Chile Local Customs

 
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

What is a nanny in Chile?

by VeronicaG

While visiting in Santiago, I learned that a Nanny is someone who helps to watch your children. But this could also be the name of someone who comes once a week to clean your house, as well as the woman who helps to do your ironing weekly. I was surprised that all these different people were considered a "Nanny". I learned this when I visited my son's family in Chile. I don't know if it is just this household that uses the title generally, but I found it was interesting...and confusing at times.

Pisco – pure and sour

by vtveen

Pisco is the national drink of Chile (and Peru) and is a rather strong drink (35% alc.) distilled of muscat grapes, with a high sugar content. These grapes are growing in the north of Chile. It is possible to drink it pure or as a so called ‘pisco sour’, when the drink is mixed with lemon, egg whites and sugar.Visiting the country we ‘had’ to try this national drink. Our first pisco was a ‘pisco pure’ during a very cold boat trip on the Fiordo Ultima Esparanza in Chilean Patagonia. And believe me, in spite of the piece of glacier ice in our glass, after a pisco we felt a lot warmer !!The second was a ‘pisco sour’, just the way it should be as an aperitif. The last one was a bottle of pisco for home, which reminded us to our Chilean holiday.

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swinging bags on the Panam highway

by xdck83a

While heading in both directions going from Santiago to Panguipulli and back, we were puzzled by the sight of men swinging bags on the freeway that runs the length of the country. We though it might have been to signal to the buses they wanted to be picked up. Nope. They are selling crayfish, crawdads, mud bugs, whatever you call the little crustaceans. A friend in Panguipulli finally told us what they were doing.

Honouring the dead....

by Cloudwlkr

When I was in San Pedro...I saw a long funeral procession. They carried the casket from the church, all the way to the graveyard. We stepped back, stopped and honoured the processing as they passed. There seems to be much honour placed on the dead - with many decorations in the graveyard.When you see people passing by - take time to respect their passing. They will nod and appreciate the time you have taken to honour their ways.

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Chiloe - Christmas Celebrations

by phoebelosophy

As it was close to Christmas, the locals (being devote Catholics) put on a massive street procession to honour the virgin Mary.It was quite an unusual sight watching both old and young singing together, enjoying their celebration.

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Beard and long hair ... Barbe et cheveux longs

by Maillekeul

Youth is mostly composed of "muchachos" with beard or/and long hair... You can't miss them !La jeunesse est principalement composee de "muchachos" avec barbes et/ou cheveux longs... On ne peut pas les manquer !

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The wines of Chile

by Bjorgvin

The wines of Chile have for a long time been ranked with the best in the world. The wineries in such places as the Maípo valley, Casablanca valley, Maule valley, and Peumo Valley produce wines of the best quality. Here is a short list of wineries, but there is much, much more to consider: Canepa, Miguel Torres, Concha y Toro, Santa Carolina, Santa Rita, Undurraga, Echeverria, Carta Vieja, and the excellent Caliterra.

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AFTERNOON-TEA OR 'ONCE'

by swesn

This is a short tea break when the Chileans take hot tea and some light snacks. A story of how the name came about goes like this : Previously, miners are not allowed to take alcohol in the mines. So they secretly added 'aguardiente' to their tea. As the word has 11 alphabets, they discreetly refered to taking their afternoon tea as 'once' (which is 11 in Spanish).

KISSIE ON THE RIGHT CHEEK BUT NOT BETWEEN MEN

by swesn

In Chile, they do the same kissie-on-the-right-cheek like in Argentina when they greet or say goodbye among one another BUT NEVER between men. They are too macho for that. Men shake hands. If they are good buddies, they pat each other's back.

CHILEAN SPANISH

by swesn

Listening to Chileans presented some difficulties for me. They seem to lisp a little and drop their last consonants like 's'. So, instead of 'despues' (des-PWEYS), I would probably hear 'deh-PWEY'. They speak really fast and combine words together, like 'hasta luego' (AH-sta LWEY-go) becomes 'STA LU-go'. Naturally, the Chileans have their own slang, like 'ka-CHAI?' which means 'You understand?'

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Questions and Answers

EzzaK profile photo

Q:  Hi, I am hoping to catch the night bus to Puno from Santiago. My flight leaves gets in at noon and I hear the bus usually... 

Huentetu profile photo

A: You aren't going to Puno if you are going south from Santiago, maybe Pucón? Take an airport bus to one of the bus stations, Terminal Santiago will have the most buses... 

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