Well I couldn´t have asked for a better final day in Santiago... I met up with my Brazilian buddy and we headed to a wine tour at Concha y Toro which is the largest exporter of Chilean wines. The harvest finishes in March so we couldn´t see any of the leafy vines but we strolled around the acreage and learned about the history of the family who brought all of the vines back from France. We even had a tour of their famour cellar...Castillo del Diablo...which only held the wine that was reserved for their family so it was the best of the best! We splurged for the wine tasting paired with cheeses (which was definitely worth it!). We tried 4 different reserves and each was paired with different cheeses, nuts, and breads...I tried to remember ... read more

Well where do I begin...I´ve fallen in love with Chile! Not shocking for me to become attached to a country so quickly... My first week in Chile has been incredible! Exploring Santiago was wonderful - I met up with a few Brazilians so I´ve been learning Portugese as well...haha. I´ve taken a walking tour, sampled the street food (completo - Chilean hotdog with avocado...tasty!), danced in bohemian Bellavista, and spent the day at a vineyard sampling the wine and wandering through the vines... I also found my way to the coast to visit Valparaiso (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Viña del Mar (sandy beaches with wonderful seafood), and Renaca (smaller, quieter neighbourhood of Viña). It was beautiful weather and the food was amazing! I had empanadas from a local shop for lunch - chorizo sausage with goat ... read more