ONE WEEK IN CHILE

Impressions from a week in Chile

Sometimes we travel editors rely on other correspondents to cover countries we've still not visited. That was the case with me until last week when I finally made it to Chile.

The country is grappling with many familiar issues--like too much graffiti and too much plastic floating down the rivers--but overall I was impressed. This is as close as you'll get to first-world conditions in Latin America, with a great infrastructure, a transparent government, and institutions that actually work. The level of English proficiency was far beyond what I expected.

Here's the other important thing: it's hard to even tell there was an earthquake back in February. From Santiago to Valparaiso to the wine valleys, things are pretty much back to normal. (The one inconvenience was the pool patio at the W Santiago is closed until October for repairs.) So come on down! The wine is great, the skiing is great, and the Chileans are ready to welcome you with open arms