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| A SNAPSHOT OF CHILE |
 Chile means, depending on the book you read, "where the land runs out" or "the end of the world"; also means snow and the deepest point on earth. Chile has also been called many other names, such as a country with a crazy geography, a geographical extravaganza, country of a comic geography. The historic name of Chile most probably comes from the mapuche word trih o chi, which means "a bird with yellow spots on its wings". And it's also called a country made for poets, just as Pablo Neruda once wrote. There is a legend which says that when God finished the Creation, he took the leftovers of desert, plains, jungle and mountains, and with that he created the patchwork that is Chile.
 Approximately 16 million inhabitants live on the territory, which is 175 km wide and over 4300 km long ( 8000 km if you add the Antarctic), - including various ethnic groups like the Aymaras, the Mapuches, the Easter Islanders and a small number of people from Tierra del Fuego. The official language is Spanish; the dominant religion is Catholicism and the currency - the Chilean Peso - is valued at around CL$530 per 1 US dollar.
Chile , often regarded as one of South America 's safest and most economically and politically stable countries, has experienced a dramatic increase in tourism over the last few years. What foreign tourists look for and find in Chile is endless opportunities for recreation and leisure activities, astonishing beauty of the landscapes, uncommon cultural, geographical and historical diversity. If you look for diversity, you can go to different countries or you can just come to Chile.
 Chile is a photographer's and traveler's paradise for all its colors and shapes. From north to south the landscape changes dramatically, and so do the colors. Only in Chile you will see lunar landscapes, deserts, active geysers and salt lakes in the North; densely forested areas, waterfalls, ice fields, glaciers, fjords and lakes in the South; first-rate shopping malls, five star hotels and international restaurants in the Metropolitan area; green valleys and wine yards in the Central region. In one day you can go trekking or skiing in the mountains and then enjoy a delicious seafood and premium wine dinner by the ocean.
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| WEATHER IN CHILE |
 Santiago has a Mediterranean climate and well-defined seasons. WIM 2010 Congress will be held in June, winter month in Chile. Average day temperatures will be around 15 C and nights might cool down to -1C. Make sure to bring along the appropriate clothes (windbreaker, sweaters, jackets) and an umbrella, as winter is the rainy season. |
| BANKING AND ATM AVAILABILITY |
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 All major cities and many smaller towns with a significant tourist economy have ATMs. Some banks, however, charge rather exorbitant fees for international withdrawals, and per-day withdrawal limits are usually around US$300. Banks are open to public Monday through Friday, from 9:00 to 13:30. Please note that banks usually do not provide currency exchange services. Money can be exchanged at "casa de cambio" (currency exchange bureau). US dollars, euros and Latin American currency can be exchanged almost everywhere. Other countries' currency, however, might be more difficult to exchange, we therefore recommend to bring some cash in US dollars or euros. Foreign currency (including US dollars and euros) is generally not accepted as a form of payment in stores and restaurants, while major credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers checks are hardly ever used, exchanging them might be rather difficult. Chilean currency - peso - can be freely withdrawn from any ATM.
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| ELECTRICITY |
 Chile's electricity standard is 220 volts/50Hz. Electrical sockets have two openings for tubular pins, not flat prongs, make sure you have an appropriate adapter. |
| TIPPING |
 A 10-15% tip is usually given in bars and restaurants. In hotels tipping is left to the guests' discretion. The same applies to the hair salons and beauty parlors. Taxi drivers are not tipped. |
| SAFETY, HEALTH AND EMERGENCIES |
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Santiago is probably the safest big city in South America. Serious violent crime is not unheard of, but it's not common, either. A visitor's principal concern will be pickpockets, but even then your chances of being a victim are rare. To avoid any problems, make sure you do not have expensive jewellery or electronic equipment on display. Downtown area is safe to visit during the day, but should be avoided after dark.
In case of a medical emergency it is safe to call any of the large hospitals in the Santiago area, all of which provide high quality services in compliance with the international standards. Recommended private hospitals are Clinica Indisa and Santa Maria (both within walking distance from the Sheraton Hotel), Clinica Alemana, Clinica Las Condes, Clinica Universidad Catolica. Recommended public hospital is Hospital Militar in Providencia (also in the vicinity of the Sheraton Hotel). Tap water is safe to drink and seafood is safe to eat, as it is fresh. Serious infectious diseases (tuberculosis, yellow fever, etc) have not been reported in Chile, thus, no specific vaccinations are required.
Emergency numbers:
• To call an ambulance dial 131
• To report a fire emergency dial 132
• For a police emergency dial 133
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| TIME ZONE |
 The time zone in winter is GMT -4 hours; in summer it is GMT -3 hours. |
| LINKS, MAPS AND USEFUL INFORMATION |
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TOURISM
June is the winter month in Chile which means a low tourist season. Unfortunately, many of the Patagonia destinations will not be available at this time. But take advantage of this time of the year and visit San Pedro de Atacama (the driest desert in the world), Easter Island and the central wine valley. June is also the beginning of the ski season. Depending on the rainfall, some or all ski resorts will be open. If you wish to book tours, please contact directly these travel agencies:
THINGS TO DO IN SANTIAGO
Some suggestions if you wish to eat out and try typical Chilean and regional flavours:
1) Azul Profundo, seafood. Constitucion 111, Bellavista. Phone: 738-0288.
2) Zully, regional and international cuisine, in a beautiful colonial house. Concha y Toro 34, Santiago Centro.
Phone: 696-1378.
3) Como Agua para Chocolate, South American and international. Constitucion 88, Bellavista. Phone: 735-4511.
4) Liguria, a very popular restobar with both locals (including celebrities) and tourists. Providencia 1373.
5) Two restaurants featuring the best of the Peruvian cuisine:
Puerto Pirata, Antonio Bellet 280. Phone: 236-6062, and El Tiempo del Inka, Roman Diaz 55, Phone: 494-1631.
6) Good variety of restaurants can be found on Boulevard Arauco - outdoor area of the Parque Arauco Mall (regular shuttle available from the Sheraton hotel)
All about Santiago (events calendar, sightseeing tips, etc)
http://www.allsantiago.com/
Santiago city map (tourist attractions area)
http://www.turistel.cl/secciones/mapas/ciudades/santiago-en-franja-a-b.jpg
Santiago metro map
http://www.metro.cl/swf/tu_viaje/metrored.pdf
For more information about Chile please use these links.
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