lt may look like a long string bean but Chile is among South America’s countries, both economically and culturally. For years exploited by unsavoury leadership and externally by the great powers of the northern continent, Chile has surfaced as vibrant, economically stable and resilient . lt boasts a myriad of sights and cultures-from post-Columbian architecture to ancient sites in Easter lsland-land is well recognized as a safe destination for travellers, who feel right at home thanks to the Chileans’ warmth and generosity.
September to December (spring)
Driving 4WD across the sand dunes of the Atacama desert Watching cosmopolitan life in Santiago go by from the Terraza Neptuno on Cerro Santa Lucia Skiing the slopes of the nigh Cordillera in Middle Chile Standing next to one of the colossal moai of Easter lsland (Rapa Nui), and wondering how the heck they got there Travelling to Chile’s rugged southern tip, considered to be ‘the end of the world’, to watch the breaching whales
Read lsabel Allende’s House of the Spirits, the story of a Chilean family depicted with modern-day realism and a dose of the supernatural
Listen to Victor Jara, murdered after Pinochet’s 1973 coup, who sang about political issues of the time. Local singer Nicole has recently signed to Madonna’s Latin music label.
Watch Cristian Galaz’s El Chacotero Sentimental (The Sentimental Teaser), a popular and highly awarded film about love stories on the raio
Eat empanadas fritas (fried pasties with ground beef and spices)
Drink Mistral beer or try a foamy pisco sour (brady with lemon juice, powdered sugar and egg white)
Ah, que rico (a)-normally used when describing a good-tasting dish (but just as applicable when referring to a good- looking person)
The Andean condor; cowboys; the Allendes; Pinochet; micro buses; magic realism; street vendors; great wine
Reality TV is an unexpected hit in Chile; Chileans often work six days a week, but are always ready for a carrete (party)
Cheek kissing is an art form in Chile, often exchanged men and woman upon leaving and greeting. lt’s a lovely way of breaking the ice but remember if that kiss turns into something more, Chile still doesn’t have a divorce law.