My last day here. I had planned to go up the elevator to the roof of the tallest building in South America which is right next door to my hotel. But, as it is a bit overcast and somewhat drizzly, it seems like a waste of money. I did wander around a bit, stopped and had a coffee, and wandered through some shops. I always like to go into local supermarkets and the little convenience stores just to see how they are laid out and look at prices. So I’ve collected a few fun facts…

Now, most of the above I actually got from the internet using expatriate reporting as of early this year. When I asked our tour director about the disparity between the take home pay and the costs, very few people live alone in the cities unless they earn much more than the “averages” as reported.

I shouldn’t have been surprised to see so many of our American chains in these cities as I had encountered all of them in Europe…

and of course, many more. BUT, do you see PUBLIX (top right) and it was a grocery store in Buenos Aires!

Despite warnings all over the internet regarding carrying your backpack to the front and not taking your phone out, I observed that most do not follow this advice (nor did I). Being aware of surroundings and walking like you know where you are going (I was not always with my group) make you less of a target but I think that is probably true anywhere. I never felt scared or worried as I wandered around markets or streets. I do wish I had spent some time learning a bit more Spanish as very few people speak English. I am including shopkeepers as well as hotel staff. I could usually figure out signage but the spoken word was quite difficult.

All in all, a fun trip and one well worth taking. I’m off to the airport in about an hour so am heading down to the hotel bar for a final cappuccino here in the city of Santiago. Then, off to Miami where it is also very helpful to know how to speak Spanish.

As somewhat of a wine aficionado, I found the Undurraga wine tour to be very informative and extremely interesting. Founded in 1870, the grounds are incredibly beautiful…

I found that the vines are planted in a north south direction for certain grapes and and east west direction for other grapes. Red wine grapes prefer warm days and cool nights while white wine grapes prefer cooler days and even colder nights. Thus, in Chile, most red wine grapes are grown in the interior while the white wine grapes are grown on the coast.

 As we walked through the fields, I noticed a small building partially submerged in the ground. They are built so they can examine the soil layers. I descended into the area and was able to see what they meant.

David took us through the underground storage areas, to the huge vats of stainless steel, concrete, or wood. We went into the sniffing room where every possible nuance or note can be detected.

And, of course, we finished with a tasting. The first was their Sauvignon Blanc (my favorite), then a Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by a Carmenere, and then a sweet moscato.

Later, after showering, I wandered down to the breakfast room at about 8:00 AM and feasted on a Mélange of fresh fruits, several bite-sized fresh pastries, cappuccino, and a small assortment of crackers topped with smoked salmon, red onion, and capers. Delightful! The group met at 9:00 AM for our city tour. We are staying in the Providencia section of Santiago which is the financial district and is much newer than downtown. We first traveled up to a park overlooking the city.

This is the scene I woke up to this morning. Well, actually, that is not completely true. I had awakened a couple of hours prior to sunrise which was at 7:40 AM. Short days down here in Chile as sunset is expected to be at 5:2 PM. Anyway, I had left my curtains open so as to catch the first rays. I was laying in this massively comfortable King-sized bed propped up with about six luxurious pillows, sipping on an espresso, reading my Kindle when I realized the day was beginning.  This was my view from my ninth floor room.

We then walked through a small park below…

and drove by the United States Embassy.

Of course, we also went downtown to see the major government buildings and walk through the main square:

On the ground in the square is a bronze 3D map of the original layout of the city when it was founded. The “empty” square towards the middle is the square itself. It was VERY busy as there was a protest happening. As best we could tell, the protests all had to do with education, treatment of women, salaries…

Students as well as professors were chanting something and it was quite loud. Many were blowing whistles. Also, the carbineros were everywhere–many of them in riot gear. Traffic was stopped and some attractions were not available because of the protests but, while we were there, everything seemed peaceful. My pictures don’t seem to show the number of people as it looks like I was taking pictures more of the signage.

One of the things I learned today was that Chile, as a country, has only two police forces, the Carabineros de Chile, the Chilean national police force, who have jurisdiction over the entire national territory of Chile, and Investigations Police of Chile (PDI). The PDI is the principal law enforcement arm of the Public Ministry of Chile in criminal investigation. The police you see in the streets are the Carabineros while the PDI are the ones who check in immigrants and visitors.

Another thing I learned today was that Chile has extreme natural borders. To the west, it is the Pacific Ocean, to the East, the Andes Mountains, to the south, the Antarctic waters, and to the north the Atacama Desert, which is one of the driest deserts in the world.  Very skinny country!

We returned from the city tour and had about 1-1/2 hours to kill. I ate ceviche de salmon al elqui for lunch Scrumptious! It is Chilean salmon, papaya, avocado, wheat milk, and blue potato chips. I really should remember to take pictures of the food I order as it is not only vvery delectable but also very pretty.

Now, on to the wine tour! I was a bit depressed yesterday because our guide said that only I had signed up for the wine tour and they have a requirement that there must be at least two persons or the tour is cancelled. Throughout our travels, I KNEW there were some other winos so I was shocked that I was the only pre-tour signup. Anyway, we did get to go as eight of us decided this was a good tour to go on.

About an hour outside of Santiago, Undurraga Winery was ready for us. David, pronounced Da-Veed, was our very knowledgeable guide. We got to see everything, from the gorgeous grounds with smells that titillate the senses, to the vineyards, to the stainless steel and then concrete vats, to the barrels, to the underground storage vaults, to the smelling rooms…

I have no idea why but all my pictures do not want to upload so, just wait, they will happen tomorrow!

Today we departed Buenos Aires, arriving in Santiago, Chile at approximately 2:30 PM. Chile’s time zone is the same as the Eastern time zone in the USA. It is a bit colder here but not by much. When we arrived, it was 70 degrees Fahrenheit so day time seems very similar to Buenos Aires but we are told that the evening will drop down into the lower 40’s.

As we drove into the city, it is obvious that Santiago is in a valley surrounded by mountains. The city is flanked by the main chain of the Andes to the east and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west. On the north, it is bordered by the Cordón de Chacabuco, a mountain range of the Andes. At the southern border lies the Angostura de Paine, an elongated spur of the Andes that almost reaches the coast. The Andes are currently sprinkled with snow. Also, this is the first city where we saw signs that June is actually late autumn with many trees’ leaves having changed color. We passed by Rio Mapocho which splits the city but whose waters were very low.

As we got closer to the area where our hotel sits, our tour guide pointed out that we cannot get lost as our hotel is right next door to Gran Torre Santiago, the tallest building in South America. While I did take the picture on the left as we drove into the city, it does not do it justice so I added a stock photo of the skyline on the right so you can see the incredible height of this building.  I do have plans to go up to the top either tomorrow or the next day as the views from the roof are supposed to be breathtaking.

I walked around a little bit right after getting here but wanted to rest up since tomorrow is a rather busy tour day–city tour in the morning and the wine tasting in the afternoon. So, I ordered room service and have been watching BBC news reports on President Trump with the Queen of England. Surprisingly, very balanced coverage. My room’s views are:

After the tour yesterday, I met up with my niece, Tina for lunch and coffee. We wandered around the shopping area and took pictures of each other in front of the obelisk which just happns to be down the street from my hotel.

Today was pretty much a free day so Tina and I spent pretty much the whole day together. I took a taxi out to the Palermo section where she is living and we wandered around her neighborhood. Weekends find fairs all over the city so we examined the wares–many beautiful gemstones and leather goods. I noticed that much of the graffiti is quite artistic.

Tina had suggested that we lunch at Don Julio Parrilla, a very well-known steakhouse in the Palermo section. It is so popular that, even for lunch, reservations are required months in advance. We arrived on time and were seated at a lovely outside table. We made the decision to order el bife de lomo with sides of queso promolone a la plancha cubierto con pimientos rojos asados as well as calabaza asada, together with a bottle of crisp Argentine wine. We made the decision to order one of each to split figuring that we’d just order more if need be.

Translation: Filet mignon, grilled provolone topped by grilled red peppers, grilled pumpkin topped with toasted pumpkin seeds.

The steak, split between us, was so incredibly large that neither of us could finish our individual portion! Cooked to perfection, it virtually melted in our mouths. The sides proved to complement the meat wonderfully. I very much enjoyed the days spent with my beautiful niece and felt glad that I could visit in the middle of this semester she is spending at Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires.

So, for our last night in Buneos Aires, we had dinner at Puerto Cristal where we said good-bye to six of our group as apparently they are not heading to Chile with us. After eating, we strolled along the waterfront…

What a beautiful sunny day in this vibrant city! Saturday in Buenos Aires is a day off for most people and it looked as if everyone was out shopping or just wandering around. After another scrumptious breakfast, we gathered together for a tour of the city. Downtown we visited the Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, the home church of Pope Francis…

We even witnessed the changing of the guard around the mausoleum of General Jose de San Martín, the prime leader of the southern and central parts of South America’s successful struggle for independence from the Spanish empire. 

Across the way from the Cathedral is the Casa Rosada – or ‘Pink House’, the old Customs House building, which now houses the offices of Argentina’s President. The lower balcony on the left is where Eva Peron gave her famous last speech to the people. The President was not in the house today as, when he is, a second flag is hoisted below the Argentinian flag.

We also went to a very colorful section of the city–La Boca. As one of Buenos Aires’s 48 barrios, La Boca is located in the city’s south-east near its old port.  Many of the early settlers hailed from Genoa, Italy and, to this day retains a strong Italian flavor.

I loved this area of town! Small shops with handcrafts, artists, dancers, coffee bars. I could have spent all day here. But, there was much more to see. We continued around town viewing many monuments and buildings. One sculture in particular Floralis Generica, made of steel and aluminum, was a gift to the city by Argentine architect Eduardo Catalano. Catalano once said that the flower “is a synthesis of all the flowers and, at the same time, a hope reborn every day at opening.” It was created in 2002. The sculpture was designed to move, closing its petals in the evening and opening them in the morning. It weighs eighteen tons and is more than 75 feet high.

Continuing on the tour, we passed a scupture that was so fascinating, I had to take a picture…

The funny thing is the tree is a REAL tree!

Next on to a La Recoleta Cemetery unlike any cemetery I have ever seen. At first it reminded me of New Orleans’ cemeteries where graves are above ground due to the water table. But that is not what it is. Wealthy people built family crypts to look like miniature churches and many notable Argentines are interred there. Set over fourteen acres, the site hold 4,691 vaults.

The above picture showing a vault with fresh flowers is that of Eva Peron.

I don’t know if I mentioned that our Arentinian hotel here in Iguazu is within yards of both Paraguay and Brazil. I walked down to Puerto Iguazú the “Triple Frontier” monument yesterday after returning from our hike but my phone was dead so was unable to get pictures. I did take these from the roof of our hotel this morning:

As usual it is raining, soft and gentle. It is time to leave but I took another picture of the hotel as it was a wonderfully friendly and comfortable place to stay.

We loaded onto our transport and went to a local school. Gate1 Foundation supports schools in many of the regions in which they do business ( See G1 Foundation). While the foundation donates a portion of the proceeds they receive from our trips with them, we were privileged to be invited to donate goods and visit the school in Iguazu. The children we met were both kindergarteners as well as some 4th or 5th graders, They sang songs for us and showed us around the school. It was a very moving experience and you could tell the school is very grateful for the assistance. I did take a couple of pictures but not of the children as I wasn’t sure it would be appropriate.

Our two hour flight was on time and uneventful. We arrived in Buenos Aires at about 4:00 PM and got to the hotel at approximately 6:00 PM. What I have seen so far of this city has me impressed. Yes, it is busy but it is clean and beautiful with a lot of park areas, and spectacular architecture. I checked into my hotel here in downtown bustling Buenos Aires and I was assigned a very nice, well-appointed, King room on the 14th floor. From my window, I see mostly other buildings but I actually can see a sliver of Rio de la Plata. We are told that across this river lies Uruguay. Here’s the odd thing. We drove alongside this river for several miles this afternoon. The day was sunny and clear yet you cannot see land across this river. Its widest point is 140 miles!

So, the high point of my day was meeting up with my niece, Tina, who is studying here in Buenos Aires. We ate dinner and shared a bottle of Atlas Cumbres, a crisp Argentinian sauvignon blanc.

I feel great! I had an incredible breakfast of mangoes, papaya, pineapple, scrambled eggs, sausage, and sautéed chicken and, of course, coffee! Today dawned cloudy and foggy but apparently that is the norm for Iguazu Falls. The average rainfall here is 68.15 inches! No, I did not misspell Iguazu. On the Brazilian side, where we were yesterday, they spell it Iguacu whereas Argentinians spell it Iguazu. You will also sometimes seen it spelled Iguassu.  Whatever!  Much of the time there is a very heavy mist in the air but periodically throughout the day, it rains!

That did not stop our Iguazu Falls hiking. You can see the map of the hiking trails above and I can tell you that my step monitor says I walked more that seven miles! We were pretty lucky in that we spent most of the day either in the clear or in mist but there was about a mile in the middle where it poured. I am proud to say that not one person in our group stopped hiking even after being soaked. It is that incredible. I’ve seen Niagara Falls from both the Canadian and American sides and it is beautiful. Several people in our group had seen Victoria Falls and even they said Iguazu was by far the most magnificent. So being the highest of the three apparently has no bearing—Niagara is 167 feet, Iguazu 269 feet, and Victoria 354 feet. Today was tremendously exciting.

To put it into some kind of perspective, Iguazú Falls is four times as wide as Niagara Falls. Making it so special is the fact that it is not just one waterfall but a collection of 275 individual cascades that line a 1.7 mile wide horseshoe-shaped gorge.

We first took the Ecological Jungle Train to the Devil’s Throat tour where you wind around the jungle to a lookout balcony where you are just a few yards from the most important and mighty waterfall of the Iguazu Falls from Argentina side, whose image has traveled all around the world.

After a short rest, we continued to the upper trail which is characterized by having its trails set on top of the waterfalls edge, allowing a vertical view from the top, something really electrifying. It has places to rest, which makes the tour a source of energy and relaxation in contact with the water. My pictures do not begin to show the depth and majesty of Iguazu Falls. We then ate lunch in the park and then embarked on our final trek, the lower circuit trail.

Footbridges go deep into the forest foliage to waterfalls breaking above and to the end of this part of the Circuit, where completely enveloped by mist while standing in front of this thunderous roaring cascade, feeling the vibration of the walkway, it was scary yet magical and absolutely breathtaking.

We ended the day with a lovely cocktail party including a birthday celebration for one of our group.  This is a lovely hotel so wanted to include some pictures as well as the view from my room.

I’d like to be able to say that the reason I didn’t post yesterday was that I couldn’t get on to the internet but unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly the case. After I posted on Tuesday evening in Rio de Janeiro, I went to bed knowing that we had a 3:30 AM wake-up call in order to shower, dress, have breakfast, and make our 7:00 AM flight. I hadn’t slept well Monday night so I actually fell asleep pretty quickly only to be awakened at about 10:00 PM with a rather violent case of CVS (if you can’t tell by the picture on the left what CVS is, google it – not pretty) which continued off and on throughout the night. Needless to say, I got very little sleep. At times, I just laid down on the bathroom floor and, when it was time to leave, it was all I could do to get myself dressed and down to the meeting area. I felt like I was dying.  My stomach was still very messed up but I hadn’t upchucked (now you know what it is) for a couple of hours so I thought that with a little sleep on the two hour plane ride, I’d probably be okay.

I didn’t eat any breakfast (not even coffee!) but I kept hydrating myself as I felt very queasy and dizzy. We made it to the airport without incident and were just at the entrance to the check-in when all that water I had been drinking decided to come up. No warnings whatsoever. How embarrassing! Our Brazilian tour guide, Carlos, grabbed my suitcases from me as I started running to the bathroom which was being serviced!!! Our tour guide, Carol, took control and they let me in.

Luckily for me, I didn’t manage to get any on me or my luggage, just the airport floor and barriers.  Also, that was the end of it but I felt lousy the rest of the day. We had a scheduled tour and hike on the Brazilian side of Iguacu Falls but I opted out as I felt too weak. The driver took me on a ride through the park and, at Devil’s Throat, I did get off and was able to view the Falls from the Brazilian side.  I did see some amazing sights…

I then sat in one of the cafes, drinking water, watching people, and reading but when even that relaxing an activity became too taxing for me, I went back to the bus and tried to sleep.

Once we got to the hotel (I think it was at about 2:00 PM), I immediately went to sleep for about three hours and when I woke, I didn’t yet feel myself but I did feel somewhat better so I joined everyone for dinner. I selected the vegetarian risotto but only managed a few bites before deciding that I still couldn’t eat. I didn’t even drink the glass of wine given to me. Yeah—no coffee this morning and then no wine. Obviously, something was wrong with me. I went up to bed at about 7:30 or 8:00 PM, read for perhaps a half an hour, and then slept for a solid nine hours.

Internet is VERY, VERY slow here so I am having a lot of problems uploading pictures.  Catch up tomorrow.  So I guess I could have blamed it on the internet!