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Saved: February 12th 2013
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Santiago At Night
A large sprawling city with modern boulevards, and tiny alley ways leading to surprises and dead ends. 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 north. The Andres forms the spine of the country, and provides the lifeblood of its agriculture, water. There is no other place on earth where you can stand in the world's driest desert, the Atacama Desert, look at the snowcapped Andes, and turn around to see the waves of the Pacific Ocean roll into view. We will see ancient forests, rich vineyards of wine grapes, shimmering lakes and immense plains, only to end up in the fjords, islands, and glaciers of Southern Patagonia.
Believe it or not, Chile has 50 active volcanoes. We can hike, bike, ride, and
It Is Not the Tango!
Dancing in the streets, maybe in old town, but not in Providencia glide over and through this thin country. Also, hot springs, glaciers, observatories, high mountain lakes, and the urban buzz of Santiago await us.
Spectacular, untrammeled landscapes are just the beginning: Chile is one of Latin America's safest countries and is not corrupt -- a minor miracle on a continent that is rife with bribery and rip offs. Chile also boasts the strongest economy of all countries in Latin America, and a solid political environment. Chileans themselves are warm and inviting. Throw in a modern infrastructure with high-quality hotels and services, and you can see why Chile is making its mark as the new hot spot in South America.
But three weeks is a long time in a car. Mike and I have done similar trips before, like Spain and Portugal right after 9-11. He is a great driver, and I am a decent navigator. Our biggest worry will be which one of us can speak or understand enough Spanish to fake it. I plan on using my Italian hand and arm gestures, and my Japanese bowing.
The wine country around central Chile gets much of the interest of the world. Great and affordable wines have been coming from this region for about a decade now. And with seafood plentiful along the Pacific Ocean, it seems like a gastronomical and enological (is that a word?) dream come true.
Reading about Chile has provided some good insights. Many Germans came to Chile to run and work the tin mines. They made vast fortunes, stayed on and married, and built beautiful little German towns that look like Heidelberg or Rudesheim along the Rhine. Of course the Pinochet and Allende regimes are most of what we remember here in the United States. But this trip is different for some reason. The books and internet articles do not provide a real "feel" for the land and its people. For this reason, my level of anticipation is higher than for most trips.
We are getting 550 Chilean pesos per $1 USD. I will have a pocket full of change and small bills. I have read Isabele Allende's book, "My Invented Country" to prepare myself for this trip. And poet Pablo Neruda won the Nobel Prize in 1971 for literature.
Ten percent tipping is normal here. We will be here for Chilean Independence Day on Sep. 18. They say it gets crazy, so we will stay away from the larger cities and towns on that day. But it could mean some traditional and colorful festivities.
Three weeks is a long time to be on the road, in a car, driving through a thin country. There wil be plenty of time for introspection, reading books, drinking wine, and soaking in the culture. Mike has been a great friend, and I can only hope it will continue long after this trip is in the books. I enjoy his spontaneity and humor. It complements my somewhat stern and reserved demeanor (hahaha).
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