It ain’t glamorous, this business travel. You can quote the American Businessman on that! It’s quite a different take on travel, not the tourists Ooohhhhs and Ahhhhs over their trip to historical, cultural Santiago, Chile or Lima, Peru. But, when a businessman travels, there are long plane rides and all day meetings, not much time for leisurely sight-seeing or selfie shots. In the end all he gets is a view from a plane, hotel room, or airport window. Unglamorous, yes, but not to forget those simple pleasures he gets right where he stays; local and intriguing drinks at the hotel bar, and incredible food and desserts at a restaurant.

Let’s get going and make his so called unglamorous journey interesting and fun.

The American Businessman runs through the airport to catch a plane for…

Yes, he’s got his camera phone in hand!

On the flight and he takes a fly by photo of Mt. Rainier

Close to his destination, another fly by photo of the Andes Mt. Range

Finally the plane lands in beautiful Santiago, Chile. This is not what the businessman saw on arrival.  His view was blocked by clouds and rain.

Unrelated to why he’s there. Yes, he’s a soccer fan!

The businessman stayed at the Atton Hotel de Bosque in Santiago, Chile.

The rest of the world is pretty conscience about energy conservation. It took the businessman a few minutes to remember this as he stumbled around his hotel room wondering why the lights didn’t work. It’s a simple, yet effective solution, insert your “lock card” (room key) to turn on the lights.

One of those simple pleasures – Atton Hotel de Bosque bar – Pisco Sour, the national drink in Chile made from grapes.

Yum! Kinda like Grappa on steroids. The bartender told the businessman, “A limit of one is sufficient otherwise it’s Ibuprophen for breakfast.”

About that national drink!

“Pisco is a clear brandy that is popular in both Peru and Chile. The white Muscat grapes, from which pisco is distilled, were first grown in Peru by the Spaniards in the 16th century (at that time Peru & Chile were both part of Spain’s American empire.) When they became independent countries, both claimed the liquor as their own. Therefore the national drink of both Peru and Chile is the rich “Pisco Sour.” However there is a difference in sweetness and the citrus used between the two countries’ piscos. Egg whites are sometimes used in Chilean pisco sours as well, but for the purist, they will say it is an unnecessary adornment.” Food.com NcMystery Shopper Note

His vote – The Pisco Sour in Lima was tops over Santiago!

Another one of those simple pleasures…a delectable dessert in the hotel restaurant. The bird is made of food coloring and white chocolate. It was on the businessman’s dessert plate after dinner.

After a few days of non-stop meetings in Santiago, Chile, he’s leaving for Lima, Peru. He takes a quick shot of the Andes Mts. from an airport window.  It’s another rainy, cloudy day.

At the Radisson Hotel in Miraflores district in Lima, Peru, here’s a view from his hotel room. Notice a spot of blue sky, the local street scene, and the ocean in the background.

An ultimate, simple pleasure, his lunch entrée was an out of this world presentation. The food in Peru rocks!

And of course there’s Starbucks in Lima, Peru!

Historia de Starbucks

The original Starbucks opened in Seattle in 1971 as a store that sold coffee beans & equipment. In 1983 Howard Schultz joined the company and after a trip to Milan, advised the founders that the company should start selling coffee as well as coffee beans. Starbucks operates in 62 countries and says it has more than 650 stores in 12 Latin American markets.

Here’s the impressive Starbucks mural in San Isidro, Lima, Peru. It’s Pike’s Place Market in Seattle, a familiar look of back home.

At last we’ve come to the end of the businessman’s unglamorous trip to South America, but with a few of his own business type Ooohhhhs and Ahhhhs… success and accolades from the all-day meetings in Santiago and Lima.

 And now he’s heading home!

He thanks you for coming along on his journey. It’s the first in a series of The American Businessman’s Unglamorous Travels.  Come back and see where he goes next!