Road trip north

Maesi rented a car this week and we headed up to La Serena. La Serena is a beach resort which is about 4 hours north of Santiago. Even though it is considered a beach town, it is sprawling. Apparently it is a very popular vacation spot for locals. We headed north to avoid the rain, but we were not lucky enough to avoid it entirely. One good thing was our hostel was fanastic. Hostel El Punto is run by Germans. So far, all German and Swiss run businesses I've encountered have been first rate. We only spent two full days in La Serena, but the days were loaded with activities. The firt day we took a boat tour through a national marine reserve. The climate is ideal for a large variety of marine animals such as dolphins, penguins, sea lions, and a number of bird species. We were able to get REAL close to some sea lions (Who smell real bad). The next day, we went to the Elque valley which is one of the pisco producing regions. The scenery was spectacular! Imagine high mountain valleys covered with grapes and other fruits. The pisco tasting was kind of a let down, but the drive through the country was very nice. After a few days, it was back down to Valparaiso.

Valparaiso is what La Bocca should be. The town is bigger than expected, but it's unique blend of colorful houses and graffitti gives it a lot of charm. The city layout is not like the grids in the bigger cities, so one can wander and take in the views of the town and the ocean. Another special item of interest are the funiculars which can take you up the hills if you are tired of walking. If you come to Santiago, you must spend a day or two in Valparaiso.

One last important thing. I had the best meals so far during this road trip. The seafood is amazing and the fruit is also tops. Although the sea bass and conger eel are good, the shellfish is by far the best table fare.

First few pictures are from La Serena and the rest are from Valpo.