You Know You’re in Chile When…

When your country is 2,653 miles long, a lot changes from the far north to the deep south. Going from glacier-riddled Patagonia through the volcano country of Pucón, bustling Santiago, quirky Valparaíso, to the driest desert in the world, we loved the extremes of Chile. Though with a place so geographically and culturally diverse, “Chilean” can be a little hard to put your finger on. However, here are some tell tale signs…

You know you are in Chile when…

- Hikers would forgo a sleeping pad just to make room for their maté kit (above)
- You can ski, surf and golf in the same day
- Icebergs are the preferred method to chill your cocktails

- Backpackers cross into your country just to stock up on peanut butter
- A bowl of seafood stew has more creatures than an aquarium
- Chilean talk so fast, you’d think they were rapping

- A town encourages graffiti but it better be good (aka Valparaíso)
- Your hills and connecting staircases are so steep and windy, the world’s most extreme urban mountain bike race is held here annually
- Guanacos have as many rights as a sacred cow in India

- People will pose anywhere, for anyone, for anything—especially their camera phone.
- A coffee break involves short skirts and pole dancing (aka Santiago’s coffee with legs)
- You can take a subway to wine country

- A hot dog isn’t one item on the menu, it has its own section and arrives with 5+ toppings and on a plastic pedestal
- A bartender’s skill is measured by the quality of his Pisco Sours
- The go-to refreshment consists of an ear of corn and canned whole peaches in your cup

- To make it across the northern border you’ll need a passport and an oxygen tank at the ready
- The sky is so clear and dry NASA star gazes here
- There are so many volcanoes, you forget about them until they start spewing smoke or lava

Have you ever been to Chile? Can you relate to any of the wacky things above?