Santiago – kind of like a big bowl of pollution
This is a bad time of year to visit Santiago. Surrounded by the Andes, it’s kind of like a cesspool of pollution. The air is thick and nasty and you can’t actually see the mountains. Apparently there’s a thermal inversion here – a phenomenon whereby a stable layer of warm air holds down colder air close to the ground and causes high levels of smog and pollution to concentrate in the valley. Call it what you want Wikipedia, it’s still kind of gross.
Santiago is home to a lot vineyards, and we visit Concha y Toro, makers of the world-famous Casillero del Diablo. We’re in Cabernet Sauvignon land now, and our livers are co-operating nicely. Chile is also home to a lot of salsa clubs, and we’re surprised to find that we actually remember some of the moves we learned in Costa Rica.
As Chile is the world’s 2nd largest exporter of salmon, fish and seafood are everywhere. B is in food heaven. Mel is eating a lot of chicken.
Not sure we love Santiago. Well at least not at this time of year.
Tags: Chile, Travel
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