Backpacking South America

We had to get out of Argentina, but only so we could return with a renewed 90 day tourist visa. Now, we haven’t been here for 90 days yet, but the only other option would be to cross into Bolivia in a few weeks, which would cost us $138 each – the same fee levied against Bolivians entering the US.

Mendoza is so close to Chile, so we decided to take a quick, weekend trip to Valparaiso. Known for its steep hills, graffiti and brightly painted houses, we had a wonderful time exploring many nooks and alleyways that are everywhere in the city.

Valparaiso

We spent one full day wandering the hills of Valparaiso, visiting the eccentric house of Chile’s beloved poet Pablo Neruda, and taking every acsensor (cable cars that ascend some of the steepest hills) we could find.

Check out the Flickr set

Vina del Mar

Our second day was spent in the neighboring city, Vina del Mar. Much newer, flatter and cleaner than Valpo, what it lacked in uniqueness it made up for in comfort. Our main destinations in Vina del Mar were Los Dunas (the dunes) and a recommended empanada stand.

And a video:

The dunes were quite a surprise. They were extremely large and offered a great vista of the entire coastline all the way to Valparaiso. After have a bit of fun running and jumping off the top of the dunes, we headed back into town to finish our mission. We found the restaurant Entre las Mezas, ordered our empanadas and were very delighted. I branched out and embraced local cuisine and tried the Empanada de Mariscos (empanada with shellfish) while Carra had a vegetarian empanada.

The main difference between Argentina and Chilean empanadas was the size and variety. Chilean empanadas are very large, about the size of a hand, whereas Argentine empanadas are about the size of a fist.

A Few Welcome Surprises

We were surprised by the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in Chilean markets. We stocked up on avocados, fruits and even chicken deli meat (there seems to be only ham in Argentina) and made some delicious sandwiches.

Also, our hostel, Casa Aventura, served a great breakfast with eggs, pineapple, oranges, pears, apples, and fresh baked bread everyday…and good coffee. It was by far the most complete and delicious breakfast we’ve had during our stay in South America.