Posada Colchagua

Traditions

by Aquamantos

It's very common to see bootblacks in the streets of each town. Their boothes depends on their needs, I have seen some in other cities and they just have a chair and their tools.
It rains a lot in Santa Cruz during Winter, that's why this guy in the pic needs a roof ;o) I like to see these guys shining others shoes, like in the past.....

Getting to Santa Cruz...

by Aquamantos

The landscapes you see before getting to Santa Cruz are just beautiful.....the Andes mountain looks so pretty with snow.......... Simply watching the green-blue landscapes.............and if you're lucky, you can watch an amazing sunset with the Andes in the backround....I saw one.....but I was in the car and I couldn't stop to take a pic........but the image is still in my mind ;o)

Tipping

by kiwigal_1

In Chile the standard tip in a restaurant is 10% which is sometimes added onto the bill but more often than not you need to leave behind on the table. If paying by credit card you can ask to add the tip to the bill and indicate the standard 10%.

Do not tip taxis.

If you drive a car in Chile, in particular Santiago then there are places where you can park for free but there may be a man or woman "helping" you to park. This person works for tips. They can wash your car while you are away usually also. The tip you pay them should be anything from 200 pesos or more depending on the length of time you stay. I usually pay around 500 pesos.

In supermarkets the people who pack your bags only work for tips. They are not paid by the supermarket. Depending on the amount of groceries you could tip anything from 50 cents up to around 500 pesos. The 10% rule is not hard and fast here, just whatever loose change you have.

SANTA CRUZ

by Aquamantos

" Chilean Traditions & More... "

Santa Cruz belongs to the VI Region of Chile.
Santa Cruz Population: 32.387 (INE 2002)
It's located 90 km to the South of Rancagua, right in the heart of the Colchagua Valley, which is considered as one of the most important areas of fine wine production of the Southern Hemisphere.
Summer months are hot and dry during the day, with cool nights because of the maritime influence.

In this photo you can see one of the typical shops in downtown Santa Cruz.
INE = Institute of National Statistics

Useful link: www.santacruzchile.cl