Category Archives: Chile

Santiago, Chile JAN 6 2025

With two days to tour Santiago, we hit the ground running when we got off the ship. Five buses of us to be exact!

The port was in San Antonio and we had an hour and a half bus ride to reach Santiago. Along the way we stopped at a local winery for wine tasting and a folklore show.

Back on the bus we reached Santiago and began our tour of the city. Santiago, with a population of over six million, is the capital and largest city in Chile. We had another fantastic guide who we were fortunate to have as our guide both days.

Santiago is a pretty city, but it was made clear to us from the beginning that safety was a concern. We stopped in a popular city center plaza and before we got off the bus, our guide said, “I beg of you. Please leave your jewelry and valuables on the bus”. This is the reason Bill and I always leave our wedding bands at home when we travel and wear no jewelry except our fitbit watches. Our guide also cautioned us about pickpockets who will grab wallets, purses and snatch cameras right out of your hand. They are clever and quick, including slicing handbag straps and grabbing handbags. When we got off the bus we were immediately joined by a plain clothes security guard who followed us around the plaza. Each of the five buses had their own guard. I believe I heard someone tell our guide there had recently been problems there with robberies and pickpockets.  Our guard didn’t take his eye off us and kept a vigilant watch. We also noticed two policemen on horseback, policemen on foot patrol and a small police car able to easy navigate throughout the plaza. I guess five buses of tourists was a concern.

You may be wondering why we were even taken there. We visited a beautiful cathedral and there were many impressive buildings.

Life Sized Nativity Scene

The Monument to Pedro de Valdivia is a bronze equestrian statue in Santiago, Chile that honors the Spanish conquistador who founded the city.

The Tourist Office building was once the cells of the public jail until the end of the 18th century, while remodelling many forms of restraint were discovered along with instruments of torture.

The Central Post Office in Plaza de Armas has been remodelled three times. It was originally Pedro de Valdivia’s private home and served as the Presidential Palace until 1846.

Have ever seen a black necked white swan? We stopped by a pretty park to look at these unusual swans.

Gran Torre Costanera, 62-story Skyscraper

American Embassy

By now we were all getting tired and hot (86+degrees) and we were anxious to get to our hotel to get settled in and rest. We had a stop for a light lunch and entainment.

That evening we had a nice reception with canapés and wine followed by a steak dinner. Entertainment was a fantastic series of folklore dancing.

The next morning after a buffet breakfast by the pool, we loaded the buses back up for a drive into the countryside to visit another winery. We have certainly learned on this trip that Argentina and Chile are very proud of their wine making and it is very good wine.

After a tour of the winery and time to sample wine, we had a huge early buffet dinner. We were then taken to the airport for our flight home.

It took us over ten hours to get home with one connecting flight in Miami. We were sad to see our trip end but at the same time glad to get home. After a month in the Southern Hemisphere where it was summer, it was a little disconcerting to come back to winter!

Thanks for following along. We have no future travel plans as of now but that tricky travel agent always manages to surprise us with something when we least expect it!

Puerto Montt, Chile JAN 4 2025

On January 4, we reached the port of Puerto Montt, Chile (population 246,000). We could tell we had reached a larger city because of the ship’s warnings about pickpockets and grabbing of purses and cameras. We booked an excursion here to see some of the beauty of the areas away from the city.

We had an excellent, enthusiastic guide who spoke perfect English. When booking excursions in these remote areas of Argentina and Chile we had been warned that due to the remoteness of the area, we should expect the guides’ English to not be fluent. All of our guides spoke great English and in many cases their English was self taught. Shows what determination can do. Impressive!

From the moment we left the port the views were magnificent. I kept thinking “who knew Chile was this beautiful!!”

This excersion drove to Puerto Varas and along the lake Llanquihue to Osorno Volcano. The road was steep and winding with many switchbacks. At the top we were above the clouds with a nice view of Calbuco Volcano in the distance.

Osorno Volcano is 8,701 feet high, making it visible throughout the entire region. We could enjoy its beauty throughout the day. The volcano is still considered active but last erupted in 1869.  The area we stopped had a ski lift, hiking trails and a small cafe where you could get coffee and hot chocolate. It was very chilly at that altitude.

This volcano is similar to Mount Fuji in Japan.

After testing the bus’ brakes on the steep drive back down, we went to Puerto Varas, also known as the City of Roses. We didn’t have as much time as hoped here, but we did manage to find Bill a nice shirt and log a geocache.

We went to the Petrohue River Rapids located in Vicente Perez Rosales National Park.

We finished the day with a late lunch at a quaint restaurant owned by our guide’s family along the lake. They took great care of us with empanadas for appetizers, huge portions of local salmon or chicken, cheesecake for dessert and unlimited fruit juices, wine and the famous pisco sour. A delicious meal!

Sadly,after a day at sea we arrived at our disembarkation port, San Antonio on the coast. It has been a fabulous cruise full of amazing scenery. We are so glad we went!

But the fun was not over yet!! Our great travel agency had arranged two days in Santiago filled with activities. The disembarkation process from the ship went very smoothly and before we knew it there were five buses of us headed for Santiago.

Next up: two days of fun in Santiago de Chile is the capital and largest city of Chile

Magellan Strait, Chilean Fjords & Coyhaique, Chile JAN 1 2025

The next two days at sea we cruised the Strait of Magellan and Chilean fjords.

We cruised the Sarmiemto Channel, Summer Pass and Shoal Pass. Highlights definitely included seeing the Bruhall and Brujo glaciers. At each glacier the Captain slowed the ship down and very slowly turned the ship 360 degrees so that both the starboard and port sides of the ship had great views.

It was hard to stop for three meals during the day for fear of missing something. The beauty is indescribable.

On January 3rd we reached the port of Puerto Chacabuco (population 1,200) Chile.  Puerto Aysén (population 23,959) is nine miles away and was originally a large deep-draft vessels port city until erosion had an impact on the riverbead.

Prison

There is not a lot to do in this small towns so we booked an excursion of northern Patagonia and the town of Coyhaique. The main highlight of this excursion was the views.

Coyhaique, pop 54,000, was an unusual city. Our tour guide was from the city and she left to go to vet school. She has two semesters left and supplements her income by giving tours during the high tourist season. When she finishes school, she wants to come back to her hometown. She knows she could move to a larger city and make much more money, but that doesn’t interest her. What I found unusual was the town’s lackadaisical attitude toward tourists. Even though the town is known for many craft markets with handmade items native to the region, many of the stores were closed. Our guide said they show up when they feel like it, take a long lunch break from 12 to 3 and may show up again from 3 to 6.  She even went so far as to call the people lazy. In most tourist towns, especially during high season when most of the money is made, people open early and close late to take advantage of the tourists eager to spend money. Not here. This didn’t bother us since we are not souvenir hunters except for the occasional refrigerator magnet. But from the few markets open they did have some beautiful hand made items, including items made from sheepskin.

We Are Getting Closer

Coyhaique Is a Developed City

The Monumento al Ovejero is a commemorative structure that honors the rural traditions and ranching wealth of the Magallanes region.

House Made With a Container

We stopped by The Simpson River, listed as the fourth best river for fly fishing in the world. Their visitor center had a stuff fox.

We also stopped for a quick look at this waterfall and memorial.

By now everyone was starving and we stopped at a restaurant where they served us beef and cheese empanadas, skewers of beef and chicken and fruit. We were offered mango or strawberry juice, wine and their pisco sours. The pisco sour is a strong alcoholic cocktail popular in Peru and Chile. Our guide warned us they were very good and very strong. One was definitely enough.

An enjoyable day in Chile!

Next up: Puerto Montt, Chile

 

Ushuaia, Argentina & Punta Arenas, Chile DEC 30 2024

After leaving Cape Horn we traveled in the Beagle Channel and passed Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse. With the lighting it is had to see the red paint.

Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, Beagle Channel, Argentina

The Border of Argentina with Chile

We had one final port in Argentina, Ushuaia (population 83,000). Located below the 54th parallel south latitude, Ushuaia claims they are the world’s southernmost city. It is also referred to as the city at the end of the world. It is the only city in Argentina accessed by crossing the Andes Mountains (by road).

This white stone monument is a tribute to the Pioneer Settlers of Ushuaia. It appears different based on your position. Face on it looks like an eagle with its wings protecting the settlers. From the sides it looks like a giant wave with scenes of farming and industry.

In this port we had an excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park. We had views of Ensenada Bay and stopped at Roca Lake. Unfortunately the weather was cold and misting rain, not the best weather for sightseeing or taking pictures. The border with Chile divides the Roca Lake.

We saw wild horses along the road.

We also stopped at Lapataia Bay, the southernmost place in the world that can be reached by road. It is where the famous Pan-American Highway ends. From here Alaska is 11,100 miles north.

“The End of the World Post Office” in Ushuaia, Argentina is considered the southernmost post office in the Americas.

We saw glaciers and waterfalls as we cruised toward Punta Arenas, Chile.

The next day we reached Punta Arenas, Chile (population 146,000). It is Patagonia’s most important city. It is located in the Strait of Magellan a passage that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  The cruise director told us during his port talk the city is so windy they put ropes between buildings to help people walk during strong winds. Punta Arenas is considered the southernmost city in the world by Chile, in direct conflict with Argentina who gives Ushuaia that distinction. We found there are many things Argentina and Chile disagree on.

Chile is the world’s longest country at 2,647 miles. Mountains cover 80% of the country.

Punta Arenas was a tender port and we woke up to find three tender boats ready to take passengers ashore.

We did not have an excursion here but instead chose to walk around the town. In the town center is a nice park with a memorial to Ferdinand Magellan. It is said that if you kiss or rub his foot, you will have good luck and a future return to Punta Arenas.

Heritage Building built between 1894 and 1898 called “Palacio de la Gobernación”. This heritage building called the Government Palace, because the Governor lived there in the 19th century, when Magellan was a penal colony

Across the street was the Sacred Heart Cathedral which unfortunately was not open.

The wind had picked up considerably and the short tender boat ride back to the ship was very bumpy. It was tricky getting from the boat back on the ship but there are always many helpful hands waiting to help.

Police Station and the Chilean Flag

This evening was New Years Eve with Filet Mignon and Lobster served in the dining room. A New Year’s Eve party was held at the pool with music, dancing, Hors D’oeuvres and champagne at midnight.

Happy New Year!!

Next up: Cruising the Strait of Magellan, the Chilean Fjords and Coyhaique, Chile

 

Antarctica Pt 2 DEC 29 2024

As we continued around the islands and fjords of Antarctica, we were blessed with great weather other than occasional fog and low visibility. Unlike anything we had ever seen, we continued to be in awe of the majestic beauty.

Gentoo Penguin Colony

For two days we had snow and we were visited by a snow penguin.

One day we stopped near Palmer Research Station operated by the United States Antarctic Program. They do marine and biology research focused on seabirds and plankton. We watched as two zodiacs brought research scientists over for presentations on their work. Can you see all the ice in the water?

They had lunch and dinner on the ship and they mentioned how they especially enjoyed the fresh fruits and vegetables. I believe they were gifted with several boxes of fruits and vegetables to take back to their station.

We had heard so much about Drake Passage and Cape Horn. They have a notorious history for rough water, fierce winds and dangerous waves. We had already crossed Drake Passage once on the cruise with no problem. Now we were about to be tested again as we cruise Drake Passage for a second time as we cruise to Cape Horn, located on the small Hornos Island.

We cruised completely around Hornos Island. The reputation of Cape Horn is notorious as it is known as “the graveyard of ships”. There have been many shipwrecks here with more than 10,000 lives lost, making it the largest underwater cemetery in the world. After the opening of the Panama Canal, the number of ships navigating around the Horn was significantly reduced.

The day dawned with beautiful clear skies, no wind and calm seas. Unbelievable! The Captain said it is very rare to see this kind of weather here. Normally this area has 278 days of rainfall a year. We saw a sailboat close to shore and the cruise director commented it was crazy for a sailboat to be in these waters.

This area is part of Chile’s Tierra del Fuego archipelago. We could see the lighthouse, also called the “Lighthouse at the End of the World” high on the hill. Operational since 1991, it is manned by Chilean navy personnel. Currently a family of four lives there with their cat. They came outside and waved at us and the captain sounded the ship’s horn in return. Impossible to get a picture of them that far away without a high powered lens. A meteorological station is also kept there. Next to the lighthouse is a small chapel.

On the hill was the Cape Horn Monument also called the Albatross Monument.

The name comes from the two metal halves which when viewed from a certain angle, looks like an albatross in flight. It was built to withstand the 120 mph winds which blow at times. The memorial was built in 1992 and is dedicated to the memory of the men from every nation who died around Cape Horn. One interesting tidbit, during the 1978 Beagle Conflict between Chile and Argentina, Chile covered the island with landmines. In 2006 a project was started to remove the mines but there are still many unaccounted for.

Only members of the Chilean navy can serve as the Cape Horn lighthouse keeper. The keeper must be married in order to have companionship which is considered necessary due to the extreme isolation. The assignment is for twelve months however the family can request an extension. The current family just completed their second rotation and has requested a third. Supplies are restocked every 60 days but this can be delayed due to weather. Attempts to grow food in a greenhouse failed due to harsh conditions.

Sadly, we have completed our exploration of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Next up: on to one last port in Argentina then Chile