One of the countries in the world that is at the top of my personal life list to visit is Chili, and it was recently the setting to the big mine worker rescue. If you haven't heard about it, you must have been very unplugged for the past few weeks. The country has a wide variety of climates and landforms, which are all displayed beautifully in the southern region of Patagonia.
In case you don't know where it is; it's the long skinny country on the Western coast of South America.
The map above is from the CIA's World Factbook. Follow the link for more information on the country.
Politically, this event is a great example of a government knowing they can't handle the crisis alone and asking for, and receiving help from, other countries to get something done ahead of schedule. NASA helped design the rescue pod as well as developed the liquid meals the miners consumed while trapped, and many other foreign companies donated products and technology that helped in the rescue. This is in stark contrast to our own recent disaster in which we refused help that was offered from multiple countries which elongated the crisis unnecessarily
The Memphis connection:
Sounds like at least one of the miners is a huge Elvis fan and might be in Memphis to see Graceland. I for one would welcome him and all the miners and hope they experience our great Southern hospitality when they are here.
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