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Geographically,
Chile has to be one of the strangest countries in the world. Over
2,600 miles long yet on the average hardly more than 100 miles wide,
Chile is sandwiched between a rock and wet place: the Andes mountains
and the Pacific Ocean. The northern part is mostly bleak desert and
worlds away from the lush Lake District that begins at Temuco and
extends south to Puerto Montt. From Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas near
the southern tip of the continent, Chile is a sparsely populated archipelago
reaching into Chilean Patagonia. I changed planes in the capital of
Santiago, but otherwise saw nothing of the city. I went directly to
Temuco, where I rented a car and spent the next five days meandering
through the Lake District, past massive, snow-capped volcanoes, pristine
lakes, lush green farms and fields covered with flowers. I eventually
made my way to Puerto Montt, where I boarded a plane and flew almost
another 1,000 miles south to Punta Arenas on the Straits of Magellan.
From Punta Arenas, I started working my way north to Puerto Natales,
Torres del Paine National Park, the Serrano Glacier and eventually
into Argentina. Torres del Paine was a fabulous experience that I
highly recommend for anyone interested in hiking or sheer scenic splendor.
Compared to Ecuador, Perϊ and Bolivia, Chile is highly developed,
though in the Lake District one still sees dairy farmers making their
way along the roads in horse-drawn wagons. The hotels meet a high
standard, the seafood is very good and Chilean wines are well known
for their quality -- what more could one ask for in the midst of such
natural beauty? If you've visited Chile, please fill out a Travelers'
Report and share your experiences with those planning to go.
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