Llamas. Need I say more?

Don’t worry.  Vegetarians, animal liberationists and just the general soft-hearted can take a breath of relief. I’m not talking about eating them! (Although I have, but that was 5 years ago in the north of Argentina).

They’re cute and soft and very innocent looking. To the best of my knowledge, they don’t spit like camels do, and they certainly don’t have “an unfortunate condition caused by far too tight ladies’ pants” named after them. They produce nice wool and, a bonus – they’re even used as natural little lawn mowers in some organic wineries!

OK, you don’t see them on every street corner but, if you hang out around Mercado Central, there’ll be one dressed up by his owner so the tourists can take photos (at a price of course). Not an ideal occupation for a llama, but work nonetheless. You also see plenty of them if you head north or, as mentioned, if you visit an organic winery!

They’re here, and they’re one of the things I love about Chile.