We returned to Santiago Chile on Monday after 5 days in Mendoza Argentina.

I think we will probably cross the border quite often over the next few weeks as Chile runs out of accessible roads and the only choices for further travel south are by sea or Argentinian roads. Not being the best sea-travellers , I think we will opt for the latter !

Immigration cotrol between the 2 countries is strict. In both directions our stop was well over an hour whilst officials checked & stamped travel documents & rummaged through every piece of luggage. Backpacks had to be unpacked & repacked. It's bad enough cramming everything into a backpack in the privacy of your own room ! We were honest enough to declare the 4 bananas we were smuggling from Chile to Argentina! The official discretely handed them back to us & put his index finger over his lips indicating we should keep qiuet about this !

In total we spent 10 days in Santiago. It's a huge city , population 5 million, 1/3 of the population of Chile, with a distinctly European feel about it ( as has Mendoza & Chillan, where we are now )

We spent most of our time wandering the streets of various areas in the hot sunshine & visiting museums , art galleries , churches and important houses.

We were particularly impressed with Neruda 's house and the Palacio Cousiño which is a glorious mansion dating from 1871 owned bya prominent family of that time, embellished with french - style art-work. No expense had been spared. It was a match for the likes of Chatsworth House in England.

We also enjoyed the Museum of Solidarity , Salvador Allende , which was an art museum opened in 1971 by artists around the world (including Yoko Ono ! ) in sympathy with Chile's socialist experiment. The museum went underground after the 1973 coup awaiting the return of civilian rule. There is a large section on the history of Allende & articles , photos , art & poetry from the concentration campsof the 1973-1990 era.

There was the excellent Chilean museum of Pre-Columbian Civilisation and many more but I won't bore you with details !

We also spent many hours in different beautiful parks , reading or people-watching. And many more doing menial things like laundries , hairdressers , finding an optician to repair Ady's broken glasses , etc. No problemas ! The metro is fantastic , so fast & efficient . Everyone is friendly & helpful.

It's nice being in the middle of a huge metropolis & looking up to see the second highest mountain range in the world right next to you.

One day we took the funicular to San Cristobal's summit which is an 870m hill crowned by a 36m statue of the Virgin Mary. At the summit is a beautiful church , Santuario Inmaculada Concepcion , where Pope John Paul said Mass during his 1984 visit. There are wonderful views of the city from the top.

We stayed in the same back-packers hostel throughout our stay in Santiago but managed a private room every night but one ( on our return from Mendoza ) , when we had to share a room with 6 others , mainly young Aussies. There were only top bunks left when we arrived. As Ady falls out of bed every other night we put his mattress on the floor. I think they thought we were a strange old pair !

We are now in a small town called Chillan 5 hours south of Santiago & will continue to travel south to the snow , ice & glaciers of Patagonia. But for now still lazing around , enjoying 90degrees of heat whilst sampling local foods & alcoholic beverages.

No guinea pigs on the menus here. That was strictly Ecuadorian cuisine & I can assure you all your pets will be safe when we come home .You know I don't like cooking !