We fly out Monday and reach Santiago on Tuesday morning.
We will be site seeing for ourselves Tuesday - Thursday and Friday the bike trip begins. Once again with VBT.com for the tour.
I will add stories and pictures throughout the trip.
We end the trip with 3 days in the Atacama desert. It actually has a whole city and we have some planned excursions there.
Keep an eye for what is to come.
Helen & Ken
Wednesday March 8, 2017 - Santiago Chile
Once we slept in from the days travel the two days before, we had a nice breakfast and began our walking tour of the city.
We have met briefly - 12 other travelers with our group and they are all from Canada and know each other. Here's hoping there are others who are not in that group. While they may not be real tight with each other, well we will see.
So like most Latin American countries, there are Plazas and parks for meeting places.
So we saw Cerro Santa Lucia - what was a fortress it appears and walked to the top. Pretty gardens along the way now.
This is the view of Santiago from the top of Cerrro Santa Lucia. Unfortunately you cannot see the mountains above the buildings we could see.
A view of the Plaza below.
Another angle from the top. You can just barely see the mountains in this picture.
One of the things we won't get to see is a 330 store shopping mall. 60 restaurants, and 6 themed stores. I don't know how many stories tall this place is.It is that tall building in the center of the picture.
Then there is the Cathedral in each and every country,. This is the National Cathedral of Chile.
Had to take this picture of St. Lucas.
We also visited the National Museum of History. Entrance was free. But they had head phones with a recorded device to listen to things that were written in Spanish. for $1.50 each it was well worth it.
On our way home from dinner there was a huge demonstration, many blocks of people with signs. Many Police including some in tactical gear. They seemed to be protesting related to International Womens Day. Some of the signs spoke of "Justice for Claudia" and related to sexual attacks. Not sure what the other signs said. We were getting a little nervous as we made a few wrong turns getting back to our hotel and kept seeing all of this activity.
The hotel is beautiful. Service staff are very pleasant. Even had a housekeeper visit at 8pm to see if there was anything we needed.
Thursday we will go see Chilean Museum of Pre Columbian. history that combines the arts that created Chile.
Also a tram ride up a tall hill with a tribute to the Virgin Mary at the top.
Thursday March 9, 2016
Took our time this morning since the next 7 morning will be up 7 and ready to roll by 8:30. The biking begins on Friday.
Had plans to go see Parquemet - the largest park in Chile with a display and statue of the Virgin Mary and an zoo, and several miles to trails to walk, ride or whatever. Then the Chilean Museum Pre-Columbian Arts and history.
Well we were trying to find the museum. Thought according to the map, it was in one direction. Went down a street that did not look all that good. People were seemingly friendly. Then I feel something gooey hit my neck, on the front of my shirt etc. I shriek, one person a gentlemen in a red shirt, looks around. Then another man hustles in our direction with kleenex offering to help. Says he knows where there is water and starts to lead us down a side street/alley. We stop and the man in the red shirt runs up and puts a hand on the 2nd man. The 2nd man throws the kleenexes down and takes off. The Red Shirt Gentleman tried in Spanish to tell us to keep an eye, that this was a bad man / thief and he was going to steal our money.
I have think awful stink on the front / back of my shirt, hat, hair, neck and back of my pants. And then I see it on the back of Ken's pants. The red shirt man we see talking to the police, points us out and motions to us. No real conversation to be had as they all spoke only Spanish and we only English. We came back to the hotel, showered and washed the clothes. Yuck.
In talking with the clerk at the hotel, there are thiefs who spray paint or something to get you dirty then offer to help and rob you.
We are safe.
So we made it for a ride up the Funicular (tram) up the hill to see the sites, but ran out of time to see the other museum.
Looking up at the tram as it is coming down to get us for the ride up at the Parquemet park.
My sporting a new hat, since my other one was still wet from getting washed. Again you see the city below and the mountains in the background.
The statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They say that on December 8th, the feast of the Immaculate Conception that 50,000 people visit this shrine on that day each year.
Mary and Mary Magdalen at Jesus's side.
This is a small chapel on the hill as well.
There are switchback trails after you get off the tram. It includes the stations of the cross.
Another view of the city from the other side of the hilltop.
We were able to find this other park from the hilltop. This too was a hilltop in the middle of the city we visited yesterday. The Fortress I mentioned and showed you pictures before. Our hotel is somewhere to the left of this forested area.
A picture of the tram as we are heading back down.
This was the best shot I got that you can almost see the mountains. I think there is a degree of fog, but it is not humid at all. As we wash clothes in the evening, Everything is dry in the morning.
My Mediterranean salad I had for dinner on Thursday. Grilled fish with Artichokes, tomatoes, avocados, various lettuces, onions and a mayonnaise and Thyme dressing. Only ate about 2/3 of it.
Nice dinner at La Fonnell on the way back to the hotel.
Friday starts our riding. Here we go.
Friday March 10, 2016
Our warm up ride
12 miles around the most bio-diverse area in Chile. Cherries, oranges, walnuts, avodcados and almond trees grow here. Artichokes as well. As we rode, we found many greenhouses growing ornamental flowers also.
Along the way we had a stop for an overlook. This area is being prepared for an avocado orchard. They started becoming a crop here in 2008.
Our hotel for tonight and tomorrow is the Isla Seca Zapallar.
A nice walk down the hill took us to the ocean. Trees have grown up, so we could hear but not see the ocean from our balcony.
Waves were brisk.
Saturday March 11, 2017 ride
We have an option of 25 or 40 miles today.
Ken not feeling well, so not riding. He stayed at the hotel.
This was a stop on the way at a little market for our snacks and homemade apple juice. This market is also making our lunches we will have in a bit.
Just a colorful beetle on my bike.
So many varieties of succulents.
They have a very well connected warning system for tsunami's.
This boat is being cleaned off from barnacles that have attached themselves to the boat. This bay has lots of sea bass and other fish. it is a restricted boating/fishing area. The area is owned by a very rich person.
Shellfish underwater.
Paddle boarders. there are also persons working on their surfing skills.
This boat was several miles away when the tsumani hit in 2015. They leave it here, where it landed as a reminder. It sits just below that tsunami warning sign above.
A panoramic view from this bay.
Flowers along the walking path.
Relaxing at the pool after the day's ride with a Pisco Sour.
Sunday March 12, 2017
Today's ride took us to a fishing harbor where we went out on a boat ride to see what the efforts were to pull in Crab traps. This cross blesses the fisherman.
One of our leaders Rapheal - who is a marine biologist - talking about the habits and life cycle of crabs. Did you know that they can change sexes based on the number of males or females in their community?
Along with crabs and fish, they may also bring in langanstinos.
Here we are boarding the fishing boats - 6 to a boat.
Rather than go straight to where they had laid the traps, they took us around to show us how rocky the waves could be.
Ken and Val watching from the shore. Ken because he did not feel good and Val because she would get seasick.
Yes the boat had that much of a tilt. Yikes.
Here is a short video of what the ride was like. Hope it plays for you.
Sometimes it looks like the boat sank, Waves just taking them behind our view.
Some of our crew in the various boats. 16 of our 20 attendants are from Canada. In the front is Peggy and Jim and
Tippi and Randy in the back.
I picked up one of the crabs. Ones too small go back for another day.
Heather and Peter to the left, Susan and Joe to the right.
After the fishing boats we biked a little farther to a beach to see an island that is dedicated to preserving and improving the number of penguins. We did not get to the island but used binoculars to see them. But along the beach we saw these Portugese Man - O - War that has washed up on the beach. While Ken and I were looking at them with our backs to the waves, one snuck up on us and got us both wet up to our knees in the back. Fine with me as I had sandals on, but Ken's socks and tennis shoes were soaked.
You can see a few of the penguins in this shot.
This Carol, she is one of the other 2 Americans on this trip. She is from Vermont and is a nurse as is her traveling coworker, Valerie.
Ken and I at the beach. Deciding where we will go for lunch.
The water is cold and the surfers and kids are still in the water. Brisk waves.
The view from our hotel room here in ConCon Chile.
And the sunset as well on this day the 12th of March, 2017
Monday, March 13, 2017
Ride from ConCon to Renaca and Valparasio
Today's ride was a chilly one. Ken stayed in the hotel to continue to recover from his cold. We are stopping to see some protected Sand Dunes and some protected Sea Lions.
On the way back to the hotel - we had head winds. Again still overcast and chilly in Chile. The whole ride is along the coast, so waves are crashing along the way.
Enjoying the sunset view. ConCon Chile at the Radisson Acqua Hotel & Spa.
The waves were crashing along the shore throughout this entire ride.
We had fun watching them try to get up on the rocks. On the left you see them just getting on the rocks or still in the water. Some would get up on the edge and a wave would knock them back down. Of those 800, there are only 4 Bull males in charge. They each have about 200 females, but only mate with 8-10 of them. Should she produce a male, unless it is extremely hearty and of great size, the adult male will kill them to preserve his spot. The females have been known to leave with their pup to another location.
A good example of the crashing waves. There were even surfers in this at another location..
This is Raphael, one of our guides. He is also a Marine Biologist.
Carol wanted a picture of this marina, thought is was colorful. Carol and her friend Val along with us were the only Americans on this trip. The other 16 (a group of 12 and of 4) were all Canadians.
A sundial along the coast in ConCon Chile.
March 14, 2017 - Tuesday
Casablanca Valley to the Eucalyptus Forest.
Casablanca Wine Region
Chile has a different variety of palms - Chilean Wine Palms in this area. They have a smooth dark bark and reach a medium height of 40 feet. But can reach a height of 80 feet +. This did not become a wine region until 1980 the valley was found to have a unique climate with cool mornings due to fog generated from the nearby ocean.
The beginning of our ride. Bikes lined up and ready to go.
Ken's first day of riding after three days of rest.
Many vineyards in this area.
Horseman exercising and practicing with their horses. I should have stopped to do a short video. They were really doing some neat maneuvers with their horses.
Yes we headed in the direction of Casablanca.
Ken at the treat table with Rafael one of our leaders and Rodrigo one of our drivers.
Ken tasting to compare..... he really does not like wine, so more for me.
This is the entrance road to the Kingston Family Winery. Carl John Kingston immigrated to Chile from Michigan in 1918 in pursuit of gold.. The properties are still in the family. Once a ranch, they started the windery about 15 years ago and doing well.
The rose bushes at the end of the rows serve a purpose. they will show evidence of disease before the grape vines will. They are susceptible to the same diseases. So if the rose bushes begin to look unhealthy they have time to treat the vineyard.
This young man conducted our wine tasting. and yes we used all of those glasses - as we had 4 different wines to taste. He is from Maryland, doing an intership in business and organic farming while here.
Lee, Valerie and Carol.
Randy, Neil and Jim sharing the crunchies, while Shirley is tasting her wine.
Our next hotel - The Casa Real and the Santa Rita Winery.
Built in 1888. History tells us 120 Patriots coming to this ranch home in the time of the revolution. They were seeking safety. Rita, the woman of the ranch hid them in the wine cellar. The entrance hallway as we came into Casa Real, The properties are considered a National Monument. Beautiful gardens.
This chapel was built by the original owners at the Casa Real so his daughter had a church to be married in. Yes it is next to the house/hotel.
Swans in one of the many ponds.
This is the Grecian bath. There is also a French garden.
This is the chapel from the outside.
Ken and I taking a break in one of the gardens.
A side view of the chapel and a peek at the stairway to the veranda.
Too much light in this photo, but just an example of one of the rose gardens.
Table set for our dinner tonight at Casa Real.
March 15, 2017 - Wednesday - our final ride.
Heading out for our final ride.
A last look at the vineyards with the rose bushes standing guard.
The Carmenere grape was lost in europe in 1863 to an insect the Phylloxera aphid. Destroyed all the grapes by 1870. Some were grafted to American rootstock that was impervious to the insect.
The Carmenere grape was discovered in Chile in 1994 in the Santa Rita Vineyards.
Left to Right - Luis (guide), Edmundo (driver), Rafael (guide), and Rodrigo (driver).
Some of the group helping to prepare our lunch - the last lunch as a group.
A group picture with all of us.
I try to get the flag of each nation we go to. Here is the Chilean flag.
This is at the Casa Real. A Bougainvillea - they say the largest in South America. Beautiful tree.
Our afternoon antics -- blending our own wine. 3 teams - taste 5 different wines, rank them and decide in what portions to blend some or all 5 wines to make our own. The wine maker then decided on who won for the best taste. Ken's team won.
This was the team I was on.
One of our two worksheets to make our decisions.
Adele, Shirley and Heather creating our blend.
Helen putting a cork in it. We each got to fill a bottle with our own blend. (Ken's finger in the way).
Group members waiting to hear who is the winner - well the team calling themselves "Winners".
A degree of dissapointment that we did not win. We also came home with the aprons.
March 16, 2017 - Thursday - Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama.
This transfer will be a bus ride to Santiago airport - 2 hour flight to Calama and then a 90 minute bus ride to San Pedro de Atacama for our post trip adventure.
So as we look out of our window at the Altiplantico Hotel. I think this is probably the nicest hotel in this desert village. Yes this is a village. No paved roads. There are excursions planned forthe next two days. Oh and this peacock left a deposit on our patio table.
Our room - Comfortable - they were in the process of updating their rooms, Ours had not yet been through that.
The front door of our final destination hotel.
The entrance gate to the compound. To get to other restaurants, stores and shops, they were all within walking distance.
March 17, 2017 - Friday Excursions.
Archeological tour of Quitor and Tulor
Quitor - panoramic view from up high.
The mountains all around. Below is a trench dug to help get water to where it is needed and to drain off when it rains. It seldom does and the ground it not prepared for waterfall, but yes it rained while we were there.
Picture from up high at Quitor national monument. This is pre-Inca fortress.
The group making their way down from the high point. Kind of steep. I came down ahead so I did not hold anyone up.
Housing from the past that has been excavated. This is Tulor.
One house was for cooking and living and the other for storage. This is a fire pit for cooking.
A view from the door. You could see the mountains, but they did not show up in this picture very well.
Dried cactus wood, used for a variety of things. Very strong.
We stopped at a small farm for a snack and a walk through their properties/garden/farm. They had goats and these darling llamas.
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He sneezed and it made me jump. Hence my hands in this position.
As we were leaving the farm, There was this area with very old things. I think this is a scale. I took this picture for our neighbor Ben Smith.
Here is the full bench of things. This picture if for my Mom as there is an old typewriter in this picture.
This starts our afternoon excursion to Tulor.
A Panoramic view of the scene from the top of the landscape. That is Ken on the left in the bright yellow shirt.
You can see the people climb up this one view point.
A Panoramic view in the opposite direction.
You can see the mountains immediately behind me and a second group beyond.
This naturally occurring structure is called the three Marys'. The indigenous people considered this a holy site. They would come here to pray. The white you see is salt.
The mountains and structures were pretty awesome.
These are volcanoes. The one on the left was doing a little puffing. What you see right now is a cloud resting at the top. I have a couple of pictures later that you might be able to see the puffs.
Part of todays' travels was to get to this spot for sunset. The road to get here had been washed out some by the rain they don't usually get. It was a little scary as the bus did it's rock and roll. Felt like we might tip a time or two. But the sunset was worth it. 
Ken with the volcanoes behind him.
Ken and I toasting with champagne supplied by the tour leader after the sunset viewing. I think it was an apology for the rough road getting here.
These are all of the people who all came to this site to see the sunset.
March 18, 2017 - Saturday
Toconao Village Church
Little birds at the National Flamingo reserve at the Atacama Salt Flats.
There are two different kinds of Flamingos here. This was the only breed close enough to get a shot of. They eat the little "shrimp' and the salt that gives them their pink color.
A couple of flamingos in flight.
Peggy and Shirley coming back in from the salt flats.
Another view of the volcanoes.
View of a couple of the volcanoes.
This is one of two lagoons at this site. Elevation,was 13,860 ft. Yep a little up there. We really had no time to acclimate to this heights. Most everyone at least had a slight headache or upset stomach. I got to a panic point feeling like I could not breath. Ken got my attention and told me to breath, slow down and breath. The feeling stayed with me for a bit.
Such a beautiful sight.
Guanaca herd along the road
Volcano that has had it's top blown off from a previous eruption.
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