13 Days/ 11 Nights October 13-25, 2018 Hosted by Christopher Ashby - Former Ambassador to Uruguay

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Jerome Austin
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1 THREE SOUTH AMERICAN CAPITALS Chile - Uruguay - Argentina including Iguazu Falls with 13 Days/ 11 Nights October 13-25, 2018 Hosted by Christopher Ashby - Former Ambassador to Uruguay

2 Program outline: Day 1: Sat, Oct 13 Day 2: Sun, Oct 14 Day 3: Mon, Oct 15 Day 4: Tue, Oct 16 Day 5: Wed, Oct 17 Day 6: Thu, Oct 18 Day 7: Fri, Oct 19 Day 8: Sat, Oct 20 Day 9: Sun, Oct 21 Day 10: Mon, Oct 22 Day 11: Tue, Oct 23 Day 12: Wed, Oct 24 Day 13: Thu, Oct 25 Leave USA for Santiago, Chile Arrival - Orientation tour / Santiago Sightseeing in Santiago / Santiago Wine tasting excursion / Santiago Fly to Montevideo / Montevideo Sightseeing in Montevideo / Montevideo Colonia sightseeing - Ferry to Buenos Aires / Buenos Aires Sightseeing in Buenos Aires / Buenos Aires Ranch excursion - Gaucho experience / Buenos Aires Day at leisure in Buenos Aires / Buenos Aires Fly to Iguazu / Puerto Iguazu Iguazu Falls, Argentinian side / Puerto Iguazu Iguazu Falls, Brazilian side - Departure

Highlights: Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Wine Tasting excursion outside Santiago de Chile. Montevideo old town and Gaucho Museum. Montevideo Candombe & Folk dance show.

3 Highlights: Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Wine Tasting excursion outside Santiago de Chile. Montevideo old town and Gaucho Museum. Montevideo Candombe & Folk dance show. Historic town of Colonia. Buenos Aires neighborhoods. Evita Museum in Buenos Aires. La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires. Tango show in Buenos Aires. Gaucho demonstration and lunch at a ranch outside Buenos Aires. Iguazu Falls.

4 INCLUDED SERVICES: 11 Nights hotel accommodation with daily breakfast. Lunch and dinners as given in the itinerary. All the sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary; related entry fees. English speaking professional tour guides in each city. Transportation with AC vehicles & drivers. Arrival and departure transfers - only for suggested flight arrival & departures. Two small bottles of water per person per day on the bus everyday. Ferry from Montevideo to Buenos Aires. Tips for included meals and accommodations. NOT INCLUDED: International - local airfare (given separately below.) Visa fees if applicable. Drinks with included meals, except tea or coffee for breakfast. Gratuities for guides & drivers. Personal expenditures like phone calls, laundry, medical expenses. Travel insurance (can be provided by Tourcom on request.)

5 About Our Host Christopher Ashby - Former Ambassador to Uruguay Christopher Ashby is a native of Dallas, Texas. He graduated from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and the University of Texas Graduate School of Business. He has attended executive education programs at Harvard Business School and the Sloan School at MIT. In 1973 he joined Chemical Bank in New York. He was posted four years in Jakarta, Indonesia as Country Manager and President of a joint venture merchant bank, and ten years in Madrid, Spain, where he was Country Manager of Spain and Portugal. In 1989, he returned to New York, where he ran the bank s business with the United Nations and the New York diplomatic community. After mergers with Manufacturers Hanover and Chase Manhattan, he managed all the bank s retail branches in midtown Manhattan. His last assignment was manager of a start-up retail investment business. In 1997, Mr. Ashby was appointed US Ambassador to Uruguay, stationed in Montevideo. He was directly involved in efforts to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas. When his tour in Uruguay was over in 2001 he became President International of NIC Computer Company based in Palo Alto, California. In 2004 he joined Smith Barney as a Financial Advisor, and moved to Wells Fargo Advisors in He became Chief Financial Officer of Spring Branch Hospital in He was President of the Houston World Affairs Council and on the National Advisory Board of the Small Business Administration. He was on the board of the Houston Community College Foundation, The Houston Center for Photography and Comp-U- Dopt. He is on the International Advisory Board of St. Thomas University and Diplomat in Residence at the World Affairs Council of Houston. He was a Captain in the Marine Corps from 1969 to 1973, including one tour as an infantry platoon commander in Viet Nam. Mr. Ashby is married to Amy Ashby, and has four children and six grandchildren.

6 FLIGHTS ON UNITED AIRLINES Going direct - nonstop / returning from Iguazu - Argentinian side via Buenos Aires. Oct 13 Houston to Santiago UA 847 dep: 10:00 pm / arr: 9:20 am on Oct 14 Oct 17 LA 410 Oct 23 AR 1736 Oct 25 AR 1737 Santiago to Montevideo dep: 3:40 pm / arr: 5:55 pm Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu dep: 11:50 am / arr: 1:40 pm Puerto Iguazu to Buenos Aires dep: 2:45 pm / arr: 4:40 pm There will be airport change in Buenos Aires. Transfer is included for group members who are on these flights. Oct 25 Buenos Aires to Houston UA 818 dep: 9:20 pm / arr: 5:45 am on Oct 26 Economy class fare is $2000 including taxes, surcharges and fees as of February 5, Fares are based on availability. Tickets are non-refundable, once issued.

7 ACCOMMODATIONS: A combination of centrally located 4&5-Star hotels will be used: Santiago Hotel Ritz Santiago Montevideo Four Points by Sheraton Buenos Aires Intercontinental Puerto Iguazu Hotel Mercure

Program Details Day 1: Sat, Oct 13, 2018 Leave Houston We will leave Houston for Santiago de Chile. Day 2: Sun, Oct 14, 2018 Santiago de Chile Arrival before noon.

8 Program Details Day 1: Sat, Oct 13, 2018 Leave Houston We will leave Houston for Santiago de Chile. Day 2: Sun, Oct 14, 2018 Santiago de Chile Arrival before noon. We will drive to the city center with our private guide and transportation and start our orientation tour. Santiago is the capital of Chile. It has a population of 5 and a half million inhabitants that make it one of the most populated cities in Latin America. With its museums, events, theaters, restaurants, bars and other entertainment and cultural opportunities, it is the political and cultural centre of the country. Our tour starts from the Funicular de Santiago (Gondola), which provides a stunning and panoramic view over the city from the top of San Cristobal Hill. Travel to the heart of the city and Plaza de Armas the spot from where the city has grown throughout the centuries. Each Latin city has a plaza de Armas as when cities were founded the center was also where the armory and military base was established - hence the name Plaza de Armas (Plaza of Arms). We will see some of the more important buildings such as the Cathedral,

9 the City Council, the Central Post Office and then we will continue to the Presidential Palace "La Moneda"; the current seat of the government. After having lunch at a nice local restaurant, we will check-in our hotel and rest for the remainder of the afternoon. In the evening, we will have dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Santiago de Chile Meals: L - D Day 3: Mon, Oct 15, 2018 Santiago de Chile Today we will continue our sightseeing in the Chilean capital: We will visit the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art which houses various artifacts from Mesoamerica and South America, featuring cultures such as the Olmec, Maya and Inca civilizations. Highlights include a Mayan stone stele and Andean mummies, which precede their Egyptian counterparts. Then we will visit some the original colonial neighborhoods such as Concha y Toro Square. Characterized by its cobbled streets and old mansions that reflect the elegance and richness of the early twentieth century the neighborhood grew to prominence between 1870 and 1876 with the influx of wealth as a result of mining and the discovery of Silver. Many Chileans achieved great wealth, including Enrique Concha y Toro founder of the famed winery. We will visit Palacio Cousiño, a sumptuous, elegant mansion built towards the end of the 19th century as the residence of the wealthy entrepreneur Luis Cousiño and his wife, Isidora Goyenechea. Today, it is one of the most important museums in Santiago. Its rooms, all decorated with materials brought from Europe, have hand-carved furniture and parquet flooring, embroidered drapes and Italian majolica ceramics, echoing the economic prosperity of the period. Our lunch is included at a local restaurant. Later in the afternoon, we will also visit the Museum of Memory and Human Rights which is dedicated to commemorate the victims of human rights violations during the civicmilitary regime led by Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and It was inaugurated by former President Michelle Bachelet on January 11, 2010, which formed part of government works celebrating the bicentennial of Chile. In the evening, we will have a nice dinner at a local restaurant with a program of folk dances. Overnight in Santiago de Chile Meals: B L D

10 Day 4: Tue, Oct 16, 2018 Santiago de Chile Wine Tasting Excursion Today we will leave the city for a wine tasting excursion in Casablanca Valley. The valley takes its name from the commune of Casablanca and stretches roughly 30 km (19 miles) east-west from eastern border of the Valparaíso province in the Valparaíso region. Vines were first planted here in the mid-1980s during the revitalization of the Chilean wine industry and quickly became known for its white wines, most notably Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, as well as Pinot Noir, which thrives in its cooler climate. Although the valley is located at 33 S, much closer to the Equator than any European vineyard, viticulture here is possible because of the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean, in the shape of cool morning fog and greater cloud cover than is found elsewhere in the north of Chile. The most traditional, boutique and largest wineries of Chile all have plantations in Casablanca Valley because this is the chilean capital of white wine. On this excursion we will get to visit their facilities, and let wine experts explain us all about their production, wine cellars, and plantations. Our tastings will have a mix of wine varieties from: Colchagua Valley, Maipo Valley and of course Casablanca Valley. We will also have lunch in one of the vineries.

11 Late in the afternoon, we will drive back to Santiago. Dinner will be on our own to explore various options in the city. Overnight in Santiago de Chile Meals: B L Day 5: Wed, Oct 17, 2018 Santiago de Chile - Montevideo In the morning we have some leisure time or possible meetings in Santiago. In the afternoon we will be transferred to the airport for our flight to Montevideo, Uruguay. Montevideo is the pleasant capital city of Uruguay. It is situated on the east bank of the Rio de la Plata and is the southernmost capital city in South America. It was founded in For much of its early history, the city consisted of what is now known as the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town). By the mid-19th century the city began to grow eastward towards what is now known as Centro. The demolition of the old fort that used to mark the eastern boundary of Old Town enabled the construction of what is now Plaza Independencia. By 1910, suburbs were already developing beyond city boundaries which were later annexed into the growing city. Upon arrival in Montevideo our guide and driver will meet us and will transfer us to our hotel.

12 In the evening, we will have dinner at a local restaurant with Candombe-Tango-Folk dance show. We will experience an outstanding show in a spectacular setting and feel the rhythms of Candombe, Tango, Milonga and folk music. The spectacle starts with Candombe, the most significant and current demonstration of Afro-Montevidean culture and the beat of the drums always tell a story. A group of dancers express different characters while the music gets the place vibrating in excitement. Then it is time for Tango and Milonga. a live orchestra will capture the listeners with fascinating sounds while outstanding dancers demonstrate their skills. The folk music also presents combining movements and pauses and the gauchos always know how to reach the audience. Their enthusiasm together with the sounds of special instruments make people soon forget about time and place. Finally, the Candombe is back and turns the place into a private carnival. Enjoy! Overnight in Montevideo Meals: B D Day 6: Thu, Oct 18, 2018 Montevideo In the morning, we will start our tour of Montevideo visiting the Gaucho Museum and the historic quarter its highlights, its architectural nuances and galleries. From there, we will head to El Mercado del Puerto, an indoor market with small shops that sell books, crafts, clothing and textiles. The market has come to be a venue for local, upand-coming musicians, a common "meet up" for Montevideanos. Then we will have lunch at a nice local restaurant. After lunch, we will visit the National Museum of Visual Arts which has the largest collection of Uruguayan artists' artwork. Then we will have a walk along the Rambla on the coast and head back to our hotel. In the evening dinner is on our own in the city. Overnight in Montevideo Meals: B L Day 7: Fri, Oct 19, 2018 Montevideo Colonia Buenos Aires In the morning we will leave Montevideo for Colonia del Sacramento, which is in he UNESCO World Heritage List. Colonia del Sacramento was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese, sandwiched in between the Portuguese colony of Brazil and the Spanish Vice Royalty of the River Plate (later Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil). Its strategic position and use as a smuggling port

meant that its sovereignty was hotly contested and the city changed hands several times between Spain and Portugal. Today it is filled with old colonial buildings and cobblestone streets.

13 meant that its sovereignty was hotly contested and the city changed hands several times between Spain and Portugal. Today it is filled with old colonial buildings and cobblestone streets. Upon arrival we will explore Colonia's historic quarter the stone-paved streets, colonial architecture, forts, Spanish and Portuguese museums, the port and last but by no means least, Ferrando Beach. From the beach, we will follow the Coastal Rambla, an esplanade from the Old City to the "Real de San Carlos," and visit the bullring, the horses' race course and the old port. Our lunch is scheduled at a nice local restaurant. Later in the afternoon, we will be transferred to the port to take the ferry to Buenos Aires, Argentina, an impressive city that combines the atmosphere of an old European town with the vibrant features of a Latin American capital. Upon arrival, we will be transferred to our hotel and have a nice dinner. Overnight in Buenos Aires Meals: B L D

14 Day 8: Sat, Oct, 20, 2018 Buenos Aires Today we will have a full day program in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires is a cosmopolitan city that manifests at each step the influence of the numerous immigrant populations which helped form it. The tour starts from what is the second and most definitive capital of the area named Plaza de Armas in 1581 and today known as Plaza de Mayo, the historical, political and cultural center of the city. The Pyramid de Mayo, which is in the center, was the first national historical monument and was inaugurated in In its surrounding areas you can see Casa Rosada the actual seat of Executive Power (Presidential Palace), the Cabinet, and the first municipality of the city that dates back to 1754 and still maintains its colonial characteristics, and the Metropolitan Cathedral. From the Plaza, we start the tour going down Avenida de Mayo, one of the most interesting urban developments of the city with its variety of architectural styles, wide avenues and spacious green areas which balance out the vertiginous rhythm of the city. A good example is Avenida 9 de Julio, with its eight lanes separated by lawns with ancient trees, and embellished by fountains and sculptures. From there we can see the symbol of the city, The Obelisque. The tour continues all the way to the neighborhood of San Telmo, one of the oldest in the city, settled at the end of the XIX century by aristocratic families. This neighborhood, in which every Sunday the antiques fair takes place around Plaza Dorrego, keeps expanding its great architectural heritage. The area is also very active at night as it is the center for most of the tango parlors, tanguerias, restaurants and bars. Going further south we arrive at the picturesque and colorful port neighborhood of La Boca, with its famous street Caminito whose buildings and customs reflect the influence of European settlers that arrived at its shores during the XIX century and left their imprint not only in the multicolor houses still being used today but also in the cuisine of the typical cantinas, small restaurants. Followed by this comes the modern neighborhood of Puerto Madero, with its old piers converted into offices, apartments, places for entertainment and elegant restaurants, and its view of Rio de la Plata, a residential neighborhood of Palermo with elegant mansions surrounded by spacious parks and finally arriving at La Recoleta. The cemetery of Recoleta surprises visitors with its rich architecture and with the important social and political personalities that are buried there, among whom is Eva Peron. Next to the cemetary is the church of Our Lady of Pilar, the former convent which today is part of the Cultural Center of Recoleta, the shopping area, Buenos Aires Design, and the exposition center, Palais de Glace. After having a lunch in a nice local restaurant, we will continue our program visiting Evita Museum, which celebrates the life of Eva Peron, and Buenos Aires Museum of Latin American Art (MALBA) which has the best examples of modern art in Latin America.

15 In the evening we will have a nice dinner and attend a tango show. The tango is the outstanding music of Buenos Aires. It originated in the 1880 ghettos which were populated by Italian and Spanish immigrants, Africans and gauchos. From this intersection rose the Compraditos, whose songs, lyrics, and dances reflect el duelo de cuchilleros, or knife fights characteristic of the social ambience. The tango rose from a mix of Cuban and Spanish rhythms, some polka, and according to some, also a bit of African music. Its lyrics, difficult to understand and impossible to translate, are profoundly poetic. Each song has a story to tell about the city, its history and its people. In spite of its humble origins in the ghettos and brothels, in the 1920 s, the tango rose to the salons of the upper classes. Overnight in Buenos Aires Meals: B L D Day 9: Sun, Oct 21, 2018 Buenos Aires Gaucho Experience Today we will have a full-day excursion to an estancia ranch - for a typical barbecue lunch and a folklore/gaucho show. Here, we will learn about the customs of the Argentinean gauchos and their abilities on horseback that will leave the us breathless. The meat will be cooked a lo gaucho, outdoors on the barbecue. Lunch and drinks included. Afternoon, we will return to Buenos Aires. Gauchos are the nomadic and colorful horseman and cowhand of the Argentine and Uruguayan Pampas (grasslands), who flourished from the mid-18th to the mid-19th century and have remained a folk hero similar to the cowboy in western North America.

16 Rest of the day at leisure in Buenos Aires. In the evening we are on our own to explore various dinner options in Buenos Aires. Overnight in Buenos Aires Meals: B L Day 10: Mon, Oct 22, 2018 Buenos Aires Our day at leisure in Buenos Aires. We can explore various museums, churches or stroll through the street markets. Overnight in Buenos Aires Meals: B Day 11: Tue, Oct 23, 2018 Buenos Aires Iguazu Around noon, we will be transferred to the airport for our flight to Puerto Iguazu. Upon arrival, we will meet our guide and will be transferred to our hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Our dinner will be at the hotel. Overnight in Iguazu Meals: B D

17 Day 12: Wed, Oct 24, 2018 Iguazu Argentinian Side Today we will have a full day excursion to the Argentinian side of the falls with our guide and transportation. We will depart from the hotel crossing the bridges Tancredo Neves and Juan D. Perón that join the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazu (Argentina) and Foz de Iguazu (Brazil) to visit the Argentine side of the Iguazu Falls, located within the Iguazu National Park. With an extension of 67,000 hectares the park has been declared a Natural Patrimony of Humanity by the UNESCO. The Falls are integrated by 275 waterfalls that fall from an average altitude of seventy meters. The starting point is the Central Station, from which visitors can choose to take the train that goes to Falls Station or the one that goes to Devil s Throat Station. From these points it is possible to carry out diverse excursions: The superior walk is a walk of 800 meters on footbridges, elevated over the surface of the terrain so as not to obstruct or drive away/frighten the fauna. On this walk, visitors can observe the waterfalls from the upper part of the Dos Hermanas, Bosetti, Bernabé Méndez, M Bigua falls, among others. It lasts for an hour and the range of difficulty is low, there are no stairs. The inferior walk is a 1,600 meters walk on footbridges elevated over the surface of the terrain, where visitors can see the two sisters, Alvar Nuñez, San Martín, and Bosetti falls and the Rock de la Bella Vista. Visitors can also have a panoramic view of the Devil s Throat and the Río Iguazu Inferior Canyon. This walk lasts for two hours and the range of difficulty is moderate, with stairs. Besides, in this circuit (and with private services) a visit to the Isla San Martín can be performed and you can go aboard for the The Great Adventure excursion (Optional service - additional cost.) The excursion Devil s Throat starts at the Devil s Throat Station to go walking through the footbridges for about 1,200 meters which allows the visitor to enjoy the view of the most important waterfall of the Falls. The excursion lasts two hours, and the range of difficulty is low, there are no stairs. The return is done by train up to the Visitors Center. Once the excursion ends, we will return to the hotel. Overnight in Iguazu Meals: B Day 13: Thu, Oct 25, 2018 Iguazu Brazilian Side Departure Today we will have an excursion to the Brazilian side of the falls. We will depart from the hotel crossing the Tancredo Neves and Juan D. Perón Bridge that connect the Argentinian city of Puerto Iguazu with the Brazilian city of Foz de Iguazú. The tour continues towards the Iguaçu National Park, one of the largest vegetation reserves in Brazil. We will arrive at the visitors center where visitors transfer to a bus for a tour inside the park and up to the beginning of the boardwalks located at the edge of the cliffs of the Iguazu River, which extend almost a kilometer. During the walk it is possible to see the

18 San Martín Island, and be amazed by the sight of the waterfalls of Bossetti, San Martín and Three Musketeers. The observation deck found towards the end of the walk offers a unique view of Devil s Throat from a distance of just 150 meters away. This amazing scenery is enhanced by the constant formation of rainbows. The visit ends next to the Salto Floriano fall where there is a small store with access to the panoramic elevator that is at the visitor's disposal. At the end of the tour, a long stairway leads to the area where visitors are transferred back to the hotel. After the end of the tour, we will be transferred to the airport for our return flight back to the USA. Meals: B

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