Desert Meets Ocean in Pichilemu

We had been warned about crime in Santiago before arriving with our Calafate friends Tobi and Carola telling of their attempted mugging in Valparaíso. Stepping off the bus we had our eyes darting around holding our possessions near as we found our way out of the terminal to somewhere an uber could collect us.

Despite the dire warnings, we had no issues during our stay here though we did take caution to avoid walking too far at night and storing/holding our phones securely. I did also opt to only use my phone for photos in both Santiago and Valparaiso.

We spent our first afternoon walking Lastarria and Cerro Santa Lucia where we got our first glimpse of Santiago from above.

That evening we had a delicious Turkish meal in Bellavista with some classy happy hour cocktails for 3000CLP (5.20NZD) each.

The following day we joined in with a 10am free walking tour which took us through three massive markets and an even massiver graveyard, with history and explanations told along the way.

Both the markets and graveyard were endless, the latter covering more than 80 rugby fields with vertical graves you can either buy outright or rent 10 years at a time. 

The heat in Santiago was killer and peaked between 2-4pm. It was however pleasantly dry heat which the city often capitalised on by substituting aircon for fans with water/mist spraying in front to cool.

To beat the heat, we set off up Cerro San Cristóbal at the crack of dawn (well, 8am) the next day for the full view of the city. The smog was thick and made the very close Andes actually quite hard to see. Still an impressive view to see and as always a good reminder of where we were.

Kenzie had named Oakberry as the destination for breakfast following our walk. This was north east of the central city in ‘Sanhatten’ and conveniently close to the one and only camera shop I could find in all of South America that sold Peak Design Capture Clips (I foolishly left mine in NZ after specifically buying it for this trip).

After our tasty Açai bowls and much anticipated acquisition of a capture clip, we caught the train back into town, grabbed our bags, and headed for the bus to Valparaiso. 

Within a minute of arriving in ‘Valpo’ we were confronted by a lady who warned us (in Spanish) of thieves and muggings in the area. Not the warmest of welcoming we’ve had. Arriving at our hostel in Cerro Concepcion we noticed some odd smells and run down facilities, both synonymous with Valparaiso in recent years we later learned. The streets however were colourful though as promised.

With just a single full day here, we spent our time wandering the streets of Cerro Concepcion, eating cake, and joining in for an obligatory free walking tour. Much like La Boca in Buenos Aires, Valparaiso got its colour from the use of shipping containers in building.

The following day when our bus to Pichilemu pulled in right outside our hostel, we were stoked! We got off the bus only to end up back on it after they made clear they wouldn’t open the luggage compartment until the bus terminal.

Our hostel here was large and spacious with an epic rooftop deck that looked out to La Puntilla point break. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening calling home and relaxing.

With two full days here, the first was a beach day. We walked along the main beach but opted to avoid the crowds and continue around to the adjacent less busy beach.

I attempted to go for a swim but found the waves stronger and dumpier than expected with sand stirred up through the water. I gave up on the obligatory three dunks to claim a swim and found myself more sandy coming out than when I went in! Turns out the “playa no apta para el baño” signs didn’t mean “beach not suitable as a toilet” (baño can apparently also mean swim).

For the evening we had a sunset picnic at Punta de Lobos, the world famous surf break. Though the waves were not nearly as impressive as they could have been, there were still a few surfers out and the point itself provided stunning scenics of desert meeting ocean.

Our second day here continued the beach vibes with the addition of a surfboard I rented to satisfy my cravings. The waves were lacking but it was an enjoyable paddle nonetheless.

Despite having a bus booked for Santiago, we ended up accepting an offer of a ride with our hostel roomie instead. Sebastian was his name, a 26 year old down to earth Chilean chef and musician who was in Pichilemu filling time between his return from France and future move to Gold Coast. We talked of music and life and got to know each other as well as three can in a day. He went on to invite us for a bbq that evening that we had to decline but not without a counter offer of a place to stay in NZ should he ever make the trip. I sincerely hope he does!

Another night in Santiago saw our first real taste of local food at a restaurant in Bellavista. Pastel de choclo was the meal, a sort of corn cottage pie and a tasty one at that!

The following morning we were off on our way to Mendoza where we would be joined by my sister Macy!

Lucas

Feb 5, 2025