Not sure if this is the right place to post this question but if not just point me in the right direction. On my way to Ushuaia from Québec (solo) now in Mexico. Girlfriend is supposed to meet me somewhere in South America for a week or two later in the trip. I was thinking Santiago Chili for a starting point but really open to anywhere in S.A. Knowing that we need to rent a car and store the bike and visite place what city would you suggest ... Many thanks

You don't say anything about what your girlfriend likes to do, see or interact with. How are we supposed to know where she should meet you?

Having said that, I'd suggest Cuzco if the season is right. Might as well give her something she'll never duplicate elsewhere.

Good luck.

Mark

Ditto on Cuzco.

Does she like big cities? Far as big cities go in S. America Santiago is one of the best. I am partial to Buenos Aires but it was always so cheap when I was there ... which makes a difference. Now? I hear it's no longer the bargain it once was? ?Blue Dollar no mas? Dunno?

I would do Santiago because you're so close to some spectacular areas very near by.
Some you could drive to, others take bus, boat or fly to. Fabulous coast (like California), Glaciers further South. From Puerto Mont hop over to Argentina and enjoy Argentine Lake District and skiing in Bariloche. Maybe fly to Ushuaia to show her "end of the world" for a day or two? Do a tour out to Torres Del Paine ... a spectacular site.

For music, art, film ... Buenos Aires is hard to top but I'm sure plenty to do in
Santiago as well.

Good luck!

Thank you guys ... It will narrow my research to 3 city now.... I will have to look for storage and car rental best option... Muchas Gracias

If you want to see real South America, La Paz is the place. Still has the flavor of South America, even though it is being slowly lot but it is still there. You can travel to Salar de Uyuni, visit Lake Titicaca, and go to Coroico along the death road, and even fly to Cuzco if you want. The mountains are there too, just above the city. Soem amazing moutain scenery like drivng down to Sorata. You can also visit the desert of Atacama which is jsut across the border in Chille. Car hire is bit of a problem though, as the roads are all crappy and you would really need 4x4 to see the stuff properly, and that is not cheap.

If you into Incas, then Cuzco it is.

Santiago is another good option, as the mountains are close, however the city is just another city, not much of South America left (besides the Latino factor, which you can get in any large south American city.

Rio, well Rio is spectacular, but that is all you can do, unless you explore the coast a little, there are some nice spots nearby liek Ihla Grande.

Buenos Aires, another big city with latino flovour, and argentians are much more latino then Chilians.

Lima has few historic sites to offer, but it never impressed me much.

Caracas used to be cool 20 years ago.

Bogota, did not like it much

Sao Palo, jsut a big ant hill from my point of view.

Quito is another place that might interest you, but I have not been there for a long while, so not sure what it looks like now.