CHILE & ARGENTINA. An Ode to Poetry, Politics, Landscape & Wine MARCH 12-23, Featuring Professor Raymond Craib, Associate Professor of History

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1 CHILE & ARGENTINA MARCH 12-23, 2015 An Ode to Poetry, Politics, Landscape & Wine Featuring Professor Raymond Craib, Associate Professor of History

2 Itinerary afternoon city tour of the highlights Saturday, March 14 of South America s most modern Thursday, March 12 CASA BLANCA VALLEY city. Visit the city s historical center, AND VALPARAÍSO U.S. / SANTIAGO including La Moneda, the reconstructed neo-classical building that Depart the U.S. on an overnight flight to Santiago, Chile. Overnight houses the executive branch of flight (Meals aloft) Chile s government, and the colonial Friday, March 13 ARRIVAL IN SANTIAGO / CITY TOUR / WINE TASTING DINNER Arrive this morning in Santiago at the foot of the Andes and enjoy an San Francisco Church with its fabulous collection of colonial paintings. Enjoy a curator lead tour of the Pre-Columbian museum. At dinner, take part in a wine tasting of the wines from the boutique Kingston Winery, owned by Princeton graduates. Plaza del Bosque (D) Enjoy Lecture 1: A Crazy Geography? (Santiago) This lecture will provide a preliminary overview of Chilean geography and political history from the era of the Inca empire, to the founding of Santiago by Pedro de Valdivia, Chile s history as something of an imperial backwater and frontier, through independence and the creation of the so-called Portalian state. Time frame generally covered: Depart this morning for the Pacific coast and drive through the Casa Blanca Valley, a stretch of open coastal land recently discovered by several U.S. wine publications for its unparalleled white wines and Pinot noirs. Enjoy a tour of the Kingston winery. Later, continue to the the historic port city of Valparaíso.. One of the first South American cities founded by the Spanish, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here we ll visit La Sebastiana, one of the homes of Pablo Neruda, poet and Nobel Prize laureate. Stroll through the Concepción and Alegre neighborhoods and ride century-old hillside ascensors (elevators). Plaza del Bosque (B, L) Lecture 2: A Republic of Poetry (Valparaiso and Isla Negra) The lecture will use the poetry and memoirs of Chile s legendary poet, Pablo Neruda, as a means to discuss two things: first, Chile s south and,

3 second, the country s rich literary heritage and history. Sunday, March 15 MAIPO VALLEY Travel to the Maipo Valley, known as the Cradle of Chilean Winemaking. The oldest and most famous of Chile s wine regions, Maipo Valley is home to both traditional vineyards and innovative boutique wineries creating exciting new wines. Visit the historic Santa Rita winery where we will have lunch in the classical colonial mansion surrounded by ornamental gardens and centuries-old trees. Tour the wineries private pre-columbian museum. Plaza del Bosque ( B, L) This lecture looks at the growth of viticulture in Chile, particularly its central valley. As well as talking about the rise of the wine industry, we will also talk a bit about the social history of wine labor and agriculture. Monday, March 16 SANTIAGO / MENDOZA Fly from Santiago to Mendoza, Argentina over the impressive Andes. Weather permitting, the flight will offer spectacular views of the mountains, including Aconcagua, the tallest peak in the world outside of Asia, at 22,841 feet. Blessed by rich sunlight Mendoza is one of the world s most successful wine regions. Enjoy a city tour. Intercontinental Hotel (B,D) Tuesday, March 17 LUJAN DE CUYO We head south to the Lujan de Cuyo area, home to many of Argentina s most famous wineries and best Malbecs. Begin by sampling the prestigious wines of the Achaval Ferrer Winery. Stop for olive oil tasting at Laur. The Laur family emigrated from France in the early 1900s and pioneered the production of olive oil in the Mendoza region. Travel to Bodega Ruca Malen for a delicious lunch and wine tasting. Intercontinental Hotel (B, L) Wednesday, March 18 VALLEY DE UCO Journey to the high-altitude wine growing area of Valle de Uco. This is the new frontier in Argentine wine making. The snow-capped Andes loom overhead with vineyards at 5,900 feet, providing some of the most dramatic scenery in the region. Explore and savor wine at the Bodega Pulenta Estate and Bodega Luraton. Continue on to the Bistro La Tupina where we will have lunch and taste local wines. On our return, we learn about the Cipolletti Dam and the unusual irrigation system that makes this land so productive. Intercontinental Hotel (B, L) From Nitrates to Agriculture to the importation of Europe. Thursday,March 19 MENDOZA / BUENOS AIRES Depart Mendoza on a morning flight to Buenos Aires, an elegant

4 and cosmopolitan city with a European flavor and friendly atmosphere. After transferring to our hotel enjoy a walking tour of The Recoleta cemetery, the revered resting place of Patriarchs, presidents, poets, and the beloved Eva Perón. This evening gather for a lecture and welcome dinner at our hotel. Loi Suites Recoleta (B, D) From Tango to Football to Wine. Friday, March 20 BUENOS AIRES This morning travel down the Tigre and Parana Rivers aboard a catamaran passing by yacht clubs, waterfront houses built on stilts, a market and the house of former Argentine President Sarmiento. Later enjoy a city tour of the Paris of South America. Highlights include Plaza de Mayo, Plaza San Martín, the National Cathedral, and the Presidential palace. Explore the bohemian neighborhood of La Boca with its colorful tin houses. Our city tour concludes with a visit to the newly renovated section of the Old Port of Buenos Aires Puerto Madero. This evening, attend a glamorous tango show with dinner in one of the most prestigious tango houses in the city. Born in the outskirts of Buenos Aires at the turn of the century, the tango quickly became one of the best known symbols of Argentina. Loi Suites Recoleta (B,L,D) Saturday, March 21 BUENOS AIRES Visit the newly restored Colón Opera House considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world. Next, we will have a specially arranged art tour of the new Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires. Known as MALBA, it was designed by four young Argentinean architects and houses one of the world s premier Latin American collections. Tonight is on your own. You may choose to enjoy one of the many fantastic cultural activities that Buenos Aires offers or to attend an optional night at the opera in one of the best theaters in the city. If you are interested in attending the opera, please indicate this on your trip reservation coupon. Tickets must be purchased in advance at an additional cost. More information will be sent at a later date. Loi Suites Recoleta (B,L) Sunday, March 22 BUENOS AIRES / DEPARTURE Walk the cobblestone streets of one of the oldest districts in Buenos Aires, San Telmo. Once inhabited by affluent Spaniards, this bohemian area thrives on Sunday when the art and antiques market in Plaza Dorrego bustles with activity and street performers. After lunch there will be a late afternoon transfer to the international airport for flights to U.S. Overnight Flight. (B,L) Monday, March 23 ARRIVAL IN USA Arrive in the U.S. this morning and connect with flights homeward.

5 HIGHLIGHTS Explore Santiago, located at the foot of the Andes. Tour the heart of Chile s wine district. Taste local varietal wines and foods. Visit the seaside home of Chile s greatest poet, Pablo Neruda. Discover Valparaíso, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Chile s most important ports Journey to Mendoza, Argentina s beautiful wine producing region. Embark on a relaxing catamaran tour of Buenos Aires Tigre Delta. Explore Buenos Aires, the Paris of South America. Marvel at the newly restored Colón Opera House. Enjoy a tango show in Buenos Aires. OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION: EASTER ISLAND More than two thousand miles off the coast of Chile, Easter Island or Rapa Nui is the most isolated spot on Earth. Over one thousand years ago, its inhabitants raised hundreds of monolithic statutes, known as moai. Carved primarily from volcanic rock with hand tools, the statues were transported from a quarry to a position on stone platforms on the island s far side. What was their purpose? How did the Rapanui people move the massive monoliths? Easter Islanders said the statues walked. We will learn about different scholarly sources that suggest different mechanical methods by which the stones could have been moved. By the time European explorers arrived, many of the moai were toppled and their meaning lost to memory. We ll also explore theories from archeologists that may explain what happed to this civilization as well as the purposes behind these mysterious statutes.