week with five three-hour Spanish lessons, three museums, and one big hill! I can’t wait to see what’s in store next as I keep expanding the circumference I navigate down here.

Santiago and I have a lot in common 🙂