For the first time in a while, I had no real plans on Sunday.

I had flown into Santiago from Uruguay the day before, and woke up with no intentions other than to explore the neighborhood and buy some groceries for the week. I had seen a half-day Santiago tour itinerary on line; when mapping the attractions, I realized that they all were within 15-20 minutes of my apartment. And so, after calling my parents to wish them a Happy Chinese New Year and texting a bunch of friends, I set off for the Plaza de Armas.

It’s a pretty square, reminiscent of the one in Quito, though larger and cleaner. In one corner sits a sculpture dedicated to the indigenous peoples, created by the artist Enrique Villalobos. On the opposite corner sits the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Inside, the cathedral is gorgeous. Completed in 1799 the Baroque cathedral was designed by Joaquín Toesca, an Italian architect who worked primarily for the Spanish Empire. The majority of his work resides in Chile, and he was also part of the team that developed the Palacio de la Moneda. Originally intended to house the royal mint, the latter became the presidential palace in 1845.

From the cathedral, I walked north on a pedestrian mall to the Central Market. Along the path, people laid out blankets or stood by stalls selling fruits and various wares. Stores and shopping malls dotted the route.

I hadn’t realized the Central Market was a fish market. On entering, I thought I had entered the fish section, but as I walked around the stalls and restaurants I realized that it was Santiago’s own version of Tsukiji. Fish stalls filled the aisles, doing a brisk business.

In the center of the market, and along the edges, restaurants flaunted menus and advertised the freshest produce. Outside of one, a Venezuelan woman reached out to passersby to come in and eat. She pointed across the aisle to a fish stall that bore the same name as the restaurant: Caleta el Delfín. She was charming and persuasive and the small restaurant was almost full of patrons and I let her lead me to a table.

I ordered a fish in their special sauce, asking if it might be too much. She assured me I’d be fine. It was delicious, but proved to be too much food for one. I was sad to leave some unfinished.

From the market I walked to La Moneda. An architectural exhibit had been set up in front of the palace as part of the 22nd Biennial de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de Chile, and I took a look at the model homes and buildings that were on display.

Just behind the palace, the underground Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda. In the main space they were preparing for a performance of Sun & Sea (Marina), an opera by Lithuanian artists Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė and Lina Lapelytė. They’re performing it for three nights only. I just bought my tickets; I’m going Friday.

From the cultural center, I walked south on the tree-lined Peso Bulnes. It was a quiet Sunday. Here and there a cafe was open. People walked their dogs; a girl rode her beautiful blue bike in circles around a fountain as she waited for her father to catch up to her.

At the end of the park, I turned to walk back up north on another street. Almost all the storefronts were closed. Outside a theater a group of people had gathered. They wished me a good day as I passed.

On one corner, the Mall Chino San Diego stretched the entire block. I had seen it on the map and was curious to see whether I’d be able to buy some dumplings as a snack before dinner. It was closed, but I made a mental note to return to see what might be contained therein.

Nearby, I wandered the small cobble-stoned Barrio Paris- Londres. Hotels seemed to dominate the neighborhood. Under the cross-street sign, a woman took photos of her boyfriend, trying to position him just so. A family stood by as if waiting their turn.

Back near my apartment, entered the Cerro Santa Lucía to climb the extinct volcano for its views. From my apartment I can see people atop the Torreón Mirador, standing as if upon ramparts overlooking the city.

From atop the mirador I looked down at my apartment building and the apartment itself. In the distance, to the north and east, you can see the Andes.

Coming back down, I stopped by a few of the smaller gardens and parks. Somewhat surprisingly, a small Japanese garden sat near the base of the volcano. The ponds were dry, but I could imagine them full, koi fish staring up, hoping for treats, and for a second my mind flashed back to the Chinese garden in Lima and the surprise I felt when I first encountered it.

From the park, I made my way home, happy to have spent some hours exploring the city I’d call home for the next two months. I felt almost immediately comfortable.

•

Last night I had dinner at Peumayen, a restaurant specializing in ancestral food. I chose to sit at the bar, where I met P—, who was running the restaurant, and A—, who had started working there a few months before.

P— had spent many years working in the broadcast news industry, working his way up from an intern to the director of a morning show. Circumstances led him to leave that job. He and the restaurant owner go way back, and he’s there for now. He wants the work he does next to be more tangible. He wants to learn how to debone a fish, and other manual tasks that can be elevated to an exceptional skill.

A— is studying to be a psychologist. She had originally wanted to be a teacher—she comes from a family of teachers—but her parents were concerned that her temperament might be too delicate to teach. Instead she wants to help children in underserved communities. I ask her if she had ever thought about politics; the way in which she wants to help people through community struck a chord with me. She said no, that while everything is political, she has no interest in politics. What she does have an interest in is South American history. Unfortunately, the restaurant started filling up and we had little time to continue our conversation.

Before then, however, she let slip that her sister is a rising trap singer, Akriila. I asked her if her sister were performing anytime soon; unfortunately her next show is in April; she was supposed to have a concert next week but it had been postponed. I asked her who her other favorite artists are, and she texted me a list. That night I went home and immediately started streaming her sister’s singles. They slap. 🇨🇱