Chile-Argentina 2010

Santiago de Chile - the old railway station is now used for exhibitions

La Moneda, originally a colonial mint (moneda means coin), was designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca. Construction began in 1784 and was opened in 1805. The production of coins in Chile took place at La Moneda from 1814 to 1929. In June, 1845 during president Manuel Bulnes's administration, the palace became the seat of government and presidential residence. During the military coup d'etat (under Augusto Pinochet and supported by CIA), on September 11, 1973, the palace was partially destroyed by aerial bombing by the Chilean Air Force. Democratic elected President Salvador Allende allegedly killed himself in the palace as it was under assault by the armed forces. Reconstruction and restoration projects were completed on March 11, 1981, although some bullet marks have been preserved and can still be seen nowadays. An underground office complex (the so called "bunker") was built under the front square, during the 1973-1980 restorations to provide a safe escape for Augusto Pinochet and for succeeding Chilean presidents in case of an attack. Pinochet died 2006 before a trial against him and so he was never convicted for his mass murderer crimes.

I didn't try, but this face was really not interpretable......and I don't like uniforms at all (except with penguins). So no Moneda from inside.............

in front of "La Moneda" in Santiago de Chile

he was president of Chile twice in the 20th and 30th..........as I heard and read, not a good guy! his hand looks like a pistol.......

from Santiago,...the sky is real! a lot of magic in the air......

behind an interesting architecture.....

a very nice "nautical" place for dinner in the quarter "Barrio Bellavista"........

lamp or sky.....but no mirror on the wall

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapuche

Santiago de Chile

Estación Central - Santiago de Chile