South America - part 16 Santiago day 2

Saturday 31 Jan

Up early yet again as we are being picked up at 8.50am for a tour to a Chilean winery. The minivan arrived on time for my friend and I as well as another couple from the ship. We drove out through Santiago – the roads were quiet as it was Saturday and no one was out and about that early.

View from our hotel room

We arrived at the Concha Y Toro Winery about 50 minutes later.  It was another very hot and sunny day and the clear blue skies were stunning. While we were waiting for the next tour in English, I spotted a couple of condors flying high over the foothills but couldn’t get a photo – a pity as the sun was highlighting their wings a golden brown.

 

Soon it was time to set off, firstly through beautiful gardens to the summer house of the founder. We were surrounded by nattering parakeets and Southern Lapwing on the grass. Next to an area with young vines of different grapes.

 

Then it was time for our first tasting - a lovely fruity Chardonnay. We were then led to the modern temperature-controlled cellar to see the barrels of aging wines before walking down a level to the original cellars containing Casillero del Diablo wines.

 

 

The legend of the devil living there was begun after a theft of wines in the 19^th century. A son e lumiere told the story. After that, another tasting of two red wines and then it was time to return to the hotel. After freshening up we set off back to the shopping mall and through to the park behind, although it was very hot again! I wanted to see the aviary. But after walking in all directions to find it, it was a disappointment in the end. However, as we were looking, a bright green parrot flew up into a tree behind.

 

 

After that we stopped at various seats, including in the rose garden to see if any birds would come to us!

 

We photographed a few of the brown long-legged birds and doves but it was only on walking back we saw the parrots again, right at the top of the trees and so well disguised they were almost impossible to photograph.  We stopped in the mall again for a cold drink, before walking back to the hotel. We had decided to eat dinner there that night, so started with our complimentary drink of a pisco sour  - the Chilean brandy cocktail.  This was served with nuts and crisps. Then to dinner out on the terrace – a crab ravioli for me with a bottle of Chilean Sauvignon, which we took back to our room to finish.