LAST DAY IN SANTIAGO

TUESDAY 7th JUNE

  Well my stay in Santiago is coming to an end. My first task was to organise a cab for 6.00am tomorrow, hopefully Louis would come.  Unfortunately the English speaking chap who booked me in wasn't around today so I tackled the Spanish speaker at reception.  After some considerable discussion we appeared to reach a satisfactory conclusion.  I went back to my room on the 7th floor and soon received a call asking if I could come down again - or at least that is what I understood it to be.  Upon reach the ground floor again, there was Louis.  I explained again what was wnated, and he went off assuring me he would be there in the morning.

  It was time for my last promenade around Santiago. I strolled up to the Post Office again to post a card to Jeannette having found their address on Google - the house is allegedly still up for hire until you go into it and then it states it is unavailable.  When I got to Plaza de Armas there appeared to be some major student demo in progress with loads of placards, chanting to the beating of drums and the like.  One long placard read; "+$ = better professors = better education"  or at least that is my translation.  Anyway it is a sentiment you can't argue with.

  I found there were still plenty of streets in the centre that I hadn't fully explored, and found one or two interesting buildings in the process, like a red church nothing to do with its political affiliations!).

Then there was some sort of official looking building but I couldn't see any notices on it to say what it was.

And then there was a Chinese Restaurant somewhat incongruous in its setting amidst office blocks!

I found a very pleasant cafe where I had a toasted beef and cheese sandwich and a coffee as well as a read of Ruth Rendell'sThe Keys To The Street, before wandering back to the Infinity.  I came acros the remnants of the student demo in Londres Street and what looked like a water cannon vehicle and the road streaming with water and loads of TV cameras around.
  And speaking of Londres, I found a plaque outside no 36 that seemed to suggest that this was a place of torture in the '70s and indeed among the cobble stones on the adjoining street there were small metal plaques with names and ages , I assumed of people who had suffered there or maybe even died.  It is believed that, following the 1973 coup by General Pinochet, which deposed President Allende, there were some

3000 people killed and a 1000 of these have been listed as the "disappeared", who vanished under the rule of General Pinochet.  Some it has turned out had their bodies thrown in the Pacific Ocean like Communist offcial Victor Diaz.

  Upon my return I packed all my belongings and retired early, worrying lest the alarm clock didn't go off.  I had trialed it the previous night but then had difficulties turning the alarm off, and wasn't sure if I had turned it off permanently.  My mobile, which is set on NZ time refuses to be adjusted, and although i tried the alarm on that it didn't seem to work, so here's hoping the body clock will do its work if necessary.