Going to Chile

[AFJuvat]

Anything to see there? I will be in Santiago, and will try to see Matchu Pichu if I can get there.


Thanks

[legion]

How long is that flight?

[jriera]

Not sure about sightseeing, but the seafood is the best in the planet!!

If you have the time go South to Tierra del Fuego and go see the Blue Glacier and the penguins, or go a little bit not so south to Puerto Montt. Chile is a great place to visit!!!

You are a long way away from Machu Picchu!!

The direct flight from DFW to Santiago was about 10 hours if I recall correctly

[Joeaksa]

While you are climbing up to Matchu Pichu, if they offer you leaves to chew, do it. At that altitude you really run out of breath and every little bit helps.

Yes, they are coca leaves but do it. Makes a big difference...

[sprio]

Best thing I did when visiting Chile back in '95 was to take a trip out to Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Best 5 days of my life!

[red-beard]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
While you are climbing up to Matchu Pichu, if they offer you leaves to chew, do it. At that altitude you really run out of breath and every little bit helps.

Yes, they are coca leaves but do it. Makes a big difference...

[}{arlequin]

+1 on fish and leaves. also go for the wine. lots of the good stuff does not make it over here. you will be pleasantly surprised.

easter island is good if you have time, but tierra del fuego prolly more 'accessible' w/ minimal planning.

wasn't particularly impressed w/ the city, the smog was horrendous. remembe getting nauseaus at one point. almost summer there so maybe you can try skiing? check the conditions beforehand, 'valle nevado' is 2.5hr drive from the city. just enough to have a day trip out of it. even w/ rentals, it's worth it if the snow is fresh.

[gatotom]

Try to get to Vina del Mar, its on the coast, the monticarlo of Chile. Neat seaside town with casinos, seafood is great, if you never tryed eliesos, my spelling may be wrong, sea urchins, a delicacy. Drink the wine, very good stuff. If you are into chess, the Chileans are massive chess players, read and study the common attacks and you will survive.

If you have time take a trip thru the lake district, incredable scenery. From Santiago, train south just north of Patagonia, Osorno, get off and for the next two days you travel some bus and boat, stay the night in a hotel on a island, more bus and the final boat ride takes you thru lake Bariloche and you end up in San Carlos de Bariloche, this was the lake that Hitler worked on heavy water and the boat went past the lab on a small island in the lake. The trip is a eye popper. Back in the early 70's when I took the trip it cost 5 bucks from Santiago, I am sure its much more today.

I spent 2 summers in Chile mostly ski training just north of Santiago in a then small resort called La Parva, awesome skiing, awesome people. The big cities are smogged out, didn't like Lima cuz of smog, Buenas Aires is a great old city with tons of old world buildings and museums. And yes go to the town market and buy a bushel of coca leaves, I paid 5 cents for them and you need some lime to release the coca to the brain

good stuff, know why they worked those miners for 20 hours a day without complaints.

My biggest regratt was not going to Easter Island

[gatotom]

http://www.gochile.cl/Info/Map/Mapindex.asp

I could be wrong on Osorno, it may be Puerto Montt.

[AFJuvat]

Thanks for the information!

I will be there for about a month on business, but hope to get weekends and the like to do some traveling.