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| On the way to the hostel |
Anyone reading this blog knows I'm from California, but what you might not know is I'm something of an amphibious creature. Okay, that sounds weirder than I meant for it to, but it's true. I love the water. I love being in the water, being near the water, hearing the water...if you stick me next to an ocean I'm happy. In fact, in the last 6 years (minus the time spent here in Chile) I've barely lived further than 6 blocks from the beach. It's something I just like to have around. I feel like I belong to the waves. They move me.
That being said, although I love living in Santiago, a city of 7 million filled with public transportation, stray dogs and smog, sometimes I feel the need to follow my fishy instincts and head to the coast. Pichilemu is a beach that has been recommended to me by absolutely everyone, especially the surfers in my life. I never got around to going there last year so when we had a three day weekend pop up and two of my friends suggested we take advantage of it and head west I was all for it. Fresh air in my lungs and sand under my feet; I might as well be in heaven.
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| Just outside the hostel |
We took a bus Saturday afternoon and sadly missed the opportunity to take the faster bus. There are two routes to Pichilemu and one includes about 500,000 stops at various little towns along the way. I was advised against this route but when we arrived at the terminal it was the only option left so we had to take it. We arrived to the coast just as the sun was setting and it was absolutely spectacular. Something about coming around a bend and seeing the pacific ocean laid out in front of you always takes my breath away. The road to the beach looked so much like California I almost felt like I was back there. There was even a spot that was virtually interchangeable with Napa. Dark green hills in the back framing vineyards with a railroad track by the road. Needless to say even before I got to Pichilemu I felt at home there.
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| Walking down to the water |
That night we stayed in Surf Hostal Pichilemu. We reserved a dorm room but since this is the off (off,
off, off) season the dorms weren't open. Since the website didn't specify that we got to stay in one of the private rooms for the same price and they are usually twice as expensive. The rooms were clean with a private bathroom, ocean view and the warmest and most wonderful down comforters I've ever encountered. We intended to cook dinner to save some money but the stove had no gas in it so we went out to dinner. After dinner we tried out the local nightlife in the form of the Waitara club. We managed to talk our way in for half the cover and had a great time dancing.
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| Self explanatory |
The next morning we woke up to sunshine and the sound of the roaring ocean. We tried to check out but no one was there so we left our stuff at the hostel and went down to the beach. The water was frigid but the temperature outside was actually lovely. We were warmer than we've been in Santiago in weeks. Despite the season there were a number of surfers out taking advantage of the rolling waves. I made a promise to myself to come back and learn to surf by the end of spring so I can come down in the summer and paddle out with the pros.
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| By the road |
The town is absolutely adorable. Although most of the people there don't live there it really doesn't feel like a tourist town. Many of its roads are dirt and there were horses everywhere. It was so unassuming and fantastic. Few towns can just rely on their natural awesomeness but this one definitely can. In fact, the way we ended up paying for our hostel was running into the dueña in the middle of the "road" (dirt path) and paying her with the cash we had on us. Things like that make me love South American even more.
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| Horses and cars mingling together |
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| Pichilemu |
For lunch we ate outside and for 1,990 pesos (less than $4 US) we had fresh fried fish and french fries. It is
essential to eat the seafood in the coastal towns here. The quality is so high and it is always fresh off the boat. We wandered around the town a bit after lunch and got an ice cream cone to eat in the park. Our bus left at 4pm and this time we got on the one that went straight to Santiago. I fell 100% in love with Pichilemu and can't wait to go back. It lived up to every expectation.
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The road to the hostel
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Photo credits: Jenna Rymer
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