Chile
Santiago Metropolitan Park
The Santiago Metropolitan Park, which stretches across 1,780 acres, is currently the largest metropolitan park in South America. The park has two main entrances, located at Pio Nono 450 in the Recoleta neighborhood and Pedro de Valdivia Norte in the Providencia neighborhood. The northern end of each road (Pio Nono and Pedro de Valdivia Norte)… Read Full Post
The Three Houses of Pablo Neruda
He who does not travel, who does not read, who does not listen to music, who does not find grace in himself, she who does not find grace in herself, dies slowly. “Die Slowly” by Pablo Neruda In Chile, Pablo Neruda (July 12, 1904-September 23, 1973) is a beloved poet, politician, and personality. He started… Read Full Post
Restaurants of the Casablanca Wine Valley
Located only about a 1.5 hour drive from Chile’s capital Santiago, the Casablanca Wine Valley is a great place to eat. Here you can find excellent Chilean dishes expertly paired with wines produced by the local Casablanca vineyards. If you have a free day while in Santiago (or even a free afternoon), it is highly… Read Full Post
2016 Vaya Photo Contest Winners!
From the stiff breeze of Patagonia at the bottom of the Southern Cone, to the lush green landscapes surrounding Machu Picchu, all the way up to colorful markets of Colombia and everywhere in between, this year’s photo contest made it difficult for us to choose the winners. In no specific order, here are the winners… Read Full Post
A day and night in the Colchagua Wine Valley
Located just 3 hours south of Santiago can be found one of the top wine producing valleys in Chile, the Colchagua Valley. A visit here is definitely worth the time, especially if you like red wine. The “capital” of this wine region is Santa Cruz where you will find many small boutique hotels to stay… Read Full Post
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) – A complete disconnect!
Thinking back to a past trip that has left countless memories in my mind inspired this blog post. A few years back I had the opportunity to spend a week in the very remote Falkland Islands. In this far off destination, one must arrive and depart on a Saturday on the one commercial flight in… Read Full Post
Glacier Trekking on the Carretera Austral
The only road that provides access to Chilean Patagonia, the Carretera Austral is a breathtaking journey through the mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, volcanoes, glaciers, and fjords of southern Chile. It is a largely underexplored and relatively unknown region of the country, due in great part to its limited accessibility. This is a shame, because it… Read Full Post
Easter Island: Worth the Trip?
Easter Island is arguably one of the most unique destinations in South America, with a culture and history utterly distinct from the mainland of Chile or the rest of the continent. While it is officially a part of Chile, modern Rapa Nui (the name for Easter Island in the indigenous language of its people and… Read Full Post
Santiago’s Lastarria district gets several new hotel options
In one of Santiago’s top barrios (districts), there have been several recent positive developments in hotel options. While the Lastarria Boutique Hotel remains a great option and highly recommended, here are a few more new additions to the neighborhood that are worth considering: Singular Lastarria: A five star full luxury hotel that is small enough… Read Full Post
Time Flies but Memories Last
Days can come and go in rapid succession. But while time whizzes by, when I stop and reflect on past travels, the clock tends to tick just a little bit slower. For me, that is one of the most beautiful things about travel. The memories aren’t left in baggage claim or on a camera’s memory… Read Full Post