This is Chile! 2013
This past February we ventured south to the beautiful country of Chile. Our travels took us to the big city of Santiago, wine country in Santa Cruz, the pacific coast of Valparaiso and finally the southern most area of South America - Patagonia.
Santiago
Bellavista is a fun bohemian style area in Santiago - good restaurants and shopping.
It was an eventful week!
A great way to recover from jet lag - lunch on the patio in Bellavista.
Graffiti artwork was common throughout the areas we visited
Chilean Picasso
Santiago Cathedral
Art is everywhere
Checkers are taken seriously!
Santa Cruz
Club Social is a wonderful local restaurant with great food, wine and socializing
Wino
Museo Colchagua in Santa Cruz
Rumors of shrunken heads confirmed
Museo Colchagua
Santa Cruz is south of Santiago - well known for terrific Malbec red wines
Lapostolle Winery and Vineyards
The production features a "top down" interconnected production system
Lapostolle - Automatic Humidifier system
Valparaiso
Valparaiso is known as the San Francisco of Chile
They don't have cable cars - but they have funiculars
Local market
Typical ...
Amazing!
German style home
Another unique restaurant
Eye catching graffiti art
Pablo Neruda's home
Known as one of the most famous poets of the 20th Century - also a diplomate and politician
Color is everywhere in Valparaiso - on land and water!
Artists sign their work which helps protect it from graffitist
View from our B&B at Casa Higueras
Touring the city
Fresh and delicious food was the norm
Chilean Sea Bass in a corn tamale - Nom Nom!!
Long lazy lunches
Eclectic and fun settings for restaurants
Cool
Patagonia
Strait of Magellan in the southern most city of Punta Arenas
The view of the mountains known as Torres del Paine are ever changing
View from our hotel - Explora Salto Chico
Guanacos - so cute!
Our 3 all-day treks were following the "W" in and out of the valleys
in these rocky mountains - know as Torres del Paine
The weather is unpredictable in Patagonia.
We started our trek one day in low clouds - hoping for a view
Plant life is coming back after the 2011 fire
Time out on the trek to the towers
Upland Goose
Views everywhere!
The end of the trail to Grey Glacier
Grey Glacier
Trek to the towers
Almost to the base base of the towers!
At the towers of Torres del Paine
Boat ride after our hike to Grey Glacier
Salud! Pisco sour with cranberry
The sun is starting to emerge!
Grey Glacier
Mountains surrounding Grey Glacier
Time for Chilean vino after an all day trek
Our hotel - Explora Salto Chico
Lago Grey Glacier
As we were flying home, we had a great view of
Torres del Paine where were had been hiking for the 4 days
