Birthday Party and Sightseeing: Day 8
Saturday, March 13, 2004 Our day started with healthy and fun exercises. Artie had fun teaching Den his morning exercise routine. Den had fun clowning through many of the moves.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Alejandro!   Off we went to the apartment of Alejandro and Flaca* for a lunchtime birthday party. Alejandro is one of Mónica's sons. Mónica and her family are like family for Artie and Margy, so Den and Cari were also invited to the birthday party. *For those who know some Spanish, flaca means 'skinny.' Her actual name is Maria de los Angeles. Descriptive nicknames are quite common in Chile.         Mónica delights in electronic gadgets, and she enjoyed showing off the new camera that Coté had brought her from the USA to attach to her cellular phone. She took a picture of Margy and Artie so that she would see their faces when they call her.   The birthday boy did the cooking outside on the terrace, where we ate. The hamburgers were great!   After dessert, it was time to open his presents. Quick quiz: What was the name of that winery where some of us did our shopping?

After the party, we met Cristián and Antonia for some sightseeing.
Our first stop was the Moneda, which was bombed when Pinochet seized power. This historic building is where the executive branch of the government of Chile still works. We didn't see Presidente Lagos, but this was Saturday.
We all threw coins into the fountain, wishing to return here in the future.

As we walked to the Plaza de Armas, we noticed this interesting building. Only the front and side remain of the building which once housed Santiago's oldest newspaper.

We also passed the Tribunals of Justice, the home of the Chilean judicial system. Notice the national bird of Chile, the condor, is featured in the decor.
The Plaza de Armas was an interesting and busy place as usual.

We enjoyed watching some dancing drummers perform. This seems to be a skill that is passed down through families. After they perform, they pass through the crowd with a hat outstretched for coins.

In another corner of the plaza, we watched a few of the chess games being played in the gazebo. This is a popular place for chess players.

We wandered through the cathedral and marveled at the elaborate details and beauty.

		Although the sun was getting low in the sky, we decided to do a little more sightseeing in the area. We watched these tango dancers in a paseo, a street closed to vehicles.
Still later, at dusk, we watched a modern dance performance at the metro entrance near the Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Belles Artes). We had another full day!