Aneya & Lauren: Myths about Santiago.

Aneya: So before we left for this adventure into the unknown, Lauren and I did our research. We're not dumb, we knew we needed to do a little homework before moving to a country neither of us had ever been to. Well. Upon arriving here, we noticed many inaccuracies in our guide books and were infuriated. The things people wrote about we need now consider our city-- they simply weren't true! So, we're here today to set the record straight.

Lauren: There were a lot of negative things being said about Santiago. I'll admit, I was a little wary. Were we moving to an undesirable city? Would it be boring, slow, with little to do? Friends from here seemed to love it, but wouldn't anyone from a city love their own hometown?Well, it turns out our friends were right, and the tour guide books, and travel articles were simply off the mark.

Aneya: First of all, in any book about Chile, Santiago is usually not the focal point. The Atacama Desert, the Lake District, Chiloe, Easter Island, Patagonia. Pages and pages are devoted to the different regions in Chile, and fair enough, they are incredible in their own right. But the major economical, political capital of the country? A few pages, maybe. Our books told us Santiago wasn't worth a long stay "3 or 4 days at the most" more of a transfer point, if you will. Um, say what? My book at least, said it's not a "party all night" city, it doesn't have a cafe culture, no one dances here, it's not very pretty, there's tons of smog, the negative list goes on.

Lauren: There is a lot of ecotourism in Chile, and rightly so. I hope we can get to some of these travels before we leave. Tons of natural wonders. Best sky for star watching, kayaking, and just some incredible natural settings. But Santiago was said to be boring -- and maybe for the old folks who wrote the books sure, it is. Because things don't seem to start until 1 a.m., well after some people's bedtime (myself included).

There are tons of little cafes, bars, and restaurants, and that's only near our house. We haven't even been to all the little cafes around us, and they're quite nice.

There's also the vineyards that surround the city. Any trip out of Santiago and you're in the middle of wine country. Going to the beach or Temuco you drive through tons of vineyards, and the air actually smells sweeter. That's definitely worth a 3-4 day trip itself, which we have yet to do.

And, admittedly, Chileans themselves think they don't dance. There's a Chilean saying about Chileans just having no rhythm. But we've definitely seen otherwise.

I was really scared the smog would bother me, but I don't really notice it. It was said to be much worse than LA, and maybe it technically is, but for me it seems about the same.

Aneya: The guide books told us that Santiago is filled with junk food and that the taxi drivers don't know where the hell they're going. Lauren's book told her you need to bring your own map in the taxi with you, because the drivers are sure to be idiots.

Lauren: Which is just crazy. I've never gotten lost in a taxi. We do live at a large intersection, but we've never gotten lost. My tourism book said that there isn't a taxi exam, or something like that, that other cities have. I, however, have always arrived at a destination without giving a taxi driver directions. And there is such good public transportation here, and we centrally located, so taxies are not a daily excursion.

And there is some really good cuisine going on here. There's plenty of junk food, but less than in the US, hands down. There's a fine German restaurant on our block, some decent Italian and French cuisine, and we found a wonderful Mexican restaurant. Some Chilean dishes lack some spice of flare, but add some merken and everything tastes better.

Aneya: So let me just set the record straight. We've been in Santiago for over a month now, and we haven't even scratched the surface of this huge city. The fact that the guide books say 3 to 4 days is enough is absurd! Sure, Santiago doesn't have lots of famous monuments or museums like other countries, but it has it's own unique culture that you can't fully appreciate in 3 days. And it's a huge, sprawling city, the suburbs going all the way to the Andes. And no cafe culture? Have they been here? It's all cafes, everywhere! Bella Vista, Bellas Artes, Lasstaria, the list goes on, you literally can't walk down the street without stumbling upon a cafe.

Lauren: So true. We have barely begun to find some amazing little places in our own hood, let alone the entire city! We're finding new things to do all the time. Tons of museums, parks, we haven't done the vineyard thing yet, the hills here are fun to visit. And it's just beautiful to walk down the street and see some really incredible 400 year old architecture. And since it's the bicentennial there are tons of festivals, which we haven't been to. But still. We have that option.

Aneya: And no nightlife? On our very first week we went clubbing in castle! Don't tell me there's no nightlife. There's a cool pub crawl area in Providencia, Bella Vista has bar after bar, people just sitting down to dinner at 1 am. And dancing? Well, we've already been to a tango club, and we also attended a wedding with every type of Latin dancing known to man. So yes, Chileans do actually dance, thank you very much.

Lauren: A castle! I don't understand those people who were just getting dinner at 1 a.m. That's breakfast time as far as I'm concerned, maybe a late night cocktail, but dinner? Weren't you hungry earlier? Could onces really hold you over that long? I would get hungry for dinner hours before that.

Aneya: As far as the taxi drivers are concerned- they very much know their way around, I have yet to have to direct anyone, anywhere (I wouldn't know how, anyway) the taxis here are the best, actually. Super cheap, super fast, good service.

Lauren: So true.

And another myth: That there's a negative attitude toward the Pinochet years and that his dictatorship is a blemish on the country. Not at all the case. You'll be hard pressed to find a book singing his praises, but a lot of people really supported his regime.

As far as many people are concerned, Chile is doing so well today because of his 20 years running the country. It seems like everyone I know came from a "yes family," families who voted to keep him in office. Some people even reminisce about times under Pinochet, because they feel that things were safer then because no one was out in the streets late at night -- because of the curfew. Again, a more complicated history than the one we are typically exposed to.

Aneya: I mean, what's with all the negative vibes directed at Santiago? Yes, there's smog, and yes it's hot and yes, people do eat lots of hot dogs dripping with avocado and mayonnaise. There's junk food, for sure. But isn't that any major city? It's sad to see so many people writing negative things about Santiago, as it discourages tourists from coming here. Maybe the writers just didn't have a good time? I don't know. In any case, Lauren and I will be writing our own travel guide to Santiago, so watch out! You'll finally be getting a real taste of what the city has to offer!

Lauren: Well, it's hot now, because it's the pinnacle of summer. Completos are available, but people aren't eating them in the droves. All-in-all, though, this is a pretty amazing city and we're loving it.