Sorry this has taken me so long to post — I returned last week, but was promptly felled by an after-vacation cold, and then Flickr behaved very oddly the first, oh, five or six times I tried to upload photos. But they’re uploaded now (mostly — I’m at the monthly limit) and the post can begin!
Chile
Our trip began in Chile — in Santiago, to be exact. Santiago is a very walkable city, with lots of parks, plazas and fountains.
And it turns out Santiago has a huge Goth scene, with monthly festivals. I saw plenty of people in full gear walking around — this was also true in Buenos Aires, but much more so in Santiago.
We got out of Santiago to visit Chilean wine country:
And see the amazing mountain scenery in the area:
We spent a day in Vina Del Mar, where we enjoyed the gorgeous coast:
And got our first glimpse of sea lions:
They also have an actual Moai (statue) from Easter Island in Vina Del Mar; this is one of only about one or two genuine ones that have ever been removed from Rapa Nui itself.
After our first couple of days, we went down to Puerto Varas to visit Chile’s “Lakes and Volcanoes Region,” which I personally think is a great name for a region. Even the airplane ride offered spectacular scenery — I got one good shot midflight.
This was the view from our hotel-room window:
We traveled out to the island of Chiloe, which is incredibly beautiful and scenic in its own right —
— but is also an amazing place to see wildlife. Like, for instance — more sea lions!
I swear that last one is a sea lion — they were playing around our boat quite a bit, but this was the only time I was fast enough to catch one with my camera.
The same disclaimer goes for my only action shot of a sea otter:
The penguins proved to be far more willing models.
Our surroundings only became more beautiful as we headed out to see the famous Saltos de Petrohue falls.
And then became more beautiful AGAIN as we took a cruise on a glacier lake:
After all this beautiful, pristine wilderness, we were thrust right into the metropolis of Buenos Aires, which reminded me so much of New York, if only we had palm trees here!
Well, and a really kick-ass obelisk that we didn’t keep almost hidden in Central Park.
And — well, and the Casa Rosada, including this view of Evita’s famous balcony.
And also the incredibly mesmerizing Recoleta cemetery.
And this awesome steel flower sculpture that opens in the sunlight and closes at night.
OK, Buenos Aires isn’t actually that much like New York, except that both cities are cosmopolitan and glamorous. I really, really loved it, especially the bookstores. I’ve never seen a city with so many bookstores! There would be three or four per block. Amazing. And the most gorgeous bookstore in Buenos Aires might be the most gorgeous bookstore anywhere — take a look.
Isn’t that amazing? It used to be a theater. I thought of El Ateneo as a kind of temple of the book.
I’ll post more info about the tour and a Halloween contest tomorrow and/or Friday. But I wanted to go ahead and give you guys the full vacation-photo scoop!
44 responses to “South American Vacation Picspam”
Oh, baby, what a marvelous trip!! SO glad you’re back, though. Sounds like you had a fabulous time.
Ooh, that bookstore! And the flower sculpture is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Fabulous!
Gorgeous photos! I’m especially impressed with the original statue from Easter Island. And penguins! You saw penguins!
Soooo beautiful! Thanks for sharing the pics.
(So, SO jealous still. But in a friendly way.)
Oh, baby, what a marvelous trip!! SO glad you’re back, though. Sounds like you had a fabulous time.
That bookstore looks amazing!
Ooh, that bookstore! And the flower sculpture is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Fabulous!
Gorgeous photos! I’m especially impressed with the original statue from Easter Island. And penguins! You saw penguins!
Whoa. Gorgeous. Thanks for posting these.
Soooo beautiful! Thanks for sharing the pics.
(So, SO jealous still. But in a friendly way.)
It all looks so BEAUTIFUL!
That bookstore looks amazing!
Whoa. Gorgeous. Thanks for posting these.
It all looks so BEAUTIFUL!
These are great! Thanks for sharing!
These are great! Thanks for sharing!
What gorgeous photos!
those are such gorgeous pictures. looks like you had a blast.
What gorgeous photos!
those are such gorgeous pictures. looks like you had a blast.
Oooh, hey! Those are awesome. Love the sculpture and the bookstore especially.
Oooh, hey! Those are awesome. Love the sculpture and the bookstore especially.
That is the most gorgeous bookstore! I’m surprised they can get people out of there to close up at night…
That is the most gorgeous bookstore! I’m surprised they can get people out of there to close up at night…
Very nice pics! I would like to go to Santiago 🙂
Yay! I’m glad to see you had an awesome time ^^
You should see El Ateneo at the book releses, it’s full of people XD
I wanna got to the Eastern Islands too ~.~
Very nice pics! I would like to go to Santiago 🙂
Yay! I’m glad to see you had an awesome time ^^
You should see El Ateneo at the book releses, it’s full of people XD
I wanna got to the Eastern Islands too ~.~
Awesome pictures!
Ugh, the scenery was gorgeous, I loved the coastal shots. The mountains were also very beautiful! How did you like the food?
Rebekah
Awesome pictures!
Ugh, the scenery was gorgeous, I loved the coastal shots. The mountains were also very beautiful! How did you like the food?
Rebekah
So many gorgeous pictures. I would look to work in a bookshop as beautiful as that!
So many gorgeous pictures. I would look to work in a bookshop as beautiful as that!
Great photos! What a gorgeous place.
Great photos! What a gorgeous place.
Man, I wanna go to that bookstore. Also: Chiloe looks amazing.
Man, I wanna go to that bookstore. Also: Chiloe looks amazing.
omg, i haven’t seen this post ._.
oh yeah, El Obelisco is one of our bests ‘buildings’ ♥ and the Recoleta cementery is really frightening – well, at least for me 😛
you went to El Ateneo!!! I went there last month to buy Breaking Dawn and it’s certainly a very beautiful place ♥ and that Flower is really awesome and it’s also not far away from El Monumental, River Plate’s stadium (i’m a big fan; football FTW!)
It’s great you enjoyed being here; come back soon!
♥
omg, i haven’t seen this post ._.
oh yeah, El Obelisco is one of our bests ‘buildings’ ♥ and the Recoleta cementery is really frightening – well, at least for me 😛
you went to El Ateneo!!! I went there last month to buy Breaking Dawn and it’s certainly a very beautiful place ♥ and that Flower is really awesome and it’s also not far away from El Monumental, River Plate’s stadium (i’m a big fan; football FTW!)
It’s great you enjoyed being here; come back soon!
♥
oooo wow! those are some amazing pictures!
oooo wow! those are some amazing pictures!
The photos is so cute.
I live in Chile, and is cool, really? I’m from, exactly, Viña del Mar. It’s amazing, you coming here! My english isn’t very good, but I don’t care, I think that you understand me of all ways.
The photos is so cute.
I live in Chile, and is cool, really? I’m from, exactly, Viña del Mar. It’s amazing, you coming here! My english isn’t very good, but I don’t care, I think that you understand me of all ways.