Chile here we come!!!

We had heard many tales about the road from Argentina to Chile. One traveler blogged about how she had to close her eyes the whole time because the fear factor was too much for her. None of these stories were false. After about an hour at the border, spent going through various customs lines and retreiving the nuts, the bus began its rapid descent toward the Pacific from the Andes. Hanna didn't cry and Byron didn't mention wanting to bike the road, but we still came out unscathed.



First stop in the Chile - Viña del Mar. The beautiful beach town is just north of Valparaiso. After trying to get money from 3 different ATM's, we realized that there was a special button for foreigners to get cash out. We got the thousands of pesos we needed to buy things, grabbed a couple really cheap and delicious empanadas, locked up our things in the bus station and headed to the beach. The city was very similar to La Jolla, California. All the houses are up on a hill that surrounded the cute little city and there are plenty of restaurants that serve anywhere from McDonald's levels to the finest cuisine found anywhere.

After strolling along the beach, we came upon a little market selling knick-knacks that were actually of high quality and potentially things that someone might actually want. Byron bought a $2 beanie that came complete with a little ball on top and straps to keep it tied tight. I got a $3 sarong which we sat on to watch the sunset on the beach. We didn't have to be back at the bus station until 11:00 that night, so we had a leisurely beer at a bar that consisted of a patio in front of a small kiosk. No frills, no real service, you just buy your three dollar liter of beer and sit in the patio. It's a business model that works. No more waiting for the check.

After the beer and a little more relaxation, we both had a hankering for sushi. We headed to a local restaurant that we had passed earlier and ate a delicious meal. The food was very impressive all the way down to the authentic green tea.

Very happy and content, we strolled through the not-so-sleepy beach town as their fiestas began. We got some postres and enjoyed them on a park bench and admired the clean streets and happy people that were all around us. We also marveled at the fact that we had spent so little but gotten so much. The food was amazing all around and the desserts were grandiose and delicious. Fat and happy we headed back to the bus station to take off for our next stop up the Chilean coast....La Serena.