Postcard Contest 1: Santiago

I arrived in Santiago yesterday afternoon following a reverse of my Paso Los Libertadores trip two weeks ago, once again chasing snow.

To celebrate over 1000 blog views (wow!!) and get people to start leaving comments on the blog, I'm going to run a series of contests where I ask geography, regional culture, trivia, etc. questions. The prize for the first person to answer correctly will be a postcard from wherever I'm at.

So, without further ado, Question Number Uno!

When I arrived yesterday in Santiago, nearly all of the stores and many restaurants were closed, making it very difficult to feed myself. Why?

View from the hostel I stayed at in Santiago

Another view from the hostel,
this time playing around with spiffy new HDR software.
Like it?

Again, first person to leave a comment here (not in your head, not in Facebook, not by email, here in the comments section, those be the rules) with the correct answer gets a postcard! You do have to leave your name so I know how to contact you and get your address. Let the fun begin!

Disclaimer: I can only send you a postcard if I am able to get your mailing address. I will announce winners when I have internet access, which may be as long as a week after the contest is announced, so be patient! Also, I make no promises as to when I will send the postcard. As of yet--almost 3 weeks into my trip--I have yet to see any places even selling postcards. But, at some point, I will send it, pinky swear.