Parque Bernardo O'Higgins

Parque Bernardo O'Higgins Review

Named for Chile's first president and national hero, whose troops were victorious against the Spanish, this park has plenty of open space for everything from ball games to military parades. Street vendors sell volantines (kites) outside the park year-round; high winds make September and early October the prime kite-flying season. Children take advantage of the spring winds to practice this traditional—and highly competitive—pastime, and parks start to fill with the ramadas at which Chileans gather to drink, eat, dance, and generally celebrate the September 18 Independence Day.