THE CHILEAN COLLECTION 

The purpose of our trip to Chile was a family get-together. The previous trip took place ten years before on a beautiful island in Bahia and it was great fun! Despite that, it took us ten years to be able to reunite the troupe again, choose the destination, and put together a plan. We finally choose Chile, which was the perfect scenery for our family gathering.

Above: Santiago de Chile photographed from Sky Costanera

The trip had it's beginning in Santiago, our entrance door. We rented a great Airbnb and where we spent 4 nights. To see the city well, and exercise at the same time, we walked around the entire Santiago. This is how my family operates, once everybody is super pro-health and good at sports - apart from me.

Above: Vineyard in the surroundings of Santiago 

Santiago is the biggest city in Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. Located in the central valley between the snow-capped Andes mountains and the Cordillera, exhibits a fascinating landscape. Almost from everywhere in the city, you can see the Andes Mountains. The city outskirts are surrounded by vineyards and Santiago is within an hour of both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Above: Cerro El Plomo

Lonely Planet describes the capital of Chile as "Surprising, cosmopolitan, energetic, sophisticated and worldly, Santiago is a city of syncopated cultural currents, madhouse parties, expansive museums, and top-flight restaurants." So if you were wondering, after reading this you can start dreaming of Chile.

Above: my 3 brothers after first day of winter sports at Valle Nevado

Above: My favourite moment of the day the "après-ski" at Valle Nevado

From there we pre-booked a transfer to go straight to the snowy mountains for 4 days of winter sports. For most of us, it was an experience of a lifetime, so we were quite nervous. My mother in her 60's was skiing for the first time. But my younger brother was a more experienced snowboarder, so his expectations were different. The guy was super excited checking the weather forecast, the conditions of the pistes, and already visualising his jumps.

Above: Cordillera de los Andres Print

Above left: Pink Ride Print, aerial view of San Pedro de Atacama / Above right: Fudge Print, aerial view of Cordillera do los Andes

This part of the trip was even more special. We stayed in one of those all-inclusive hotels, so all we needed to do was meet each other and bond. My favourite moment of the day was the "après-ski"! We would meet up, get loose on the many layers of clothes, and enjoy a nice drink. This place would even count on a hot pool, perfect to get delighted.

Above left: Sugar Valley Print, aerial view of Cordillera de los Andes / Above right: El Tatio geysers in San Pedro de Atacama

Those days at the mountain were a mix of adrenaline and comfy. Comfort due to the delight of staying in a hotel and not having to think about anything besides what pistes to go, being taken care of from the moment we would wake up until the moment we would go to bed. And on the other hand, the pure excitement to roam the mountain's entrails.

Above: Did I land in the moon? Valle de la Luna