Vina del Mar has the reputation of being the glamourous playground of the wealthy and is often referred to the Chilean Riviera.

Our guests usually leave only one day to Valparaiso and go on a cruise, but in our opinion there are plenty of things to do and gems to discover onshore just by strolling from Vina del Mar to Valparaiso, then dancing the night away at the bars and clubs in town.

The key here is to soak up the picturesque coastal town atmosphere, strolling in the backstreets and seeing where the day takes you .

The flower clock, the museum and the botanical garden in Vina del Mar, are the must see´s, but if you have no idea where to start, here´s my list of our favourite tucked away gems and things to do in Valparaiso-Vina del Mar..

Not so common things to do in Valparaiso or Vina Del Mar.

:: For New Year´s Eve :: Don’t do as the locals do who watch this popular spectacle on TV. Get up early and stake out a place somewhere along the coast of Valparaiso or Vina Del Mar. At 3min past midnight, the sky explodes in the biggest fireworks displayed in all Latin America. Book accommodation way in advance.

:: Go to Pablo Neruda´s House:: ¨La Sebastiana¨ in Valparaiso, Chile,where he wrote all those famous love poems. Tuesdays to Sundays, 10.10 AM to 6 PM, CLP $3.500 per adult. Down “Ferrari” Streer, on Bella Vista hill.

:: Outdoor Market :: If you like perusing flea markets for antiques and collectables, Vina Del Mar holds a large outdoor fleamarket right in front of the main flower clock tourist spot in ¨Las Salinas¨ on Sundays and public holidays. 10am to 5pm.

::Horse carriages:: See the city lights in an old style horse carriage called ¨Las Victorias¨ along Plaza Vergara and Plaza Colombia around the corner from our Valparaiso Villa holiday house, in Vina del Mar, Chile. Short ride CLP$6,000 or long ride CLP$12,000.

:: See a smaller scale authentic Moai statue:: It was brought from the Easter Island in 1951 to Vina del Mar, Chile, and is standing besides the Francisco Fonck Museum, Nº 784, 4 Norte, open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 6pm. Sundays and holidays 10:00 to 2pm.

::Wharf:: Take a stroll on the wharf and check out the catch before dining in one of the many restaurants with a view overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Caleta Higuerilla Av. Borgoño,Viña del Mar, Chile.

::Go for a salsa dancing lesson:: At salsa club La Piedra Feliz (The Happy Stone). The fun starts at 10pm on Thursdays. Errazuriz 1054, Valparaiso.Chile. Ph:(32) 256788. http://lapiedrafeliz.cl

::Go for a midsummer nights dip:: At glamourous Renaca beach, Viña del Mar, specifically at ¨El Cementerio¨ the jetset hangout area on the beach.

::Sea Lions:: Take a hike out on the rocks on the coastal road linking Reñaca and Concón at the Mirador Lobos Marinos (Sea Lion Lookout) where you can meet some local sea lions. It is not easy but it´s worth it. Avenida Borgoña Viña del Mar, Chile.

::Try an ¨empanada¨:: The national savoury pastry snack filled with mince meat, egg and olives, at any corner bakery.

::Rioja Palace:: (Palacio Rioja). Get dressed up and visit this French style Palace which is now an environmental museum and cinema. It is located on one of the Vina del Mar’s main streets “Quillota”. Open Hours10am-2pm, 3pm-6pm Mon-Sun. Ph.+ 56 32 883322.

::Sports Club:: Parque Sausalito (Sausalito Park ) is an excellent place for the more active tourist wanting to fit in a bit of tennis, swimming, jogging even a bit of shooting practice. Avenida Sausalito Viña del Mar, Chile. Open 24 hrs.

::Valparaiso Sporting Club:: Enjoy a day at the races. At a very English style Derby day the first Sunday of every February. The first Derby Day, based on the British race, was held in 1885. On Saturday before the race, the traditional antique cars parade takes place through the streets of Viña del Mar, with the Queen of the Derby making a special guest appearance in the parade. Los Castaños 404, Vina del Mar, Chile.

When going about your daily life, you want to know exactly what to do in unfamiliar situations to save face and time. So, here are a few tips:

In some shops and chemists you have to line up to take a number and then line up to pay at the cash register (caja). This applies at PreUnic chains, chemists and at some snackshops.

Bear in mind the word ¨snack shops¨ means a licenced drinking and eating place. Also, the word ¨nightclubs¨ means a brothel. To have a drink and dance you go to a “Discoteque” or a “Pub”.

You´ve done a good deed for the day if you tip the teenagers who put your stuff in bags at the shopping centre, usually about CLP$100 , as they are not getting paid.

When shopping at large supermarkets like Lider, Jumbo or Monserrat near our bed and breakfast, you get your bread or fruit weighed and tagged by the attendant before going to the register.

To get served at a delicatessen within the supermarket, you take a number and wait for your turn. The check out operator at the front of the supermarket will usually ask if you want to make a donation taken from your change, to donate to a certain charity organization.

Usually only give a tip of 10% in restaurants if it is not already added to your bill.

Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but if you want to, they´ll certainly accept it!

Hi everyone,
This year we went down to the local park Inez de Suarez, Providencia, Santiago, to celebrate Independence day and took some photos. We had some ¨churros¨ which are doughy sweet sticks covered with icing sugar, tried some Chicha (sweet fermented wine) and had a dance to ¨La Cueca¨ under the Chilean Flags. I hope you enjoy this video of that night;)

At the southwest corner of the Plaza de Armas (Santiago´s main square), there is a lively pedestrian walkway called Paseo Ahumada, it is a good place to get a feel for life in downtown Santiago.

If you would like to exchange your money to the local currency it is a short walk to Agustinas Street, where most of the “Exchange Houses” are located.

Following one trip downtown, one of our guests John, went to an exchange house, and that evening he arrived at Casa Newen very enthusiastic. According to him he had discovered a very exiting Coffee Shop, where all the pretty waitresses were in mini skirt!… and the coffee was very good as well.

“Café Haiti” located at Paseo Ahumada, has maintained its position as the icon of Santiago´s coffee shops, for half a century. Its shops do not have tables or chairs, only a big bar, were hundreds of clients enjoy its unique ‘espresso’… and of course what the generous neck line and mini skirt reveals!
Another similar style coffee shop is Café Caribe.

There are other “Cafés con Piernas” only suitable for adult men.

It’s that time of the year again! but this time we have promised to get all our Christmas presents on time for the family’s children, and believe us, we are a large family!

So we decided to get some bargains at the little shops close to “El Mercado Central” and have the chance to eat a good sized plate of fresh sea food …“erizos al matico”, after finishing our shopping spree.

You can feel that summer has already arrived, these last few days have been very hot, a maximum of 32° and people are rushing to get their presents.

Fortunately our “Metro” (Subway) is very fast. So from Manuel Montt Metro station to Universidad de Chile, there are only five stations, to get to “El Paseo Ahumada” or down town Santiago. While passing through “Plaza de Armas” you can see posters that read “Christmas is coming, don`t forget its real meaning”…

Close to the “Plaza de Armas” we can see, as an oasis in a desert, a cart selling our traditional beverage “Mote con Huesillos”, a typical Chilean non alcoholic drink and dessert. It is boiled sun-dried peaches (huesillo) with sugar, mixed with husked wheat (mote). The cool sweet flavored water and the wheat is mixed in a glass with the peaches … Oh so refreshing!

Casa Newen Bed and Breakfast whishes everybody a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Luis & Adda Carvajal-Labourdette

Every house in Chile is dressed in white, blue and red. Our national flag waved of joy at Casa Newen. September has woken up with music and flavour…the 18th is coming and we will celebrate our Independence Day with “empanadas” and “cuecas”.

Our souls step to their own dance and the kites graciously race to touch the sky.
With barbecues, “empanadas” and a beautiful glass of red wine on the 18th of September.

While couples dance the “cueca”, the children are busy kicking the ball…
The “asado” is ready! everyone to the table we are going to toast :
For our Independence Day and democracy!! Without it we couldn`t celebrate. It would be like an “empanada” without the filling or a barbecue without a glass of red wine.

¡Viva el 18 de Septiembre!

Casa Newen Bed and Breakfast

About three weeks ago, for the first time ever we had snow in Providencia were our bed and breakfast is located. It was wonderful to see Casa Newen dressed up in white. The previous days we had very low temperature (-4), it was very unusual in Santiago.

For the snow field lovers, we have great news! The skiing season will extend until October. So, we invite you to see our beautiful skiing fields that are 45 minutes from Santiago.

Also this morning, the blooming cherries trees in our street announce us the beginning of spring!

Adda and Luis, Casa Newen Bed And Breakfast

According to the experts, culture shock is simply a common way to describe the confusing and nervous feelings a person may have after leaving a familiar culture to visit or live in a new and different culture.

Generally when tourists visit a new place they are excited about a new adventure. However not being able to understand what people are saying is almost as frustrating as not knowing how to make people understand what you are saying. It’s a good idea to learn key words of the foreign language before visiting a new country.

It might make you uncomfortable when it takes you twice as long to say the same thing as a native speaker, or use the wrong word, but remember that if you are visiting Chile you have nothing to worry about, Chilean people are very helpful and friendly.

Some times our upbringing has made it difficult for us to accept other customs and believes. When we do accept the diversity of our own culture, we’ll be more open to accept the universal diversity and the globalization within the diversity. So, rather than giving up your culture so you can fit in, keep your mind open to new ways of doing and thinking about things. Notice things that are the same and things that are different. Appreciating that variety is what makes people so interesting.

Remember, the key to getting over your culture shock is understanding the new culture and finding a way to live comfortably within it while keeping true to the parts of your culture that you value.

The Passenger

Right now in Chile we are celebrating our “Semana Santa”. Casa Newen would like to wish all Chileans and travellers to our beautiful South American country a happy “Semana Santa”.

Luis & Adda Carvajal Labourdette

With Chile ushering in a new bus transport system in february 2007, travellers to Santiago as well as our own guests to Casa Newen Bed and Breakfast are having to learn about the new system called “Transantiago” which replaces the old choatic yellow buses that plagued Santiago with excessive noise, pollution and wild bus drivers!

With the majority of people happy to get rid of the old bus system, there are know new routes and bus stops to get where your going, There is also a new “bip!” transport card, which is the only way to board the new buses using their card swipe system.

Once you have located a “bip!” card seller (usually at your closest Metro station) you can purchase the new card for $1000 Chilean pesos. Each ride costs $370 Chilean pesos and lasts for 1hr and 30 minutes. Now you can use the new transport system which includes access to the Metro using your “bip!” card.

But how do you know where you are going? Well Transantiago has each area of Santiago in a different bus colour, which will only travel inside that specific area. For example you know you are in Providencia if you see an orange bus.

If you wish to travel to another area of Santiago you must board the special green buses which work as connections to other routes

Below i have printed all the colored routes and hopefully the next time you are in Santiago you will know how to get around!

Area “B” Color “Red” Section “Independencia, Huechuraba, Quilicura, Recoleta, Conchali y Renca”

Area “D” Color “Yellow” Section “Penalolen, La Reina, Macul y Nunoa”

Area “F” Color “Purple” Section “Puente Alto”

Area “H” Color “Pink” Section “Pedro Aguirre Cerda, San Joaquin, San Miguel y Lo Espejo”

Area “J” Color “Silver” Section “Quinta Normal, Cerro Navia, Pudahuel y Lo Prado”

If you read spanish you can get further information at the official Transantiago site at www.transantiago.cl