Our hotel (Sheraton) in Santiago.

A view of the nearby Andes from the hotel.

Getting oriented in Santiago (Jean with our friends Greg and Vicki).

Tourist information comes to you in Santiago. Inside this mobile booth is a Segway personal transporter.

Exploring the metro in Santiago.

The old and new sit side-by-side in Santiago.

Catedral Metropolitana at the Plaza de Armas (central Santiago). The pedestal on top of the building held a statue which toppled during the 8.8 magnitude earthquake last February. The epicenter was about 200 miles south of Santiago, but was felt as far away as Argentina and Peru.

Catedral Metropolitana at the Plaza de Armas (central Santiago).

Local artists selling their works at Plaza de Armas (central Santiago)

Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (Santiago)

Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (Santiago)

Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (Santiago)

Time out at one of the many coffee bars in Santiago.

Checking out Mercado Central (the Central Market), Santiago

Fruits for sale at Mercado Central.

Exotic sea food options at Mercado Central

The Mercado Central includes a giant "food court" with many restaurant options. This is especially good for sea food lovers.

The outdoor church in Parque Metropolitano at the top of Cerro San Cristobal.

Statue of Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepcion at the outdoor church.

Sunset view of Santiago from Cerro San Cristobal. The Andes are in the background. Santiago is subject to fog and smog as it sits in a valley between the Andes and a coastal mountain range.

Enroute to Valparaiso, we were in the wine region of Chile

Matetic Vineyard

Recently established (1990's), the Matetic Vineyard featured modern architecture as well as an efficient layout for wine production.

Matetic Vineyard