Sunny Santiago

Flying across to Santiago, we crossed the Andes by air, passing over the highest peak in the Americas, Aconagua (6,913m).  

Arriving in Santiago we were greeted with hazy skies due to the heat, we are approaching autumn here and the temperature is still around 30 degrees.

On checking in to another lovely hotel (Thanks to Dan, Lynn, Rich, Ritchie, Beccie, Tim, Uncle Ronnie, Auntie Mia, Nadia & Marc), we went out for a wander to see some of the city.  More street art to be seen here, including a bizarre wall filled with toys/junk and then painted.  Very odd, we turned a corner and it was just there!

We went up to the top of the hill in the centre of the city using the funicular railway. Despite the haze, the views of the city ringed by mountains were impressive, Andy was very impressed that the mountains were so close, the ski trails were visible even from afar and without the snow.

Andy had read about so etching he was interested in visiting in Santiago, they are called Cafe con Piernas, or 'Leg Cafe's'. The premise is that there are no seats, only bars where you can stand and drink your tea/coffee, and the walls are covered with mirrors.  This is to allow surreptitious, and sometimes not, admiration of the legs of the girls serving, who are all in short, tight skirts, and high heels.  These are very common in certain areas of the city, and there are even a couple of chains.  There are also the seedier versions, but these are less obvious. These cafés are a bit odd, they contradict Chile's traditionally quite conservative culture, but you can find them everywhere in central SNtiago if you know where to look.

On searching for one of these cafés, which can be found particularly around the Plaza de Armas area, Andy decided he had changed his mind and no longer wanted to go in.  Thirst (and curiosity) eventually own out and we popped in for a drink.  I get big wife points.  

That afternoon we left the city and drove out to the Concha y Toro vineyard, one of the most renowned in Chile, they farm over 8,700 hectares across the country (including some in Mendoza, Argentina, just the other side of the Andes).  They produce a huge variety of different wines, including the Casillero de Diablo brand, which is one of my favourites at home.  The weather was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky, a lovely day for a vineyard tour :)

First we saw the old manor house, with its sculptured garden which reminded me quite a bit of the garden at Nonsuch Palace.  From there we moved to the vineyard itself. Where they have a tasting area - a selection of vines for every type of wine that they produce.  We were invited to taste the grapes, and although we couldn't discern any types of wine from a particular grape, it was so interesting tasting the difference between them all! Andy got stuck into the Malbec vine whereas I sampled a fair few of the Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc varieties!

Visiting the cellars we learned all about the process, and the different varieties, including a tasting if 3 of their wines.  Two of these were blended, they had a very different taste to them - the White was a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Blanc. Mother red was a bland of something really nice, can't remember!  We were also give a taste if one of their reserve wines.  Before heading back to Santiago we went into the attached winery and tried a full glass each, I had a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc which was perfect for a sunny day, and Andy tried one of the reserve Camenere reds.  

Another early morning today, as we are on the move again.  'm writing this from a plane somewhere over the Pacific, en route to Easter Island for a taste of hybrid Polynesian/Chilean culture.  The plane was delayed for 3 hours due to meteorological conditions, and the flight is 5 hours, so it has already been a long day.  We are so excited to get there and see the Moai.