My Commute

A quick peek at my morning "commute."  It takes me about 15 minutes to make it to the city center, where most of my classes are held.  It's a real joy to be able to get to work on bike -- I really like making my way through the city streets, past the people going to work, the vendors selling newspapers and drinks, and the sleeping dogs.

Today my first class started at 8:30 am.  It was a very rare day in Santiago because of the all the cloudcover.

Down a flight of stairs, hit the buzzer and go through the front gate.

Get ready to shove off from the building.

Down the street, making my way toward the center of town.

Past the University of Chile School of Law building.

Over the Mapocho River toward Plaza Italia, one of the main hubs of Santiago.

Take a right, cross the street and enter Parque Forestal.

A few minutes on the gravel through the park.

Back onto the road.  The buildings are getting a little bit bigger now.

Past the Bellas Artes metro stop.  This spot is very important to me as this was where I got my start in Santiago in early September 2010.

Weaving back onto the sidewalk to beat the traffic.  Notice that the sidewalk has been "watered," a very common practice in Chile (not sure why).

Making my way through the Plaza de Armas, the tradicional, old center of town.

Some of the buildings in the Plaza de Armas.

Location of my first class of the day, in the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, directly across from La Moneda.

La Moneda, the President's palace.

Past the giant Chilean Flag in front of La Moneda.

Down the sidewalk on Alameda (officially Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins).

Past an old church.

Past 38 Londres, infamously known as a place of torture and cruelty during the first years of the dictatorial regime in the 70's.  

Intersection of Londres and Paris streets -- very European.

Arrive at the office, door is on the left.