Not Beijing

But almost? Or as much as we might want? One manifestation of Chile's growth is in urbanism: lots of new buildings, expansion of public transportation (after years of stagnation, 3 new lines have been built in 5 years plus extensions of existing lines), and the improvement of parks and plazas. Many places have changed beyond recognition, as I will now show you.
When I was little this - that round white tower - was one of the biggest buildings in Vitacura, a nice area of Santiago:

Apumanque shopping center, focusing on the old part. Please notice the untasteful and annoying advertisement around the top of the tower.

Now, the street leading to the right from the point where I was standing to take this photo, looks like this:

Rosario Norte Street, from the Manquehue metro station to the Parque Araucano

View from Parque Araucano- the buildings! they are so many! all corporate HQ, and the cranes.. there are more to come!!

Another set like this is the following: the Titanium Tower is now the tallest building in Latin America. It overshadows everything else and is visible from everywhere in Santiago. To build it they had to destroy the Omnium Center, also pictured. Half of the Center refused to move, and they won court protection to stay. The result is the disgusting, dirty, half of the Omnium Center (which I love because I used to get the bus from there to go skiing by myself years and years ago so I associate it with freedom and fun), and the ugly and disproportionate (and pretty much empty) Titanium tower. 

the shiny Titanium Tower, the dirty Omnium Center

This is just north of the Titanium Tower- Here you see its closest relative, the Milenium Tower. This corner gives my sister nightmares: the very old, somehow surviving with the new, to make a whole that makes no sense at all.

On the clearly positive side, a fascinating example of Chinese influence: the importation of public exercise machines, and with that of physical exercise habits that just don't traditionally exist here. The municipality where I live has installed these in all its municipal parks (there are a lot of them) and they are hugely popular! They are always being used by all sorts of people- young & old, fat & thin, sporty & not. Here, my niece and nephew having a go at it-

Tradition. Isnt she the best and the cutest you've ever ever seen??