To get to the zoo we had to take a bus and then a subway to Baquedano Square which is pictured above. This square features a statue of General Baquedano and the tomb of the unknown soldier. There is very busy traffic whipping around the two part plaza so it isn't a very restful resting place for anybody except maybe the dead. 
We then had to walk about 6 blocks to the entry of the zoo. I liked this picture of the crane next to the cathedral. It was a leisurely walk in the cool morning air. The entry to the park is a medieval looking building which is the entry to the funicular. That's a train that climbs a cliff like mountain. A reminder: you can clik on the picture to enlarge it. You might want to do this when we get to the zoo pictures. 
The funicular stopped half way up the mountain ane let us off for the zoo. Now this zoo is not designed with the handicapped or aged in mind. It hangs on the side of the mountain and to see the exhibits it helps if you are a mountain goat. We took our time and enjoyed most but not all of it.
These boys were playing a game in the morning sun while their moms drank big glasses of soda. The families here cart around 2 liter bottles of soda and plastic cups. The water here is good but the tradition among the people is that "you get sick if you drink the water". Old traditions don't give up in the face of change so you see a lot of tooth decay here due to the constant use of sweet drinks.
This is Bryce inside the aviary. It was the best part of the zoo. 
This zoo isn't considered an especially good one by people who know about zoos. We thought it was ok but the setting was very difficult because of the climbing up and down the terraces to see the exhibits. The steps where rough and without hand rails so it was an accident waiting to happen. This country isn't as worried about law suits as the US is I guess. 
Flowering trees here are more beautiful than anything you see in the north. This swimming pool is also in the mountains near the zoo. Is wasn't crowded at all and we think that might be because you need to have money to get to it and to use it. Many of the folks in Santiago are not that well off. So here we have a lovely pool for the upper class I suspect. 
