It’d be a sin to stop in Mendoza and not go wine tasting. Since Dad and I would do nothing of the sort, we booked the best tour in town with Trout and Wine. We were treated to an all-day private tour with a wonderful English-speaking guide who accompanied us to four local vineyards that served us their top shelf and a fabulous lunch.
While my dad was in Santiago, we decided to escape the city for a few days, so he could see other parts of South America. We took a 6-hour bus ride across the Andes to Mendoza, Argentina — a quiet wine town set in beautiful country. It was a great trip for us to explore a place we had never been before, together.
My dad pointed out every stray dog, many of whom were sporting very stylish winter sweaters — thanks to the concerned Chilean public. He seemed pleasantly surprised that people never exited the elevator without saying goodbye or “chau.” And he laughed when he saw that every restaurant served hot dogs … and mayonnaise. As he noticed all these little things that have become so “regular” in my life, I realized just how much I have learned and adjusted in Santiago.
