“A lot of people think that being a writer, a poet, Pablo Neruda would be boring or stuffy,” says Gonzalo, my tour guide at the home of Chile’s most celebrated writer, who won the Nobel prize for literature in 1971. “But that’s not true. He was a cool guy. He was a party guy.” The…
Tag: latin america
Arriving in Santiago de Chile, and all is well
Santiago’s airport is up and running fine. It’s 8am, and I’m sitting on a private balcony at the foot of the Parque Metropolitano, a verdant, hilly city park in Santiago de Chile. I’ve just checked into the Hotel Aubrey, a new luxury boutique hotel set in a former private mansion. I’ve just landed in Chile’s…
Cecilia Noel’s Favorite Restaurants in Lima — and What You Should NEVER Eat
If you enjoyed Peruvian singer Cecilia Noel’s recommendations for live music in Lima Peru (see my previous post), you won’t want to miss her “quick picks” for best restaurants and drinks.Noel also shares her insider tip on what you should always avoid when dining in Peru. Find out what it is in the full article…
Cecilia Noel’s 4 Hotspots for Live Music in Lima
Peruvian singer Cecilia Noel’s personality is so vibrant and warm that it saturates her telephone calls and e-mail; in my limited interaction with her, Noel’s enthusiastic tones and friendly words like “sweetheart” and “my dear Mark,” made even this lowly writer feel like someone special. It’s no surprise that this positive force works well in…
My Guatemala feature, in Business Traveler Magazine
Interesting angles at the recently refurbished La Aurora International Airport, in Guatemala City. If you’ve been following my blog since I started it earlier this year, you know that I spent several days in Guatemala back in January, on assignment for multiple media outlets. I posted several stories, photos and videos about Guatemala right here on…
Best Airline Uniform in the Hemisphere: Avianca
The Avianca flight attendant uniform: Winner of the LatinFlyer.com best uniform award. BY MARK CHESNUTIt’s been a long time since walking into an airline terminal meant entering a world of jet-set glamour. But one airline in Latin America has kept a bit of the stylish side of flight: Avianca. And whether you’re in the midst…
Montevideo’s Architectural Treasures: Headed for Landmark Status?
The glistening tower of the Comando General de la Armada, with the Mercado Central in the foreground. Uruguay’s capital city may be smaller than Buenos Aires and carry less of a jet-set image than Punta del Este, but it’s laden with interesting and diverse architecture that some feel should warrant UNESCO World Heritage ranking. Peek…
Shopping and Sleeping in Colonia, Uruguay
Founded in 1680 by Portugal as Colónia do Sacramento, what is commonly called simply Colonia is a quick and comfortable 45-minute ferry ride from Buenos Aires, Argentina — it’s easy enough to visit that some people do it as a day trip from Buenos Aires, or else as a stopover en route to Montevideo and…
HOTEL REVIEW: Trompe L’Oeil at the Novotel Buenos Aires
You’re not seeing things: Patio 378, the restaurant at the Novotel Buenos Aires. If perhaps you’ve had a few drinks at the hotel bar, you might be forgiven for thinking that you’re seeing things when you stroll over to Patio 378, the restaurant at the Novotel Buenos Aires. But what you see is what you…
HOTEL REVIEW: Faena Hotel + Universe (part 2) After Dark
El Bistro. On Friday night, the Faena Hotel + Universe proved to me that you don’t need to leave the property to have a night out on the town (and also why locals and celebrities alike flock to this stylish hotel; recent guests include Beyonce and Cold Play, and we’re missing the arrival of Guns…
HOTEL REVIEW: Faena Hotel + Universe (part 1)
The dramatic entry gallery. It seems like there is a reason why Faena Hotel + Universe calls itself not just a hotel, but a “universe.” It is, at the very least, a different world. I checked in yesterday afternoon, as part of a group with Borello Travel & Tours, and from the start you can…
Ford Falcon: The Legendary Car of Argentina
Buenos Aires is a bustling metropolis, its streets congested with bulbous Peugeots, darting black-and-yellow taxis and hissing buses with whitewall tires. But perhaps the most Argentine of all vehicles is a creation that was born in the United States but found a much longer life here: The Ford Falcon. This stalwart model, produced by Ford…
The Perfect Food? Argentine Empanadas
The shape is the key to the content: (Clockwise, from top) beef, chicken, ham and cheese I’m not exactly the hardest person to please when it comes to cuisine. Often, the simplest dish will be the one that satisfies me the most. And that’s the case with the empanada — a type of pastry stuffed…
HOTEL REVIEW: Design Suites, Buenos Aires
The city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, is home to a wide array of hotels, including everything from humble bed & breakfasts to posh palaces of luxury. During this most recent visit, I’m staying first at Design Suites, a mid-priced property in the bustling Barrio Norte neighborhood. Set in a narrow 10-story building, Design Suites is a minimalist…