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Santiago, Sweet & SassyBy Marguerite Jordan“Demurely but with a seductive smile, she lifts her skirts to display her ankles… Gradually she melts his heart of stone, and as he now advances, she coyly retreats…The dance quickens, intensifies, art gives way to passion, and now, the conquest achieved, they encircle each other with their arms in a warm embrace.”
“A charming dance,” I thought, “but, definitely not provocative.”
It was as if they too were part of the stage performance. Now that was interesting. But what could it mean? A photograph of the twirling white hankies was what I wanted most, to capture the ritualism of it all. Yet, in the dimly lit restaurant, I had a hard enough time photographing the band and the dancers performing La Cueca. AN AMBASSADOR RECORDS HIS IMPRESSIONSLater, I read the memoir, Chile through Embassy Windows 1939 – 1953, by Claude Bowers, American ambassador to Chile. He quotes an historian of Chilean folklore, Eugenio Pereira Salas, who sees in La Cueca, “the expression not only of lyricism, eroticism and satyrism, but Chile’s whole history.” Bowers suggests that the dance, which, a century ago, was frowned upon by the middle class, is “a flirtation aimed at seduction”. “The handkerchief plays a major part in the flirtation, the man and the woman waving it provocatively and gracefully. The man is supposedly indifferent, and the woman uses all her wiles and appeal to arouse his interest.” As the ambassador wrote, this dance plays an important part in the national psyche, and no visitor to the country should leave without seeing it performed. As he further writes, dance, art, music, poetry and other writing have always played a huge part in the lives of Chileans, and, lucky for the visitor, all are easily accessible. For up to the minute announcements of cultural affairs, read the local papers. COME ON BUSINESS, BUT BE SURE TO LEARN ABOUT THE CITYEl Mercurio, the largest daily, has a special weekend section called Wiken (Weekend) that will alert you to performances, art openings, galleries, poetry readings, restaurants, etc. The weekly Santiago Times is an English-language index of news and events. Two monthly magazines may be of interest to the visitor: Rocinante, about culture and the arts, and America Economia, for the American here on business. Within the constrictions of tight budgeting, the city supports the arts, music, dance, theater, poetry and writing, and, now in the twenty-first century, it is developing as THE South American business center to watch. Many American businesses have offices and plants here because Chile, since the early nineties, has become one of the most stable countries of South America. It exports minerals, copper, some gold and silver, pharmaceuticals, and, its biggest source of income, agricultural products. Because it is in the Southern Hemisphere, its harvest season occurs precisely when the U.S. most needs fresh fruits and vegetables, our winter, their summer. The most famous fruit, the grapes, are of course also made into wine. Chile is South America’s largest producer and exporter of fine wine. Business corporations find relatively fewer of the problems that beset other large Latin American cities, such as corruption and crime, in Santiago.
ON TOP OF OLD SMOKIETwo spots, St. Lucia Hill and San Cristobal Hill, are major recreational places for visitors and residents. With its newly refurbished Plaza Neptuno and the great bronze statue of the god, the St. Lucia Park is a labyrinth of curved stairs, gardens and fountains, often favored by young lovers. (It probably is not a great place to visit at night.) On weekends you may see hundreds, if not thousands of very fit young people cycling up, almost 3000 feet above sea level, the hill of San Cristobal, which is part of an extensive park, The Metropolitan. You can walk up or take a bus or aerial tramway. From this area and surrounding the hill are views and activities for kids and grown-ups. A swimming pool, zoo, gardens, snack bars, coffee shops and park benches are all nearby. Atop the hill is a 120-foot statue of the Virgin Mary, and from here it is possible to view almost the entire downtown. Unfortunately, because Santiago rests in a broad plain surrounded by mountains, the pollution of the city’s 7000 famous yellow buses, and an unknown number of cars, remains suspended over the city, like a sepia crown. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS SANTIAGO?Visitors to Santiago, a sprawling city of 5,000,000, arrive at the Arturo Merino Benitez Airport with a mixture of expectations, gleaned from television and half-remembered news accounts of the ‘Eighties. Adventure travelers, business people and cultural travelers each arrive with differing expectations. On the one hand, many arriving have some negative impressions: this capital city has smog, it has had political unrest and military violence, it is large and, until you have been here for two hours, it seems a slightly confusing place. (Take a half-day coach tour of the town and you will own it.)
Attractively laid out in its central area, and downright handsome in some of the more affluent suburbs, Santiago has many sights of interest and beauty: countless green well-planted public parks, major historical buildings, of rococo or medieval styles. There are; countless statues that show Chile’s heroes; several green cerros, hills that act as lungs and observation stations, and, everywhere small kiosks and tables with Empanadas and sweets for sale. Usually included in organized tours are the following: the Club Hipico, a horseracing track, Cousino Palace, the “La Moneda” government palace, the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, and The Plaza de Armas. Across the Mapocho River is San Cristobal Hill on the north side of the city. Halfway up the hill, is the Enoteca Wine Museum, where you may go for a wine tasting.
A CITY BOTH DEMURE AND SEDUCTIVEAt first glance, Santiago does not break your heart with its beauty. It is inland, so it has no breathtaking harbor; its major river, the Maipo, is sometimes overflowing and sometimes dried up; and in the distance, to the east, the beautiful snow-covered peaks of the world’s longest mountain chain, the Andes, are often hidden by haze. Of all the things of interest in this city of five million, the best is the people. Throughout my four-day stay here recently, I was charmed and spoiled by the kindly people who I met at kiosks, tourist sites, my hotel and in the street: the residents would remind you of Midwesterners in the 1950’s: kind, open, and very very helpful. People took the time to talk with me, to find places of note, to direct me when I was lost, often walking with me, several blocks out of their way. There was graciousness to their hospitality that reminded me of one of my other favorite countries, Ireland.
The best way to see and meet the locals, Santiguians, is to go to a busy downtown park. If you had to choose one of its many squares, let it be Plaza de Armas. Here you will find the real-life counterpart to La Cueca, men and women, both sweet and sassy. PORTRAIT OF A CITY IN ONE SQUARE BLOCK
Wandering around the Plaza, I took in with interest the painters and their paintings (many works in progress); children feeding pigeons; twenty or thirty hotly contested chess matches. I visited the Metropolitan Cathedral, the post office, and two other buildings of great historical significance, Palacia deReal Audiencia and Municipalidad de Santiago, looking at the flowers and the statues as I walked along, noticing all the important buildings around the square.
RESOURCES AND TIPS
When it comes to packing, think layering, if you are going to more than one area, as temperatures do vary widely. Also, pack an expandable light second suitcase, because you surely will fall in love with the Vicuna rugs, the handmade sweaters, the copper and lapis jewelry that you see everywhere. And, yes, make room for the excellent wines. Although many other facets of travel in this petite country come easily, figuring out what the actual costs for visas and airport taxes left me stymied. It is entirely possible that during the upcoming season that you may find a deal on airline ticket prices, but figure on adding at least $100 (in your mind) on to the total for the pesky add-on charges that seem to be heaped on at will. Think back to that song of the ‘Sixties, “Charley on the MTA”, he the hapless Bostonian who couldn’t afford to pay the charge to get off the train, even though he paid when he got on. Tourism officials, take note, and review your policies. Consult these tourism sites about Chile to gain additional
insights. SIX CONTINENTS HOTELSThis large international chain boasts several hotels, for varied budgets and accommodation styles, in nearly all South American countries. Choose among the flagship properties, Intercontinental Hotels and Crowne Plaza Hotels, as well as Holiday Inns and Holiday Inn Express. My stay in Santiago was completely enhanced by the people I met at the Crowne Plaza, who provided me with extraordinary service during my stay. They arranged for several interesting tours in and out of the city, and I simply cannot say enough kind things for the very personable and helpful drivers, Patricio, Alfonse and Antonio. This hotel has a knack for finding the right people. General manager Eduardo Fahrenkrug runs an excellent business and leisure hotel and trains his staff well. The hotel is located on the centrally located Avenue Liberatador Bernardo O’Higgins, and has excellent meting and convention facilities. http://www.sixcontinentshotels.com/h/d/6c/home LAN CHILE AIRLINESGlobal Finance magazine has announced the results of its ranking of the world's best companies operating on a global basis. For the second consecutive year, LanChile is named the Best Airline in Latin America. The national carrier has frequent flights from the U.S., both to Chile and other destinations in South America. http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/021007/72550_1.html LANCHILE VACATIONSLanChile Vacations is just one of many tour operations that can help you pull together a trip of a lifetime, whether you are headed to Santiago and the Central Valley, the Atacama Desert, the Straits of Magellan, Easter Island or anyplace else in this diverse country. Call toll-free at (877) 219-0345 or (801) 364-4300. 320 East 900 South • Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 • Toll Free 1-877-219-0345 • Fax 801-364-4330 Text and images Marguerite Jordan copyright |
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When I first
saw the national Chilean dance, La Cueca, performed in a nightclub in
Santiago, in my mind I compared it – with less favor -- to the Argentinean
tango. Up on stage handsome men – dressed as huasos, with cowboy hats and
spurs, and beautiful women in colorful flirty skirts, were dancing to
up-tempo folkloric music.
Everyone in the
packed-to-capacity audience raised an arm and twirled his or her white
handkerchief at set points in the performance. The well-dressed men and
women 
The city is home to
thousands of high rises, and in the suburbs, a remarkable number of
beautiful villas. The downtown is full of very quirky expressions of public
art, which ranges from countless murals on the street, and below, on the
subway walls; to the Baroque influences of buildings built in the 1800’s; to
the modern-day icon of a building which is shaped like a (very tall) giant
cell phone. 
On the other hand, it is a remarkably interesting,
diverse and clean town, and it is an easy to like kind of place. It doesn’t
put on any airs, yet it has reason to be proud of its rich history and its
numerous cultural sights. Weather in the city is nearly always very
temperate and sunny.
On your own or with a guide, you can better get the city’s
flavor by walking through the various barrios. My favorite discovery was the
Barrio de Brasil, a neighborhood ‘in transition’, as urban planners say,
filled with beautiful but somewhat neglected old buildings. The local music
conservatory is here as well as some university buildings, so students can
be seen making music or just hanging out. 
What I enjoyed most was that many of the people were sassy too. The chess
players were perhaps a bit wary. The lovers didn’t have time to talk. But,
the top prize for the “I Should Have Seen It Coming” award for snaring
unsuspecting tourists goes to a man I call “Biting Wit”.
After spending a few minutes in the cathedral, I came out
into the bright sunlight and saw a large crowd. Thinking it was a protest or
a strike I hurried forward to find out about it. A hundred or so people
stood in a large circle, and, at its center, a middle-aged man with glasses
was pacing back and forth. He was gesticulating and the crowd was laughing.
He was not a street performer in the ordinary sense; in fact, he reminded me
of Mort Sahl.
It took a few minutes to realise that his routine, which was
now getting even more laughs, was somehow built around my presence. It was
good-natured laughter (I think) and he even came over and spoke to me after
his performance, but I am still wondering what was said about the obviously
foreign woman with the camera. I made a mental note to come home and take a
Spanish class, so that I could return to Santiago ASAP. May as well sign up
for the dance lessons, too!
People coming to Chile for the first time occasionally worry about their
personal safety. It is a fairly safe country. Some say it is the safest in
all of South America. The city of Santiago is no more or less dangerous than
any other large urban area, but be sure to pack your common sense. Do not
make yourself a target for pickpockets by wearing fancy jewels or by
carelessly carrying expensive objects. Ask your hotel staff to call your
taxi. Petty theft is much more common than violence, but you do want to look
lively when you walk, so that you do become an easy ‘mark’.