COQUIMBO / VALLE DE ELQUI, CHILE

There was something exciting about the historic, raggedy port town of Coquimbo. We enjoyed our stay in a simple but interesting hostel, an old colonial mansion which was formerly the French Embassy back when the city was a main trading post. (Hostal Nomade) It looked like everything had been left intact since it was built in the 1800's, including the gardens. (see pictures on their website!)

After a few days we made our way inland, into the Valle de Elqui where the local pisco grape is grown and where many of the table grapes consumed in Canada originate. The lush valley contrasted sharply with the dry barren hills above. The town of Picso Elqui is a gem, and the surrounding valley can easily be explored by bicycle. The ride is entirely downhill, a necessity given the extreme heat and the oppressing sun.

Due to its clear skies, the area is home to countless space observatories and to the most powerful telescopes on the planet. We joined a tour to observe the skies at the Mamalluca observatory, seeing Jupiter and the Moon through a telescope and other planets and the galaxies with just the naked eye. The observatory itself is not a worthwhile attraction and the outing is very touristy, but the skies are truly impressive from he hilltop.

Many people simply visit through day trips from La Serena but its very much worth spending some time in Vecuna and Pisco to fully appreciate the charm of this area.

PUCUN & SANTIAGO, CHILE

On our way to Santiago, we made a quick two day stop in Pucon, a mountain vacation spot for Chilenos. Unfortunately our only highlight of the town was the bed and breakfast / hostel we stayed at (Frontera Pucon). Run by a young Brazilian couple, the place was modern with great rooms and a beautiful courtyard to enjoy the sunny afternoons. We once again ran into the situation where we get mistaken for Brazilians, although our cover is always quickly blown when people realize we can only reply "si", "no", or "claro" to all their questions. Given its many similarities to Spanish, we understand bits of Portuguese but speaking it is another matter.

Although it features a perfectly shaped smoking volcano and a crystal clear lake, Pucon is a little too tourist ready. In high season it's over run by loud chaotic families crowding restaurants, ice cream stands, and shops. We strongly recommend visiting outside of high season.

We were excited to meet up with an Australian friend and his family who now live on the outskirts of Santiago. We had such a fun time that the week just flew by. Eating in great restaurants (Osaka at W Hotel), visiting the Casablanca wine region and partying with the fabulous group of friends they've made over the past two years was a real treat. We had the chance to get a glimpse into the expat lifestyle of Santiago and experience a few days with the comforts of home, a much appreciated break after nearly five months of being on the road.

VALDIVIA, CHILE

We crossed the Andes into Chile, passing on our way the active Puyehue volcano that has been throwing ash into Argentina for several months. The scene was impressive, trees burned to crisp, rivers having turned black and an endless plume of smoke rising from the mountain.

We were heading to Valdivia, near the coast in southern Chile, to see a friend we had originally met in Montreal. We wasted no time getting into the seafood after having been exposed to the almighty Argentinian meat diet. The town has an incredible fish market selling loads of fresh produce and ceviche. We never missed the opportunity to dine in the seafood restaurants across the street in the Mercado Central.

We stayed with our friend and his family which meant we were quickly introduced to the Chileno Spanish. It took us a while to decipher this quick, mumbled form of Spanish with an exhaustive inventory of slang words, but little by little it began to make sense.

It was a great experience, celebrating New Years, fishing on the river, the rowdy nights out, the dancing lessons and all that reggaeton. We were very fortunate to have been welcomed with incredible hospitality by such a warm a bunch of people. We had the opportunity to more fully immerse ourselves in the local culture and our time in this small underrated city proved to be one of the most interesting so far.