A Saturday of New Things - the National Cemetery

This past Saturday I managed to use all my gringa charm to convince my lovely chileno to take me someplace that he would never go out of free will: the Cementerio Nacional, the national cemetery. I've been wanting to do something involving "conocer Santiago", or "Getting to Know Santiago". I've been living here for quite some time now, but there are still many places I've never been and I'm really quite the curious cat. So, after minor and major quibbling (I had in fact watched a zombie movie, which I HATE with a raging passion - all in the name of being agreeable), D agreed and Saturday morning we got up and braved the metro out to the Cementerios stop on the yellow line (in Recoleta).
It's really quite easy, the metro drops you at the entrance. We definitely lucked out, though, in our choice of meandering. I had no map of the cemetery, he had no clue what was heads or tails, so we wandered. And we magically came upon the more "important" tombstones of famous Chilean figures (like Balmaceda and Allende, as I have shown here).
We saw the more carefully manicured parts of the cemetery and the parts in "reconstruction" upheaval. There were large church-like tombs and extremely small ones where all that fit was the name of the deceased. It was beautiful, peaceful and especially calming to watch as the various Santiaguinos went about their tasks of cleaning and decorating their family's place of rest.
After practically overheating due to the major blast of hot weather that afternoon (and being uncomfortably overdressed) D dutifully asked random people where the memorial for the "desaparecidos" (or "disappeared") from the Pinochet dictatorship was. We found it with considerable ease when you think about the infamous nature of Chilean directions (they usually consist of various forms of saying "pa'ya" which means "over there" or are completely inaccurate) and we were able to look at the lists of people who disappeared and who were murdered during that time. All in all, it was very beautiful and so different from cemeteries back home. I was glad I had come and I had so luckily seen everything I wanted to see. My trip to the cemetery was complete.
After a good two hours wandering among tombstones, I needed some reinforcements. This for me almost always means ice cream. I asked D, while he was being so compliant, to accompany me to the Emporio de la Rosa, where I'd never been before. This is a wonderful little cafe right by Bellas Artes (where Merced basically meets up with Parque Forestal, right at the end of the street Lastarria) where they make incredible artesan ice cream. It was DELICIOUS. It's not cheap, but it was certainly worth it. Besides, the "simple" includes 2 flavors and I think I tried at least 10 before deciding. Diego and I shared, agreeing on the Chocolate Peperecino (or something of that persuasion) which was the chocolate I have been dreaming of since the states - it has cayenne in it and is divine, and the Yoghurt Guinda - guinda is like a cherry. The fruit had an incredible flavor and I love yogurt flavored ice cream (ever had the fro yo at Bloomingdales in NYC? Only the best thing EVER).
Although D and I have been going through somewhat of a rough patch - no one said moving to Chile was ever easy - this day was wonderful, and I am glad to say I have now been to both the Cementerio Nacional AND Emporio de la Rosa. Any flavor suggestions from those of you who have been? A trip back is definitely in order and I welcome any and all company!