Santiago, Chile is touted to be one of the most spectacular cities of the world, on a clear day after fresh winter showers. The Andes are located to the east, and a small coastal range frames the capital to the west. But a clear day is rare here. Pollution and noise are the byword of the inner city. Cambios or money changers line the streets of Providencia. It was Pedro del Valdivia, who founded Santiago on February 12, 1541. It was not until the 18th century that the city gained an infrastructure. Soaring exports, due to the California gold rush, swelled [View Full Entry]

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Just about every decent sized city in Central and South America has a Mercado Central. It might be called different names, some might be pretty shabby, and some might even be worse. But one common thread is that local food, local people, and loco tourists will be there. We are no different. We are headed there today, after a 2 hour tour bus ride. In Santiago, the Mercado is a landmark. It has a most unusual selection of fish and seafood. Samples are allowed. And walking the fish aisles is so popular it was made into a setting for local television. [View Full Entry]

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Chile's tremendous length covers a hugely diverse array of landscapes, from the desolate moonscape of Chile's Atacama Desert, to the fertile vineyards of the Central Valley, to the lush rainforests of the Lake District, down to the magnificent glaciers and peaks of Patagonia -- not to mention more than 4,830km (3,000 miles) of coastline and Easter Island. It's truly mind-boggling to think of how many different experiences a traveler can have in just 2 or 3 weeks in this South American country. The Atacama Desert in the north of Chile is one of the most spectacular and unique areas on the [View Full Entry]

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Patagonia is the southernmost portion of South America, located in both Chile and Argentina. It comes from the word, patagon' , used by Ferdinand Magellan to describe the natives that were thought to be giants. In reality, the Patagons turned out to be Tehuelches with an average height of 5 feet, 11 inches. Patagonia is the land of extremes. Tierra del Fuego is known as the "Uttermost End of the World" The sea and the mountains come together as nowhere else in the Americas. This region includes the city of Ushuaia, Cape Horn, and the Magellan Straits. It also serves as [View Full Entry]

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We diverted the well laid plans, and are now in Mendoza, in the heart of wine country, in Argentina!! On the flight from Calama to Santiago, I said to Mike, it is closer to Buenos Aires than it was to Calama. He agreed, so we decided if we could get a cheap flight, we would go. Well, obviously we did. We got the Santiago to Mendoza on to Buenos Aires, and back to Santiago for less than $400 USD. We left San Pedro this morning at 630am. Our little hostel was quiet and clean. The lady there even brought coffee and [View Full Entry]

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Chile is famous for the Torres del Paine, considered by many as the best nature travel destination in all of South America. That is quite a statement, considering the Amazon, Iguazu Falls, the Andes, and the glaciers of Patagonia. We bid farewell to Argentina, as it has been the highlight of the trip, so far. The 11.5 hour bus ride from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas was not too bad after all. We had plenty of room, and they served food. First breakfast of croissants and coffee. Later, soda and jamon and cheese sandwiches. We went through two border crossings as well. [View Full Entry]

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Ushuaia (pronounced u'swaia), Argentina is the world's southernmost city. It is located on the Beagle Channel between Mount Martial and Mounts Olivia and Cinco Hermanos. In winter, it is the access point to ski resorts. In summer, it is hiking the glaciers, and viewing the penguins and whales in the channel. An intriguing activity is riding the "End of the World" train to Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) National Park. And I love that word, "fuego". Of course, Chuckie Darwin was here back in 1834, a few years earlier than us. His ship was the Beagle, thus the name he [View Full Entry]

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We are off to Buenos Aires, Argentina this morning on the 9am flight from Mendoza. This small town has been a nice and restful stop for us, except for our driving escapades. But look at it this way. We got our money´s worth on the 200km a day rental car mileage allowance. Dinner last night was a rather quiet deal. We first had a bottle of the champagne that Mike bought in the hotel lobby. No corkage fee. Some futbol team arrived amid great fanfare, but we don´t know or care who they were. Everyone else did, however. We took the [View Full Entry]

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I am on my way on the great silver bird to Chile with my good friend Mike. We leave at 8am today, on our way to Santiago, then after a few days, either fly down to Patagonia, and then drive back up to Santiago and beyond. Or head to the beach, or to the desert to the north, or to the wine country, or all of the above. Chile is called a land of extremes, rather than a land of contrasts. It meanders 4300 km from the foot of South America up to Arica, in the tropical heat at the far [View Full Entry]

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Valparaiso is the most often visited region of Chile, thanks to its proximity to Santiago. It is less than 2 hours from Santiago, and is blessed with beautiful beaches. It is known as a center of gastronomical, artistic, and cultural activity, making it a wonderful metropolis. About 400,000 people inhabit this beautiful area. We are taking the bus. Hard to believe. Agriculture, fruit, fishing and forestry are the main industries here. Sulfur and copper mining also remain a vital part of the economy here. Valpo also serves as the Legislative Power and the principal port of the countr [View Full Entry]

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