I am melancholic.

I just feel like I am saying good-bye all the time now. Earlier throughout this trip, every good-bye to a friend or a city also implied a new beginning in the next place, new friends to be made, new places to be explored.

But with just over two weeks left, there is not much to look forward to, and the good-byes start to weigh heavy.

I’m walking through the city, soaking it all in like a sponge, but being somewhat quiet, thoughtful. I keep thinking about the end of the trip, and sometimes I have to stop myself, I feel like I actually might start to cry.

After securing the Madonna tickets, I met up with Sebastián for a last lunch and a walk through town.

He took me to Plaza Brasil and the lovely, hidden Plaza Concha y Toro. Santiago has so many of these hidden areas, with old, grandiose buildings and churches, places and bars and cafés, and lots of street art.

We also passed an old, abandoned church, that was destroyed in one on Chile’s many earthquakes; a reminder that this is a geologically highly active area also came with the sudden eruption of the Villarrica volcano just a few days ago.

We finished our day at the roof top pool with a fantastic view over Santiago.

The city stretches out so far – and I have only explored so little of it, basically limiting myself to Providencia, Bellavista, Bellas Artes, the Centro and Yungay….

I showed Sebastián the pleasures of drinking a Radler – the mix of beer and Sprite the Aussies call shandy.

And then, alas, it was time for another good-bye.