quote:

Originally posted by Watson Lake:
Buy a copy of Lonely Planet book "Chile" lots of good info..

Watson Lake

quote:

Originally posted by pulki:
Billinthewild:
Send me a PM.

Pulki.

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We took the hour and half flight to Santiago, arrived, paid the reciprocal visa fees of $160 each (because that's what the US charges their citizens to come here, I didn't particularly like it, but it seems fair if you think about it) and passed thru customs with no problems, possibly because I wasn't smuggling .375 ammo incountry. BTW to be clear, if you are in transit, that is not going thru customs into Chile as a visitor, then you do not have to pay these fees, and they are good for as long as your passport lasts.

There is nothing all that earth shattering to report about our visit to Santiago, the last time I was there a few years back it was raining on and off so that probably disguised the smog. It is damn smoggy and Adam complained that he could taste it with every breath. We ate at the Mercado Central for some extremely fresh seafood. It is less of a market and more of a restaurant mall these days, with hawkers in front of nearly everyone of the numerous restaurants/stalls asking you to come in and try their food. Food was great, but the hawkers lessened the experience. A couple of more restaurants that I can recommend....Kintaro, 460 Monjitas for sushi and Las Vacas Gordas, Cienfuegos 280, for steaks. Adam had a Lomo (filet mignon) about 11 ounces for $13 ala carte to die for. You have to be REALLY insistent that you want it RARE (crudo, con sangre, rojo) if you prefer it that way. They tend to cook it medium rare for rare. If it wasn't about 10 hours flight I'd be back there eating it regularly. We stayed at a "budget" Hotel, Hotel Foresta, Victoria Subercaseaux 353, which is just across from the NE corner of the Cerro Santa Lucia, in the downtown (Centro) area. I found recs for it on the net and we were lucky enough to get a room arriving with no reservations. It was great for the price, a two double bed suite for $60/night. Don't get me wrong, if you're the type who expects everything to be like a US Hilton or Marriot, don't go there. But we were offered Hilton type reservations at over $225/night. I'm one of those who just isn't that concerned about where I sleep, assuming some degree of safety and reasonable accomodations and I prefer to spend my money on eating, drinking, or hunting. YMMV, especially if you've got deeper pockets than I do. The Hotel Foresta had both, with an inhouse restaurant (fair) and a piano bar (I had fun asking the very elderly piano player if he could play "Piano Man". He quickly thumbed through some of his books and gave a rousing rendition in Spanish, got him a good tip from me).

Be advised that most restaurants, some cafes excepted, don't open for lunch until at least 12 noon, and 12:30 or 1 PM is common. Again, Chileans, and Argentines, dine late for dinner and many restaurants don't open for dinner until around 8 PM.

If you are wandering around, stop in one of the Filippo coffee/pastry/ice cream shops. The one we tried was Avda. Brasil 327, about a block and a half from Las Vacas Gordas (because I wrongly (with Adam saying "I told you so." ) assumed they would be open by 12 noon)Some type of chain, not sure how widespread, but the one we tried was very good. Try the "Cafe Helado Filippo" at about $4.50 US.
There are many other cafes, some serving Viennese style pastries. Try the Torta Sacher, if you like chocolate overdoses.

That brings me to a final observation. If you have plans to spend money in Chile, DON'T change money in the US airports, wait until you get to Santiago. Significantly better rates there. If you are in transit, all of the places that I am aware of in the rather large Santiago transit area take plastic, which usually has a m/l 3% upcharge by your credit card carrier back home, even if the charge is in US dollars.

Frankly, except for one or two of the winery tours, the tourist attractions in the Santiago metro area are minimal. I urged Adam to go out and mingle in the student bar scene but his Spanish, which improved a good bit on this trip (4 years of High School Spanish in US, would barely speak unless pushed) wasn't the best and he decided he should skip it for now. I suspect after this coming year at Univ of Texas, he would bail right in.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
There may be better, but you will have a heckuva fine steak, Chilean (basically same as Argentina)style at Las Vacas Gordas, Cienfuegos 280. Opens for lunch about 12:30.

quote:

Originally posted by billinthewild:
AR members in Santiago. I am scheduled to arrive in Santiago May 7 at 6 a.m.

Plan to stay for only 2 or 3 days. Would enjoy meeting one or more of you who live there.
Perhaps recommend a hotel and a few sites to see, even a way to rent a car to run down to Valparaiso
and Vina del Mar.

Thanks....Bill

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Originally posted by luvtoreload:
Not true! Chile has awful food and the meat is shot full of antibiotics and hormones! NOT Argentina. Having lived here for 7 years, I know what I am talking about!

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
There may be better, but you will have a heckuva fine steak, Chilean (basically same as Argentina)style at Las Vacas Gordas, Cienfuegos 280. Opens for lunch about 12:30.