After Santiago I headed to Valparaiso with Nelson, my couchsurfing host. Stayed with a nice girl named Maria who didn't speak English...good practice. Met a woman named Denise who was deathly afraid of cats. I watched her periodically dash around Maria's apartment to escape the cat for about 3 hours...very amusing. Valparaiso has the same food as Santiago...completos. Hot dogs covered with tomatoes, mayo, and this watery avocado paste. SO AWFUL. I never want to look at a completo again for the rest of my life. After Valpo it was straight to Playa de Ritoque, a tiny beach town 15 minutes by colectivo from Quintero. Ritoque was a beach with absolutely nothing else. It was nice to just do nothing for 4 days but lay on the beach. After Ritoque, I spent a night at Nelson's in Santiago, and then it was off to Argentina. Got a "semi-cama" bus...6 hours and the seats go almost all the way back. Took an amazing trip through the Andes mountains, which I got great pictures of. Got to Argentina and immediately went to a hostel BBQ. FINALLY I ate the first real food I've had in 2 weeks, because Chile's food is awful. Unlimited steak, chicken, salad, etc. It was awesome. Since then I've been hanging in Mendoza with a bunch of crazy South Africans, and a Swedish girl named Elsa. Celebrated St. Patty's at an Irish pub...the Argentinean's were more festive than I was! Yesterday I did a bike tour around the wineries of Maipu...about 17 km south of Mendoza. I showed up to Mr. Hugo's bike rental and got adopted by a nice couple from Ireland on their honeymoon. Biked for so long with them...on the main roads with huge trucks whizzing by....probably not safe. When you turn in your bike, Mr. Hugo gives you free wine...so needless to say there were tons of people congregated there. Also went bowling last night....very interesting. The balls were tiny, and there was a man standing behind the pins picking them up when you knocked them down. Pretty funny. Tonight I leave for Buenos Aires to possibly meet up with my Australian friends that I met in Ritoque. So to sum it up...Argentina is awesome.
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| Couchsurfers in Chile! |
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| Valpo |
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| Dogs are everywhere in Chile! Most are nice and will follow you/lead you home if you get lost. I owe my life to the dogs. |
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| The back porch of my hostel room in Ritoque. |
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| Playa de Ritoque |
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| View from the bus window crossing from Santiago to Mendoza. |
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| Wine at the "bodega" or vineyard. |
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| ME |
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| Me and my trusty bike! |
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| Picture taking while bike riding got a little dangerous.. |
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| Grapes. |
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| St. Patty's Day street party! |
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| Bowling: Argentinean Style |
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