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…

I’m sitting in the airport at Dallas/Fort Worth. I just had a nice introductory meal of enchilladas and Negro Modelo, owned by Grupo Modelo, partially owned by Anheuser-Busch, which has just been bought out by Inbev (ABI:Brussels).

For research purposes, of course.

But one of the first things on my list is a visit to a famous winery in the Santiago region. I’ve already booked a half-day tour, and expect to fall in love with the already internationally known Chilean red wines.

I have a red-eye flight from Dallas to Santiago, and I’ll be arriving at about 9:45 am local time. That’s when you’ll next hear from my. It’s supposed to be sunny and in the low eighties. I know, I know… try not to hate me too much.

Be on the lookout for a short video or two in the next couple days, and some stunning picture of sunny Santiago, financial heart of the Andes.

Until then, enjoy the night.