Santiago de Chile is definitely a liveable city. Compared to the other big cities I have seen in South America so far, it is certainly one of the more comfortable ones with a lot to offer. But it is not just a city, it is a gigantic metropolis. A metropolis that is always buzzing, like a beehive; where it never gets dark, like at a motorway service station; a place where time never stands still. But Santiago lies directly at the foot of the mighty Andes, and after just 30 kilometres by bike, you have escaped the dense thicket of the metropolis. Another 50 kilometres and you are surrounded by mighty mountain ranges that give no hint of the chaotic hustle and bustle of the Chilean capital.
And that is exactly what my little paradise is like. These magical mountains hold an incredible fascination and tranquillity for me, allowing me to relax completely with a big smile on my face. Even if it takes a lot of sweat and effort to cycle that little bit higher, with oncoming vehicles repeatedly blowing a whole desert storm of dust into my face, the result is the best relaxation for me. At the end of the day, pitching my tent by a mountain stream or in the wide plain of a high valley with snow-capped giants over 4,000 metres high as a backdrop, where the creamy light of the evening sun shines in – that is absolute bliss.
September picture.
In September, around the national holidays, there was a week’s holiday at DS Santiago. So I headed to Cajon del Maipo for the third time and from this valley a little further up, past Emalse el Yeso, very close towards the Argentine border. Until, shortly before Thermas del Plomo, the snow put a stop to things. It was a bit of a shame, as I would have liked to take a quick dip there, but the wonderful panorama with the snow-capped giants was more than enough.
Having such a little refuge for the mind right on my doorstep is a wonderful thing.
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