Santiago is a nice city, very European in feel. It reminded me a lot of Rome or Athens (but with fewer pickpockets and hustlers). Below is a view of the main cathedral, partly mirrored against a modern building next door.
Santiago prepares for Christmas. For a northerner like me, there's something incongruous about having Christmas in the midst of the summer heat and sun, but such is like in the southern hemisphere.
Our most interesting outing near Santiago was to visit the well-known Concha y Toro winery south of Santiago.
Here again, Christmas was in full swing with a nativity scene:
We had a great guide named Christian, who's in the red shirt in the center of the leftmost picture below. On the right is a view of the very charming winery grounds.
One of their better-known brands is "Casillero del Diablo", or "Cellar of the Devil". This originates from the owner finding some of his private reserve wine having been stolen, so he started a rumor that the Devil himself was lurking in one of his cellars. The place was plenty creepy, but the Prince of Darkness did not appear...
Let's head west of Santiago toward Valparaiso!
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