From the world’s driest desert in the north to the cold glaciers of the South East, this sliver of a country has geysers, volcanoes, lakes, islands, hot springs, steppes, forests, fjords, canals and beaches to its credit. One of the most prosperous in South America, Chileans refer to their nation as the country of poets. And as you drive across the dunes of Atacama desert, ski the slopes of the Cordillera, watch a majestic Andean condor fly high above, or stand next to the mysterious moai on Easter Island, it isn’t hard to see why. To get under Chilean skin read Isabel Allende’s ‘House of the Spirits’, watch ‘El Chacotero Sentimental’ by Christian Galaz and listen to Victor Jara or local artiste Nicole.
Information
Capital: Santiago
Official Languages: Spanish
Government: Republic
Currency: Chilean Peso
Time Zone: -4:00 GMT (8½ hrs behind India)
Telephone Calling Code: 0056
When to Visit
Best time to visit: September to December (spring). The average temperature in Chile is 15.0°C. The highest monthly average temperature is 30°C in January and the lowest monthly average low temperature is 3°C in July.
What to Eat and Drink
Chilean cuisine consists of lots of meat, rice and potatoes, fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood. Spanish and Amerindian influences have given Chile several corn-based dishes. German immigrants brought rich pastries and cakes, Italians brought ices, while Arab immigrants brought spices and herbs and the British brought tea.
What to eat and drink
Empanadas fritas: Fried pasties with spiced, minced beef
Pastel de Choclo: Corn casserole with meat stuffing
Empanada de queso: Pastry filled with cheese
Hotdog or completo: A sandwich with mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, tomato, mashed avocado, sauerkraut and chili
Choripán: Bread with chorizo, a highly-seasoned pork sausage
Cazuela: Homemade stew with beef, chicken, corn, rice and potatoes
Asado: Barbecue of beef, pork or chicken
Reineta, Congrio, Corvina: Typical varieties of fish
Centolla: King crab with tender meat of reddish color
Pisco sour: Brandy with lemon juice and sugar, with a froth of egg white
Mistral beer
What to Buy
Copper wear, jewellery or
artifacts made of lapis lazuli, emboque, a Chilean game made of wood, Indio picaro (wooden sculptures), Moai souviners, soccer jerseys, home-made chocolates, Andean jewellery, charango (traditional guitar), shoes and clothes.
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