We decided to spend our final few days in South America in Chile. Thankfully, our last long bus ride from Mendoza to Santiago was a beautiful one, crossing through the Andes. Even better, our trip started with a free local bus ride. It seemed to be common practice for people to hop over the turnstiles or enter through the middle of the bus—still not sure what’s up with that, but you won’t hear us complaining.
We rented a room through Airbnb and stayed with the loveliest woman, Julia, and her cat, Albus (yes, like Dumbledore). Unexpectedly, we were greeted with a printed guide of things to do, little candies in our room, and a home-cooked breakfast each morning. We were treated with such warmth and care, and Albus decided that sleeping on top of Kim was the best spot at night. It had us feeling right at home.
With our adopted Chilean mom’s recommendations, we created and ventured out on own historical walking tour. We then spent the afternoon wandering through Santiago’s free zoo which is built on top of one of the city’s highest points overlooking the city. The views were increasingly spectacular views as we made our way through exhibit to exhibit.
We made the most of what was ultimately less than 48 hours in Santiago. The city was full of life, with restaurants and parks buzzing with people at all hours. That said, it didn’t all feel all that different from a big city in the U.S.—not saying that’s a bad thing! The same could not be said for our final stop: Valparaíso.
Valparaíso
This small shipping town was packed with personality. Once again, we opted for an Airbnb, but this experience was vastly different from the last. The cozy, homey feeling was replaced with an empty, almost falling-apart apartment. However, with the owner absent, we essentially adopted a tiny cat for a few days, whom we affectionately named Ginger Snap. Little Ginger followed Jack around like a shadow and once again temporarily filled the cat void in our hearts.
Much of our time in Valparaíso was spent exploring the hills, which are very much alive—with art. Murals are painted all over the city, adorning residential and commercial buildings alike, creating a grungy feel in the most beautiful way. Staircases, considered public property, are decorated with carefully crafted images: cats, pianos, and the ever-famous “We Are Not Hippies. We are Happies.” mural.
Beyond the art, there was so much to explore. Unsurprisingly, we took a walking tour, which was possibly the best of our entire trip. We rode several ascensores—elevators that carry you up the steep hills—and were delighted to find that each hill seemed to have its own unique vibe. In the middle of our tour, we even stumbled upon a gathering of musicians mid-performance.
One of the most inspiring parts of our visit was the Parque Cultural de Valparaiso. After the prison on this site was closed, community members came together to repurpose the space in meaningful ways. Today, it includes a park, shared gardens and kitchens, rooms for dance classes, and spaces for anything else the community might need. Our final museum visit of the trip was to the Maritime Museum, where we learned about and saw many naval artifacts from the War of the Pacific. It was quite interesting hearing the story from the triumphant Chilean perspective after visiting Bolivia and being filled in about the loss of their access to the Pacific. As they say, two sides to every story.
We spent our last afternoons and evenings near the water, strolling along the shore, dipping our toes into the chilly Pacific, and watching sea lions bask nearby. A circus tent was temporarily set up near the beach, so naturally, we had to check it out. We spent our final night in South America enjoying one last show we could half-understand, soaking up every bit of spectacle and fun.
Eats
When near the water, one simply must indulge in seafood. Right? We got our fix of empanadas, ceviche, and baked fish before moving on to less expected options: hot dogs. Completos italiano style are popular hot dogs with avocado, ketchup, and mayo (making up the colors of the Italian flag). We cheated a little bit and added a delicious olive sauce that ruined the color effect but made it oh so delicious. We rounded out our eating experience with churrasco (thinly sliced steak) sandwiches.
Ends & Beginnings
Well, shucks. It’s still a little hard to wrap our heads around the fact that we just spent nearly 100 days exploring a glimpse of what South America has to offer. When we flew to Quito in August, it was hard to imagine what would unfold over the next three months. From canyoning in Ecuador, to trekking in Peru, getting acquainted with anacondas in the Bolivian Pampas, stargazing in the Atacama Desert in Chile, exploring the edge of Patagonia in Argentina, and everything in between, we are so grateful.
The past few weeks in Illinois have filled our cups in another favorite way: spending time with loved ones. What a beautiful life it is to be able to appreciate both. We’re thankful to everyone who made time for us and welcomed us back with open arms. It was the sweetest surprise to hear people in our lives bring up specific experiences we’ve shared along the way. Thank you for loving us so well and supporting us as we explore new horizons.
Japan, here we come!