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Final Thoughts…Chile

Friday, May 16th, 2008

wineries-015.jpg 

Moments We´d Rather Forget…

  • How much we made everyone worry that we were too close to the erupting volcano
  • The sticker shock – especially after a month in Argentina
  • How North American it all seemed…

Highlights…

  • The views in the Chilean Lake District 
  • Showing off our salsa moves at Havana Salsa
  • Walking through the vineyards and sampling wine
  • Avocado a.k.a. palta

Memorable Quotes…

  • “It´s awfully chilly in Chile.” (Mel)
  • “I’m chillin’ in Chile.” (sadly, also Mel)

Santiago – kind of like a big bowl of pollution

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Mmm…smell that clean air…

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.

At Concha y Toro

Brel at a Chilean Volcano…no, not THAT volcano

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
 puerto-varas-046.jpg We´ve crossed the Andes and entered Chile at a most interesting time - the Chaiten volcano is erupting for the first time in over 9,000 years and it´s all over the international news. The smoke and ... [Continue reading this entry]