ChileAn Essential Guide to

By: Doyles James Barton

Located on South America’s most Westernrim, Chile’s extraordinary geography ranges

from green meadows reminiscent of theBritish Isles to breathtaking nature scenes

that rival the Scandinavian fjords in Norway,Sweden and Iceland.

Cities ranging fromSantiago to PuntaArenas, Chile offers alittle bit of everythingfor visitors that areinterested inexploring thedesolate naturescenes to gaining abetter understandingof how Spanishcolonizationcontinues to shapeChilean society inmodern times.

The narrow strip of land known as modern dayChile is home to the arid Atacama Desert, Andes

mountains and the precious national treasurealluring thousands of visitors from around the

world, Patagonia. A wide, sparsely populated regionof Southern Chile, Patagonia encompasses theColorado rivers, Andes mountains, steppes and

grasslands which are collectively offering theperfect, rugged terrain for adventurers hungry for a

hiking challenge.

Within Patagonia itself, outdoor explorers are usuallydrawn to national landmarks such as Torres del PaineNational Park, Glacier Grey and Catedral de Marmol

which are the most glorious, photogenic naturalscenes.

Since seafood is a major part of the Patagonian diet,trying specialties such as daily trout, crab, salmon

and mussels are all often incorporated in daily mealsthroughout the region. As Chile is a top wine

producer in South America, accompanying anyseafood meal with wines such as Chardonnays andCabernet Sauvignons is the perfect way to get the

full cultural experience after a day long hike.

In terms of communication, it is importantto remember being cognizant of the local

ways of speaking and other social cues area good patagonia national parkway to notonly assimilate into the local culture, but

also experience the country around you inthe best possible light.

Even if you do not speak any Spanish, littlegreetings or formalities are still a really nice

way to communicate with waiters, hotelstaff and other locals. Some polite sayings tokeep in mind as you travel throughout Chile

are “buenos días” (“hello”), “por favor”(“please”), and “gracias” (“thank you”).