Long weekend in Santiago de Chile - Climbing La Parva

About an hour ride from Santiago de Chile sit La Parva a Ski centre that rises 2750m from sea level.

At winter time people go skiing and in summer you´ll find avid cyclists and hikers riding the windy road that takes you there. When you get to the base you can pay the chair lift that will spare you an hour walk, for 13 bucks, or you can macho it up, but from the air lift station you´ll have 3 or 4 hours hike to the summit and back.

In all it is a great trek with a rewarding view.

Long weekend in Santiago de Chile - Climbing Cerro Manquehue

Mount Manquehue ("Place of Condors" in Mapucheche language) is the highest in the Santiago metropolitan area and is close enough to even get there by subway and urban bus. It is an excellent day trip if you´re in Santiago, but be aware that it is not that easy to climb it.
A good option is to do the "Travesía del huanaco"which will have you walking between 4 and 6 hours on loose gravel paths with absolutely no water source, and I mean none. The water that you bring is what you will have, so this a place where a camel pack comes handy whith at least 4lts per person.
If you have a clear day the view is spectacular and you are back home an hour after you finish your trek.

Long weekend in Santiago de Chile - Downtown Santiago

Taking advantage of yet another long weekend in Argentina, I caught
 a flight to Santiago de Chile to spend a couple of days there.
Now i had bought the ticket several months ago when Chile was still a calm place to unwind, A very different situation these days with constant riots.

Under cries of "Do´nt go, you will get killed" (something i´ve heard all my life) I went ahead with the trip and to my amazement i found Santiago in total peace, even late at night.

Even though TV broadcasts here in Argentina show daily conflicts between police and hooded protesters. I took these pic in downtown Santiago on a Saturday morning, maybe the rioters were sleeping.