Santiago, Chile, is a destination I have always wanted to visit. Even as a child I loved finding the country on a map, obsessed with the shape of the country and questioning why Chile was shaped like a chilli pepper yet spelled differently.
Upon arrival I was a little disheartened as for the first time I was ripped off my a taxi driver that drove me from the bus station to the hostel. Â Serves me right for not educating myself on the exchange rates prior to arrival.
Santiago, Chileâs capital and largest city, sits in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coastal Range. Plaza de Armas, the grand heart of the cityâs old colonial core, is home to 2 neoclassical landmarks: the early-19th-century Royal Court Palace, which houses the National History Museum, and the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral. Barrio Brasil and bohemian Barrio Bellavista offer lively nightlife. Â –Wikipedia
I only spent two days here before booking a bus to travel north.  I hope to return one day and experience the cosmopolitan and energetic city with more of an open mind, I feel my love of Argentina and first experiences upon arriving in the city have given me a false impression of the place that many have told me is incredible.
