On New Year’s Day we accompanied Grima’s brother, Victor, and his wife, Silvia, along with Silvia’s mother to place flowers on Silvia’s Father’s grave. Santiago’s general cemetery is located in the community of Independencia, north of downtown and is populated by presidents, generals and other distinguished families of Chile, along with the common population. It is enormous and contains architectural symbols of Chile’s past, and a very interesting way to spend an afternoon wandering the aisles and passageways.

 

 

Flower vendor at the West entrance to the cemetery

 

Siliva with her mother

 

Victor with his mother-in-law contemplating the past and future

 

One of the interesting ‘streets’ in the cemetery

 

Amazing sculptures one would find in most of the older, world class cemeteries around the world

 

Grima in front of the modernist architecture of the tomb of Salvador Allende Gossens, Chile’s present from 1970 to 1973, who committed suicide during the military takeover of La Moneda (presidential palace).

 

I didn’t find out the significance of this interesting structure – perhaps on the next visit, but definitely not typical.

 

So, more to come. Love to hear what you have to say about our travels.