Chile

I lost her. It happened. I lost my girlfriend. I know her phone is dead and so is mine. I'm slightly inebriated in Valparaiso after we went bar hopping with two Chileans. My brain starts racing and assuming the worse. Someone took her. Or she got injured. She was literally right next to me, where the hell did she go? Sobering up quickly. How long should I look before going to the police? Police? Maybe I should go to the embassy instead.

I walked up and down the narrow streets of Valparaiso at 3 AM. Not the brightest thing for me to be walking solo late at night, but what else was I to do. Many Chileans were still out partying on the streets hanging out in stairwells and near small late night restaurants. As I walked around through the crowds and empty streets for half an hour (felt like 4), I decided it was best to head back to our Airbnb in town. Turning the corner, I see her sitting on the stoop waiting, but not alone. Of course, my girlfriend would find a stray dog to play with to keep her company.

I wasn't even mad just happy that she was fine. Relieved, I went to bed. Lexi, however, wanted to stay a bit longer with the dog outside.

When I woke up in the morning she wasn't there. I got up and looked in the kitchen. No one. The bathroom. No one. Did she lock herself out? I check outside. No one.

Heart attack number two, commence. Oh god, not again!

As I come upstairs, I hear a noise come from a different bedroom. I knock and open it to find the stray dog laying down on a rug and Lexi sleeping in the bed.

Lexi's large heart may have given me a few more grey hairs, but thankfully now, it's a funny story to tell - drinking with Chileans, a stray dog, and a few panic attacks.

This was one of many memories we made during our 3-week stay in Chile. We traveled around quite a bit in this country. Relaxing in Santiago, viewing murals in Valparaiso, walking the coast in Vina del Mar, pisco tasting and stargazing in Elqui Valley, and outdoor adventures in Pucon.

Please see the breakdown of Chile below.

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Nature & Scenery

Santiago

Plazas and parks - very clean city overall, it is very easy to walk around going through the many plazas and parks.

Cerro San Cristobal - We weren't looking for a steep hike on our daily stroll around the city, but found it here at San Cristobal. Nothing crazy, but roughly a 40-minute hike up gets you to an incredible 360-degree view of Santiago along with a 22-meter statue of the Virgin Mary. Well worth the hike!

Valparaiso

Murals - Just walk the city to find thousands of beautiful murals between winding streets, up sharp stairways, and in hidden corridors while watching the sunset in the Pacific.

Vina del Mar

Coastline - walking around this beach coastline will take you roughly 40 minutes and will remind you of small Florida town.

La Serena

Faro Monumental Lighthouse - The main site to see in Chile's 2nd oldest city after Santiago. La Serena is a quiet beach town with a modern suburban feel.

Elqui Valley - Simply stunning. Starting in La Serena and heading east for about 1-2 hours you enter the Elqui Valley. Mainly a desert landscape in La Serena, you are twisting and turning around rocky and sandy mountains that open up to a clear river and green landscapes. Approximately an hour from La Serena, we reached a dam that had spectacular views on both sides (see picture below). One view overlooked part of the valley and on the other, a crystal clear lake resting between mountains. We continued our drive through the valley passing lime trees, avocado farms, and vineyards. We made a stop to one of the oldest Pisco vineyards in Chile to do a tasting and learn how Pisco is made.

We also did a stargazing tour at the Mamalluca Observatory in the Elqui Valley. The sky was very clear, but a disappointing guide and lackluster observatory left me with a bitter taste wanting a sweeter version that I can only assume is in San Pedro (clearest sky in the world). Don't get me wrong, the stars were really beautiful and from reading many TripAdvisor reviews I understand why so many people like it. I was hoping for something more than a person pointing a green laser at constellations and looking through a telescope barely making out a hazy object. I wanted information on par with the astronomy class I took in college explaining different types of stars like red dwarf vs white dwarf vs supergiants. Parting from my unreasonable expectations for this tour, it's tough to complain with cost being only $25 per person.

Pucon

Everything - A town in the lakes district, Pucon is situated between a lake and active volcano. Add in amazing weather and you have a lot of options to keep you busy for weeks. Ranging from kayaking, volcano hiking, horseback riding, canyoning, national park trails, hot springs, and skydiving - there is plenty to do. We only did horseback riding and canyoning during our stay, but this was one of our favorite spots in South America. Also, we loved our stay in our hobbit room at Chili Kiwi hostel.

People

Chileans are a bit cold. Not to imply they are rude. They say hello, goodbye, and all other pleasantries, but they aren't exactly welcoming you with open arms. The people are more short and direct in their tone. It also was very difficult for us to understand their Spanish. Not only do they speak really fast, they also use a lot of slang. Even other Spanish speaking countries have stated they have trouble with Chilean Spanish. As a result, we heavily relied on Google Translate.

From a physical appearance standpoint, Chileans were much taller than Peruvians and Ecuadorians. They have similar build and height of Europeans or USA.

Food and Drink

For the price you pay, the food was a bit disappointing. I would say many restaurants in Santiago are very similar to Chicago prices, but not the same quality. Restaurants had great ambiance, but fell short on food. Nothing really stuck out to me as amazing or you really need to try in Chile. It was just OK.

The only food that really wowed me was cooked by a Michelin chef, Christian, from Las Vegas. We met him in Pucon cooking at our hostel and each night I would grab a beer and have a conversation with him while he cooked (very small bar/kitchen). We told him that we were really missed spicy food since most of South America lacks the heat we are accustomed to with Mexican food. Christian made this incredible braised lamb enchiladas with his own spicy sauce.

For drinks, we had a few amazing pisco sours at a place called Chipe Libre in Santiago. I wasn't in love with pisco sours until I came here. Really good.

I also tried the Chilean wine, Carmenere. It was like the food for me, just OK. To me, it tasted like a blend of Merlot and Cabernet with a bit of a harsh aftertaste.

Safety

Overall, Chile felt really safe. The city of Santiago is really clean and well laid out city. Many parks and plazas make it very walking friendly. The people generally keep to themselves and walking through numerous neighborhoods we never felt unsafe. We were told we needed to be a bit more cautious in Valparaiso and I understood that a bit more as surrounding areas seemed a bit more run down and less fortunate than the touristy city center. As mentioned above, Lexi and I even got separated around 3 AM which yes, was a bit unnerving for me, but we ended up just fine.

Highlights

Elqui Valley - We didn’t know what to expect in Elqui Valley and it really turned out to be quite amazing! It's worth a trip to just see the views. The dam, the avocado fields, and the pisco tasting are all fantastic.

Spanish Classes - Lexi took 3 days of classes in Santiago to brush up on her Spanish and I know she really enjoyed the time with her teachers. I, on the other hand, stood back at our Airbnb working on this blog and relaxed.

Pucon - It was one of our favorite spots in all of South America and the hostel we stayed at, Chili Kiwi, really made it for us. We booked a private room at this hostel that turned out to be a hobbit room. The same as you have seen in Lord of the Rings. The owner, James, was really helpful in telling you about the hostel itself and what to do in Pucon. He went through a booklet and gave suggestions on what he really liked. In addition, we received discounted tours just for staying at the hostel. The main attraction in Pucon is a hike up the active volcano. We, unfortunately, choose not to do this based on cost. It was fairly pricey and we could do 3 different tours for the price of this one. We also met a girl who hiked the volcano explaining how her nostrils and lungs burned due to the fumes she inhaled. So we choose to do horseback riding and canyoning instead.

Horseback riding, for me, was the most terrifying option in Pucon. I'd rather hike an active volcano and skydive than ride a horse. Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes said it best, "They're dangerous at both ends and crafty in the middle. Why would I want anything with a mind of it's own bobbing about between my legs." See the video below 30 seconds in. As much as I love how hilarious this scene is, I could relate to this fear.

When we arrived, the guides asked us our comfort level to help determine a good fit based on our personality. I stated that I was confident, but slightly terrified of riding a horse. The two guides whisper to each other for 5 minutes and pair us up with a horse. I get paired up with one of the largest horses which the guide tells me is well behaved, but also is the fastest horse they have.

Perfect. I'm not sure how slightly terrified and fastest horse makes a personality match, but needless to say, I was nervous. I just stood next to my horse petting it in hopes it would not kick my face in. Once I saddled up and got moving, he was really easy to control. He was really well mannered just as the guide mentioned. He was also really fast. This horseback riding isn't just slowly trotting. There are times you are doing a fast gallop and another time a full out sprint. My horse always wanted to take off sprinting ahead off all the other horses. Sometimes he went so fast I would fall out of my stirrups and pulling back on the reigns for dear life.

Lexi, on the other hand, was given the "mother" horse. Not sure why she was called the "mother" horse unless controlling equals mother. I'll let you decide. This horse didn't like other horses getting too close to her as she would kick and bite if you got too close. The horse also didn't want anyone to pass her. Lexi did a way better job than me staying calm the whole time.

In the end, I really enjoyed the tour as we went through forests along a river and into an open field with mountains in the distance (see video below). The one negative is that horseback riding is not very friendly to male riders. Likely no shocker there. It's like a small child kicking you in your Hardy Boys. Expect some soreness. Past that, it was a fun experience.

Canyoning was also fun very fun (is canyoning a word? apparently so in Chile). We rappelled down a waterfall (see video below) and zip lined through rapids in a wetsuit. The water was extremely cold and your hands become numb in the first 10 minutes. Yet, we still had a great time doing it.

As we loved the views and activities in Pucon, the people we met at Chili Kiwi Hostel really made our trip. Talking with the group of Israeli's traveling South America after serving for the military, discussing the difference between Holland and the Netherlands with this Dutch couple and sharing a video of Michael Cain as Austin Power's "Fajah," half-joking with the chef, Christian, from Vegas that I'd be willing to be his camera man as we travel the world and do our own version of Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown TV series, teasing the French Canadian, Ame, how I love how over polite Canadians can be (Oh, sawwry 'bout that). All of these people brought us a sense of community and friendship. For that, I am extremely grateful. I wish them all the best in their travel adventures and hope they will contact me if ever in the Windy City.

Thanksgiving dinner - The first time I've cooked a turkey. I bought a frozen turkey with less than 24 hours till dinner. I turned to YouTube for ways to thaw out a turkey, fast. I chose the water bath method of placing your turkey in a sink and letting it sit in cold water for 30 minutes, drain, another 30 minutes of cold water, and repeat for 5-6 hours. Starting at 6 in the morning, I did this process until noon. It was quite the dedication I didn't know I had in me. The turkey actually came out pretty good after watching more videos on how to prep it. We enjoyed, in the best way we could, Thanksgiving abroad. Drinking with Locals in Valparaiso - If you are going to Chile, I feel like you have to make a visit to Valparaiso. It's really impressive the amount of variety you see in the murals throughout the city. Lexi and I were fortunate enough to meet locals at a bar who spoke English. They took us to another local bar where they have traditional Chilean music and dance. It was really nice to see something off the tourist path.

Tomer - Have to really thank Tomer on his recommendations. An Israeli we met at Chili Kiwi, he urged us to visit Bariloche, Argentina. We weren't even considering it and in fact, never heard of the place until he mentioned it. It has to be some of the best views and scenery I have ever seen (more to come in the Argentina breakdown) along with an amazing food recommendation. It turned out being one of the best meals we had in South America. All would have been missed were it not for him. Thanks a bunch Tomer! Lowlights

Dog poop in Valparaiso - as pretty as the murals are in the city, you have to constantly look down to watch where you are stepping. So much dog poop on sidewalks decreases the beauty of the city.

Lexi losing visa - Not a major lowlight as you may expect. When you enter Chile, they give us a small piece of paper that looks like a receipt. It's not clearly stated, but this is your visa to be in the country. Lexi isn't alone as this is pretty common to toss away. Not to worry. Getting a new one is actually fairly easy. You can go to any PDI (Policia de Investigaciones) station and get a new one for free or you can pay a small fee to get a new one in an airport. Since we were in Pucon and busing to Bariloche, we needed to go the police station. Unfortunately, Pucon does not have a PDI police station, but the town, 20-minute drive away, did. Once we got to the station it was pretty simple. If you head to a border crossing, you may have luck to purchase there, but it can be a real headache without it.

Shipping Pisco - I bought chocolate pisco in the Elqui Valley after a tasting. A much better version of Bailey's, in my opinion. I thought who best to send this to for Christmas than my mom. Unfortunately, Chile doesn't allow you to ship pisco in the mail. Maybe there is a way around this, but I tried two different postal services both calming the wine and beer can be sent, but not pisco. I'm sorry Mom. I ended up sharing the bottle with people at a hostel instead.

Expensive. We knew this going in, but the prices here are much more expensive than Peru and Ecuador. Prices are similar to the States.

Strange and Weird

Hot dogs - Chilean's love their hot dogs. "Completo" is their go-to hot dog of choice. Mayo, avocado, sauerkraut, chilies, diced tomatoes, and cheese. I thought a Chicago dog was unhealthy!

Ordering coffee at Starbucks. Yes, I'm back to coffee! We should have been trying other coffee shops to get a more authentic experience, but this Starbucks was only 2 minutes from our Airbnb and we wanted something we could trust. It wasn't my first encounter at Starbucks as I had an expresso in Lima. But I learned a few new things about the menu that I didn't know before. To get a normal cup of filtered coffee or black coffee, you need to order "café del dia." No options here for a blonde or dark roast. What they make that day is what you get. Want to add cream or milk? Better ask ahead of time and also ask for it be cold. Everywhere we have been, the milk is steamed and they pour into your coffee. They don't have metal containers for skim, cream, and whole milk on a separate counter like we are used to. Not sure if they are afraid of someone stealing them or taking all the milk. Big beers. I could have mentioned this for any South America country (and apologies if I already have), but it's very uncommon in South America to order a 12 oz. beer for yourself. The common practice is to buy a liter of beer and share with others at your table similar to a bottle of wine. We have really started liking this during our travels.

Ice cream addiction - It's not uncommon to see Chilean's eating ice cream at all hours of the day. We were walking to get coffee in the morning around 10 AM and we saw a few people eating ice cream.

Long days in Santiago - The sun would start setting around 8:30 or 9 PM giving you 14-15 hours of daylight. Not complaining, but it was hard to tell the time. 7 PM felt like 3 or 4 PM.

The Dutch - Nothing to do with Chile, but I came to realize in Chile that I love Dutch people. I know that sounds really weird (thus why it's here), but every person I've met from the Netherlands has been so friendly and outgoing. They are the kind of people you want to grab a beer with and just talk. A blend of sarcasm and playful shit talking makes for interesting conversation that I appreciate. Also, its always good to have a Dutch friend nearby as they seem to speak at least 3 different languages.

Recommendations

Santiago - Listening to most travelers, I feel like this city gets overlooked. Maybe rightfully so, but it is a really clean city with plenty to do. Is it just another city? Perhaps. Yet, I think spending 2 days at a minimum will give you a good take into the Chilean day-to-day life.

Valparaiso - Must go. I think you could see what you want with just 1 day in this city, but wouldn't be out of the question to stay for 3 days. The stray dogs and dog poop aren't great, but the art you see is truly one of a kind.

Vina del Mar - You can pass on this one. If you really want to, I'd stay for maybe a day. Nothing more. It's an OK beach, but not a must see.

La Serena (Elqui Valley) - The city is a bit quiet for my liking, but the reason you go here is to head to Elqui Valley which I recommend you do. There are smaller cities in the valley such as Vicuna that you may consider staying at as well, but 1 maybe 2 solid days in Elqui Valley is enough time.

Pucon - Absolutely go. There is so much to do and see that it's tough for me to recommend how long you should stay. One guy thought he was going to stay for 2 days and ended up staying over a week. Some people fall in love with the place so much they ended up working at the hostel. For me, I'd stay for 3-4 days.