Chile, Argentina & Brazil

Chile extends like a ribbon down the west coast of South America for over 2495 miles—but averages only 93 miles wide. This elongated country, wedged between the deepest ocean and the longest mountain chain, straddles a tectonically unstable region. Mountains cover 80 % of Chile.
Most Chileans are of European or mixed European and indigenous ancestry—only about 5 percent are indigenous (mostly Mapuche). Chile is highly urbanized, with 40 % of the population living in the Santiago area. Chileans once enjoyed Latin America's longest tradition of political stability and civil liberty. But in 1973 a bloody coup overthrew Salvador Allende's elected Marxist government and ushered in 16 years of dictatorship under Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Democracy was restored in 1989.
Privatization of industries and increased agricultural exports have boosted the economy. The Chuquicamata and Escondida copper mines, in the arid Atacama, rank as the world's largest. Tourism is a major business; a popular attraction is Easter Island, 2299 miles west of Chile.
Population: 16,136,000   Area: 291,930 square miles   Language: Spanish
Currency: Chilean peso  Life Expectancy: 76     GDP per Capita: U.S. $10,100    Literacy: 96%
Industry: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel
Agriculture: wheat, corn, grapes, beans; beef; fish; timber
Exports: copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals

Santiago  Pictures of the Santiago parks, downtown and market area. (day 2-3)
Valparaiso  Pictures of the city and countryside between Santiago & Vaparaiso (day 4)
Puerto Montt Pictures of the city and surrounding countryside (day 5)
Fogon Los Alerces Chilean Horse Breeding Ranch- pictures of the ranch, horses and lunch. (day 5)
Puerto Varas Pictures of the city and surrounding area (day 5-6)
Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park pictures of the park and surrounding area. (day 6)
Family lunch- We had lunch prepared by a local family near Petrohue Falls. (day 6)
Estancia Rio Verde- After flying to Punta Arenas, we had a bus ride to a sheep ranch to watch sheep sheering and have lunch. (day 7)
Puerto Natales- Pictures of the city, harbor and county side. (day 7)
Torres del Paine- Touring the park and spending the night at Hotel Rio Serrano on the edge of the park, thus having a spectacular view of the mountains from my room. (day 8-9)
Skorpios III cruise of Patagonian Fjords and Southern Ice Field (days 9-13)
   Skorpios III
   Amalia Glacier
   Antrium Fjord
   Pio XI Glacier
   Puerto Eden
   Calvo Fjord
   El Brujo Glacier
   Bernal Glacier
   Farewell Dinner
   Misc Scenery
Punta Arenas (day 14) Touring the city and environs.
Escuela El Canelo (day 15). An elementary school we visited that has received funds from OAT.
Cavas del Raco Winery (day 15) A winery in the Maipo Valley where we had a tour, empanadas and wine tasting and sites on the way back to Santiago

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