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We have made it to country 8 and are currently in Mendoza, Argentina and thoroughly enjoying the eating and drinking delights on offer.
The Senior Hiles' spent a wonderful 6 days with 'Hiles Tours' (later renamed 'Hiles Adventures' after some close calls...) and we loved every minute. It was odd but wonderful to meet them at the airport and we spent our time exploring Santiago followed by a trip to Vina del Mar and Valparaiso on the coast before returning to Santiago and some good old winetasting.
As experienced guides our tip requirements were only moderate but all the guiding made us very hungry and thirsty so Mum and Dad's credit cards were well exercised too!
Keen to show the parents the sights and sounds of Santiago we had booked into the 'party district' of the city and it lived up to its name. Things quieten down around 6am..... We did our British best to keep up, dining on the streets at midnight but that was as far as things went. It was also noted that our alcohol consumption increased sharply under the influence of the Senior Hiles'!
Valparaiso was like visiting the Bristol of South America so we loved it. Lots of hills, fabulous street art (i may have to begrudgingly admit they outdid Brizzle on this...), a port and cloud.
While managing to take in most of Chile's main food and drink stuffs we are still waiting our first Terremoto (Spanish for Earthquake) a bizarre concoction of cold, cheap white wine, Fernet and and large scoop of Pineapple ice-cream?!
The winetasting has been great and a definite highlight was visiting the Underraga Vinyard (our wedding fizz) and seeing the very vines they used for our wine!
Sadly Mum and Dad have moved on (quickly) now and are cooling down in Southern Chile but Dad is delighted to be able to now give us the tips and to tick a few boxes before us :)
We came over the border to Argentina and have continued the wine tour by cycling through the Maipu valley visiting vinyards, olive groves and artesan choccie makers. We head back to Chile tomorrow and continue the winetasting in the Colchagua valley a few hours south of Santiago before moving on to the Lakes District.
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