Aside from copper and wine, Chile is home to some of the most amazing scenery in the world.

I should know… I spent seven hours hiking up one of Chile’s most well known sites: the Villarica Volcano.

It is THE attraction in Pucon, and, pardon my French, it kicked my ass.

We hiked up 1,300 meters, but actually walked seven kilometers to get to the top, and the crater was enormous, even though we could only see part of it. The really spectacular part was the views from the top. You can actually see four lakes, one being Lago Villarica, which I told you about in the last posting.

The views were absolutely amazing. Life-changing, almost.

It’s not hard to see why so many people flock to Pucon for this scenery.

Tomorrow, I leave bright and early for the next stop, Puerto Varas. It’s sort of the “next” Pucon, but with even more lakes. I’m due to arrive at about 2:00pm local time, and that’s where I’ll drop my next line.

Until then, enjoy this view from the top of Villarica…

There is no other way to describe it. Pucon means Villarica… With about 10,000 to 20,000 residents, Pucon turns into an absolute Mecca for adventurers in high season.

With vistas like this, how can it not?

Aside from tour companies offering everything from rafting to volcano climbing, supermarkets are probably the most common store in the town. Everything from small, local shops to big national chains, there’s places to buy food everywhere.

Most of the hostels here have a kitchen, so it’s a heck of a lot cheaper to make your own meals than eat out at a cafe every night. Continue Reading »

I promised you some pictures of Santiago, and here they are. Yesterday was a busy day, touring the winery, finding dinner, and preparing to leave the financial capital of Chile…

Which is why I’m writing you from the picturesque, bucolic town of Pucon.

This town has only about 10,000 residents, but this number can swell to well over 80,000 during peak seasons, like skiing in winter. So tourism is a big part of the economy in this region. Continue Reading »

Buenos Dias from Santiago!

It’s a balmy 70 degrees right now and starting to inch higher. I’ve just arrived at my hotel, and it’s simple and very homey. This will be my base for the next two days. Today, I’m going to catch up on some sleep, meet up with my guide for the next two weeks, and hit the town.

I’ll be getting a feel for how the locals do dinner, and perhaps see some nightlife.

There really is no better gauge of how an economy is doing than to see if people are going to restaurants, hanging out at clubs, taking taxis…

Tomorrow, I’ll be touring the city, and then I’m off to see one of the best vinyards in the world. I can’t tell you the name of it here because I’m reserving it for my full report that I’ll distribute once I’m back in the states. But you might be able to get a sneek peek in the video that will air on December 18 at 7:00 pm. If you haven’t signed up to get your “ticket”, you can do so now by following this link.

By the way, I snapped that photo as the sun was rising this morning. We were just passing over Peru and headed into Chile. It was a stunning site.

I’m off to take a short nap and then find some empanadas to munch on for a snack…