(View of the beautiful houses from Valparaiso, Chile) 

Pictures from our day tour along the Chilean coast to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. We stopped and tasted local Chilean wine, crashed the State of the Union Address and hung out at Pablo Neruda old pad.

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(Fish Monger at the Mercado Central in Santiago, Chile) 

Here's some shots from our trip through the Andes Mountains from Mendoza, Argentina to Santiago, Chile. Followed up by some Santiago tour Central Market pix. Enjoy. 

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A Firm Handshake for Santiago, Chile

Argentina to Chile through the Andes

(The good stuff - Conger eel soup aka Caldillo Congrio)

A tour is like soup. It isn't just one component that makes the soup taste good but a mixture of the right ingredients that separates vegetable water from a traditional Chilean conger eel chowder (Caldillo Congrio). It's the same thing with tourist tours. It takes a mixture of things to create a deliciously memorable and fun adventure. Just like tours aren't for everybody, soup isn't either. Some lack substance, some lack flavor and some just suck. Here's how Viator and their partners concocted just the right ingredients to provide my father and I with a great trip to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar on the Chilean coast. 

First, start with the broth: Everything starts with a good tour guide. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, ours was patiently waiting outside as my father and I stumbled off the elevator and through the big sliding doors of the W Hotel just a bit past 9am. The early morning pick-up was a challenge for two night owls but the brisk Santiago air and warm greeting from our guide Margarita got us both moving. We piled into a big white van and Margarita introduced us to our driver who looked about as awake and ready as Dad and I. We got ourselves situated in the comfortable bucket seats and with a wave to the cute concierge from the van window, we were off. 

With Magarita taking the first few minutes to explain the plan for the day, my curiosity quickly took over and I never looked back. Being in Chile for only a short time I wanted to absorb as much information as possible from this tour and she handled the barrage of questions incredibly. We talked about everything from the Pisco battle with Peru to Chile's World Cup scouting report. She had an amazing knowledge of her country's history and current affairs in South America.

Next, throw in some spices: Although it took some time to get himself going, the driver turned out to be a great addition to the trip. Like a wild uncle or crazy sidekick, our quirky Chilean bus driver would throw in random facts and funny stories throughout the trip. He made a great Jerry Lewis to Margarita's Dean Martin. As she would point out interesting monuments and government buildings, he would make sure we didn't miss any cool graffiti or nice legs. 

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(2 Fish Mongers chucking oysters at the mercado central in Santiago, Chile)

After the 7-hour bus ride through the Andes Mountains we are back in the USA. Well not exactly, but to me that's what Santiago, Chile feels like. It's clean, organized and has all the food chains and neon lights like the States. Santiago is a taste of home that makes my father feel comfortable and makes me appreciate the raw edge of Buenos Aires that much more. 

Although it doesn't seem like it at first from the bus terminal, as we drive north through the city the high rises start to pile up and the mountains set the backdrop. My first impression was more like Salt Lake or Denver rather than South America. I have to admit, I don't think staying at the W Hotel helped to un-skew my perception of the city either, but man was it nice.  

The 'W' was equipped with all the features of a cool kid contemporary hotel. Funky art, weird sculptures, high tech devices and beautiful women with old men. Caught up in the rapture, Dad and I decided to keep our first night low key and checkout the in-house sushi restaurant. While Dad pulled off the distinguished 'W' look with his suit coat, I think people could read right through my $25 Marshall's jeans and scuffed payless dress shoes. Never-the-less, I was pumped to try some fresh Chilean seafood and a Pisco Sour. It didn't dissapoint. Content and tired we ended the night with a whisky in the lobby lounge and crashed pretty early considering we had a big day ahead of us in AM. 

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From Mendoza we took a 7 hour bus ride into Santiago, Chile via CATA International. The bus systems here in Argentina, like trains in Europe, are the more affordable alternative to airplane travel. There are tons of bus companies who run all over Argentina and South America that provide a safe and reliable service. We paid an extra $20 pesos to get the "executive suite" seats which included; lunch, beverages, our own TV and a full-cama (aka chairs that fold down into a bed).

2 round-trip tickets from Mendoza to Santiago, Chile cost $420 pesos (or about $110 US Dollars). The flights via LAN Airlines that weekend cost around $450 US Dollars per person. 

Even if the prices were comparable I would still recommend taking the bus. The majority of the trip was spent traveling through the Andes Mountains. From the rivers and lakes in Argentina to the snowcap mountains as you enter into Chile, the landscape was breathtaking. Hats off to the bus driver who made the trip very smooth despite the incredible terrain (See Below).

Although the magnitude of the Andes is captivating, it is a little unsettling going through customs in the middle of the mountains. They could do anything they wanted out there and nobody would know. However, they didn't and we passed through just fine, giving me another 90 days as a "legal tourist" here in Argentina.

Right before the New Years festivities I was running down towards the Parks of Palermo and I noticed a huge event going on. There were hundreds of people lined up along a blocked off street watching all these parked rally cars, trucks and motorcycles. 

Except for an annual trip to Charlotte, NC with my best friends for the Coca-Cola 600, I know little to nothing about the world of racing and rallies but after a little more research this Dakar thing seems intense. It is also really popular throughout the world. After writing this post yesterday I went into work and 3 guys (and a lady) from Whales came in who actually competed in the Dakar. They sat at the bar and told me all about the race, their mechanical problems and near death experiences. In one stage of the race, in Chile, the woman told me she had gotten lost in the desert over night and just barely found her way back in time to continue the competition. 

Dakar 2010: Argentina & Chile Trailer

Check out these Amazing Pictures from the Dakar Rally 2010 from The Big Picture at Boston.com

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