Santiago
A Traditional Chilean Culinary Class
A reporter once asked famed chef Anthony Bourdain what his least favorite cuisine was. He replied that he didn’t have a least favorite cuisine, but when pressed, he said he found Chilean cuisine “boring.” I’ve lived in Chile for four years at the time of writing this post. While it is true that the capital,… Read Full Post
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
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
Cruising the Amazon Aboard the Tucano
On a recent trip to Manaus, I was fortunate to experience a 4 night / 5 day cruise on the Tucano. If you are looking to have a quality wildlife experience in the Brazilian Amazon, the Tucano is one of the very top options. This cruise offers just the right amount of comfort while allowing… Read Full Post
Canoeing with Caimans in Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park
“Back, back, back!” exclaimed our native naturalist guide, Sergio, as he and two members of the local Añangu indigenous community paddled our canoe back into the reeds along the wild shore of Laguna Añangucocha. A large Black Caiman, a carnivorous crocodilian species known as the largest predator in the Amazon Basin, was swimming menacingly toward… Read Full Post
Central Chile: More Than Just a Layover
Santiago and Central Chile have long been afterthoughts for travelers coming to Chile, who tend to focus on the southern parts of the country, particularly Torres del Paine and the Lake District. Logistically, it’s easy to spend just one night in Santiago, do a few hours of sightseeing to say you’ve been, and leave it… Read Full Post