Santiago itsellf, despite being surrounded by 5,000 metre peaks, is remarkably flat with lots of open spaces making it good for walking, running and cycling. The main plaza is huge, the cathedral adorns one end, which was lovely inside, lots of state buildings one the other sides and numerous people undertaking public speaking. There was also a fair number of street performers working around the many benches that line the square where you can stop, rest and watch the world go by.

We decided to take a cycle tour of the city on bright green coloured one speeders with La Bicicleta Verde, they were really old school, you had to back peddle to brakes. I haven't been on one of those since I was about 8 years old and I am sure we were offering great amusements to the business folk taking coffee in the plazas. But it was great fun to learn the history of the different areas and important sights with our guide, particularly about the 1973 coup that led to Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship and the successive years where all types of horrible things happened.

In the evening there is plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from, particularly in the uber trendy Bella Vista area. There is also the more understated Soho district, where we had one of our best meals to date at a restaurant called Patagonia on 96 José Victorino Lastarria, great meat, great wine and proper ale on tap too. We stayed at Hostel Forestal, which is in a great location and was ok, the owner was a cool guy and was always very friendly. Although the rooms were clean they had no A/C and in a city that at this time of the year is stifling it was a bit of a killer.

Although the city is flat the parks are set on hills like giant mounds dotted around the central area, including the huge Parque Metropolitano and Cerro Santa Lucia. You can easily spend a day exploring the Parque Metropolitano and we did. It has a funicular that climbs up to the "Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception", where a large statute of Jesus looks out across the city (nowhere near the size of the Rio version). A teleferico (cable car) system can then be picked up from the there to take you to other parts of the park,where you can find an open air swimming pool, manicured gardens and adventure parks. The views provide an understanding of the cities size and position against the Andes skyline. Cerro Santa Lucia is far smaller but no less steep with a fantastic archway and fountain at its entrance, and as you climb the lots the staircases there are lots of stsutues and small gardens, at the summit it offers a 360 vista of the city. It was definitely worth the climb.

There is a strange style of coffee shop in Chile that might force an average man to turn to caffeine after a hard days work rather than a beer, they are called "Coffee with legs" and Santiago has quie a few. These are stand up coffee bars, not sure if that is a double meaning, where all the servers are scantily clad ladies - a kind of Hooters meets Starbucks. These are THE places to find the best coffee and THE best legs, so we were told. Now I have my reservations for these types of places, as a clean living, reserved Englishman, but I thought I had better take a look, just to see if what we were being told was true and not just a wind up and of course to see if the coffee was up to scratch. All in the line of research for writing this blog I might also add much to Julie's disgust. I can tell you that they are very tasty and very smooth. I am talking about the coffee of course, served by my waitress in the string bikini. Bizarrely, if being served a cookie by a girl wearing next to nothing isn't bizarre enough, they serve no alcohol, it is remarkably cheap and there is no cover charge, which is all very hard to get your head round.

Santiago is the final destination in the South America leg of our adventure. We have seen so many dazzling sights and done so many wonderful things and it is sad to leave. Despite some occassional frustations we have had an incredible time and for the most part felt very safe and always welcome. It has been one heck of a ride so far: the unique mix of cultures; the serene and the spectacular landscapes; the wonderful foods and smells and often dodgy beer; the local music and dancing (some super, some terrible); the many, many stray dogs and their mess; the bloody black market in Venezuela; the crazy Cama night buses and the oh so dangerous driving. Yes South America has been unforgetable, unmistakable and often unbelieveable. Hasta Luego Amigos.

Australia calls.