Sabbatikos

The Covid-19 pandemic put SABBATIKOS on hiatus for a few years. While we’ve taken a few trips since our last post in spring of 2019 (for example, a return to Iceland in 2022 for the 2-year delayed Iceland Airwaves music festival, and a post-lockdown graduation trip to Ireland), here marks the return of SABBATIKOS documenting our family’s travels and adventures.

Thirty three years ago, while in college, I traveled to Chile with my father, (Santiago, Puerto-Montt, Patagonia, and Tierra Del Fuego) as a film student schlepping my 16mm Bolex camera along with me as I worked on my senior thesis film: “Película Patagonia.” I’ve always wanted to return.

Fast forward, now with a family of my own, the opportunity to return arose and we jumped at it.

We arrived in Santiago about 6am on Friday, March 1st, 2024 from LAX. We initially struggled to get through immigration, but once through we were quickly whisked away to our hotel where we were allowed an early check-in to our room to shower, change, and prepare to head out into the Santiago summer…

We started our journey by taking an Uber to Cerro San Cristóbal where we quickly grabbed a few empanadas.

We bought tickets for the funicular to the top of Cerro San Cristóbal to see the statue of the Immaculate Conception and the spectacular views of Santiago from the top of the hill.

We took the gondola down from San Cristóbal Hill and caught another Uber to take us to Gran Torre Santiago–the tallest building in South America. We took the elevator to the 61st floor observation deck (the 62nd floor observation deck as closed for a private event and pretty much saw the same view we saw from San Cristóbal Hill–but paid a lot more for it!). While both views are spectacular I’d suggest not doing both back-to-back, but perhaps spread them across several days.

We returned to our hotel for a quick rest (and change of shoes) before heading back out for a happy hour drink before dinner. We walked from the Ritz Carlton towards, Isidore Goyenechea Avenue where there are ample restaurants and bars we thought we could find a drink and snack at. But it was just past 16:00 hours (4pm) and while all the bars and restaurants were packed, none would allow us to sit and imbibe, as they all stop serving at 4pm, close for a few hours, and reopen at 19:00 (7pm) hours. Bar after bar turned us away. We had heard about the rooftop bar on the W Hotel, Red2One, which had been recommended. However, reception told us we needed to have a reservation and we found there were none available for the next 3 weeks! So, we headed the the lobby bar where they made a very respectable Pisco Sour, (the official/semi-official national drink of Chile depending on whom you ask!) our first–as well as our second–of what will sure to be many Pisco Sours while in Chile. It was really good!

We had spent much for our time between sight-seeing trying to schedule some winery tours (but not on a large tour bus to some of the mega wineries in Chile, such as Concha Y Toro or Undurraga–both fine wineries, actually, but we were looking for a more intimate and private experience.) It proved incredibly difficult. Clearly the industry here is geared towards organized tours. It was very difficult to schedule our own appointments (reservations are required, walk-ins are not accommodated, and due to new pandemic rules, reservations much be paid in advance and can’t be booked by your concierge–although your private car and driver can be). After much trial and tribulation we were able to line up two wineries: Santa Rita and Haras De Pirque, with an option to possibly visit Viña El Principal.

After we finally landed our wine tours for Monday we paid our bill and moved a few blocks to our dinner reservation at the steakhouse La Cabrera, which proved ginormously portioned but absolutely delicious: