A Run on Cerro San Cristóbal (St. Christopher Hill)

For exercise I'm fortunate to have access to Cerro San Cristóbal, a hill that rises about 1,000 feet from the rest of Santiago.  Running the 4 blocks to the hill takes me past Pablo Neruda's home, now a museum, and up past the National Zoo.  The smells can be strong and there is usually a bit of activity from visitors and cyclists on the paved paths on the hill.

The climb to the top is fairly steep, and the views of the city are impressive.  Round trip for the path I take (which goes about 2/3 of the way up) takes about 45 minutes.  Running near sunset is best, with nice views of the shadows on the surrounding hills.

Stretching out in front of my building.

Past Pablo Neruda's old home, now a museum.  This is an outdoor ampitheatre just outside the museum.  During events it becomes a water sculpture, with water being released from the top level and running down in-between the seats.

The main entrance to the park. 

Past the Zoo on the hill.  The animal smells here are quite strong!

Many biciclists frequent the roads on the hill.  A hard workout going up and a thrill to fly back down.

A view of the city.  The tower there being built will be the tallest in South America when it opens in the next year.

Past the palm trees in this very tranquil area.

View from the back of the hill.  I love how the shadows appear on the angular parts of the hills in the evening.

Street art on the way back home.