Back in Santiago. We had some time to wander around enjoying the wonderful architechture and vitality of this city. Like everywhere that enjoys hot days this city too closes down at 2pm until 5pm and all sensible people find a cool spot to relax, nap or just be quiet. Most shops close and the streets are almost empty. So what do we do? we follow the example of all such "mad dogs and Englishmen" and walk around in the heat of the day. Oh well we survived and did enjoy seeing the city in its quiet time. We are here until [View Full Entry]

---

---

La Serena: This very livable city sits at the mouth of the Rio Elqui. There are two parts of La Serena, the glitzy modern brassy coast lined with apartment hotels and cabans along the Ave de Mar and the city centre which is a very attractive place full of colonial style houses, lots of churches and hidden squares and alleyways with huge palm trees overlooking it all. It is Chile's 2nd oldest city but it was not until the 19th century when pirate attached were no longer the major threat and silver was discoverted nearby that it really took off. As [View Full Entry]

---

---

La Serena is a very pleasant town on the coast It is the holiday centre for many Chilians and Argentinan's looking for a little warmth on the beach. As for most of chile going to the beach means taking a warm blanket with you and a wetsuit if you are seriously thinking of getting wet La Serena was a nice surprise. Although the water is no no means warm enough to tempt me the beches are long golden and clean whihc is a lot different from other beaches we have visited here. The wind is blowing , true but is does [View Full Entry]

---

---

After we left Pisco elqui we drove back through the valley. We stopped at Montegrande to visit the church and statue of Gabriele Mistral. After than we visited the town of Vicuna. it was a lovely small town very vibrant. The towns here are in direct contrast with the same area of Argentina. There things are poor and the infrastructure is falling apart. It is sad to see what once was and now into Chile we can see what can be. The valleys are irrigated and the country is growing a havest of fruits and vegetables. The small towns are vibrant [View Full Entry]

---

---

We have arrived safely in Chile and into the Elqui Valley. There is no internet here at our hotel so I will have to wait a while until I can post this. But before I tell you about the valley and the places in it let me tell you about our trip over the high pass from Argentina to Chile. Brian is a very good driver and fearless on dirt and gravel roads and drives them all like a rally driver but even he was tired and stress be the end of this trip. A real “white knuckle drive” . It [View Full Entry]

---

---

San Juan lies to the north of Mendosa and like Mendosa was created out of desert by the hard work of the immigrants from Italy, Spain and Chile and of course many other places. It is no small thing to make the desert bloom and to produce such world class wines. Its other claim to fame is that it where Juan Domingo Peron came to public notice for his efforts after a disasterous earthquake in 1944. We did not find any statues to him but one to his wife Evita herself is tucked away in a small park off the main [View Full Entry]

---

---

WE drove north towards San Juan and stopped at the Difunta Correa shrine. This is a remarkable place. According to ledgend Maria Antonia Correa died of thirst in the desert while following her husband a soldier during the 19th century civil wars. When she was found her son was still alive feeding at her breast. Whether or not this is true she has become a folk hero and the spot a shrine. In fact shrines to the Difunta (i:e dead- defunct) have spring up all over the country and into Chile. These are easily recognised as their is always a pile [View Full Entry]

---

---

Happy New year to you all. We spent this new years at the hotel in Mendoza where they put on a spectacular dinner event. The hotel worked very hard all day to set it up in the large courtyard and it looked beautitul. Until that is it started to rain at about 3pm. As this area is a desert and only gets about 7 inches of rain a year this might not have been expected but the hotel staff all told us that this often happens at this time. Anyway they had to scramble and get it all moved inside to [View Full Entry]

---

---

Monday: Today we went south as far as San Rafeal and had 2 seperate but fasinating insights into the wine industry. First we went to Bodegas Salentein near Tunuyan in the Andean foothills. This futuristic building seems to fit so well into the desert surroundings. There is an impressive collection of contemporty and modern art here and the winery reflects this. The oak barrels are stored in a subterranean central amphitheatre with subduded light giving it an almost sacred feeling. In deed as they will tell you, this is the temple of wine. They put on a private tasting for us [View Full Entry]

---

---

Here in Mendosa it is Sunday and the city is quiet and slow to get going. I like a city where Sunday is for family life and msot shops are closed. We walked around for a long time and it was wonderful to have the city so much to ourselves. This city is well laid out and has some beautiful parks and plazas, everywhere are sidewalk cafes and the culture is laid back and relaxed. After an afternoon siesta which fits perfectly into life here we were ready to go for dinner. Time schedules are different here. We breakfast at 10-11am, [View Full Entry]

---

---