Patagonia

The main presidential palace here is called Casa de Moneda, literally "House of Money" and we got to see the changing of the guard, complete with marching band, horses, and about 75 soldiers. While they [...]

Vina del Mar is Santiago's vacation playground, about an hour away and right on the ocean. The climate here is cooler than Santiago, lending itself well to wine grapes. We tasted fresh cabernet grapes right [...]

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) was a Nobel Prize winner for literature, noted for his poetry and beloved in Chile. We toured one of his homes, small and quirky but with an inspiring view of the sea, [...]

No, this isn't a Chilean public service announcement, it was spray painted on a wall. It does reflect how some in the Chilean community feel about marijuana smoking, although with no verbiage it's not clear [...]

Washers and dryers are a luxury item here, but the clothes hanging outside added to the bohemian ambience. Who would ever think up painting ants on a gate outside a nice home? To quote Pablo [...]

Valparaiso is a bit rough around the edges, but it's finding it's renaissance in art, which is bursting from murals and doorways throughout the city. So creative, it is considered the cultural center of Chile. [...]

Valparaiso, Chile was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in the mid-90's for historical purposes, specifically because of the nine funiculars, which are self-contained incline railway systems at about a 60 degree angle. The city itself [...]

OK, I'm not one to normally take pictures of hotel rooms, but this one was special. The Hotel Zero in Valparaiso, Chile is a lovingly restored old home with 12 rooms, newly reopened. We loved [...]

Here are three great examples: This lovely lady was selling "dulces" or sweets made by the nuns, which were incredibly fresh meringues - I couldn't quite understand her Spanish, but I think she said there [...]

The guidebook description of this hike is: DIFFICULT. My description: After a grueling hike of 6 miles, mostly uphill and in the wind, you will arrive at a huge boulder field, which requires a severe [...]

If you want to feel lost in a national park, try one that is 600,000 acres. We didn't even see another person on our breathtaking hike up to Torro Heights with our new friends Bob [...]