Valdivia, Niebla, and other adventures of last weekend part 1

Jessica and Freya ready to leave!

Thursday night my friends, Jessica, Freya, Lindsey and I left for Valdivia. It´s a city in souther Chile in the region los lagos. It´s about a 10 hour bus ride south of Santiago. Before I continue, I just want it noted that this trip was a lot more sucessful than the trip to La Serena...Not that la serena was usecessful, but it could have been better.

Friday Sept 10
After a long sleepless night we arrived in Valdiva at around 8:30am. When we had all of our things we opened the Lonely Planet guide book to look at some hostels to stay at. We decided on one that was only a couple blocks away from the bus depot. It was Borderío, we ended up getting a cabaña for the night because they didn´t have any dorms available. It was a nice cozy little place with plenty of room, we could have easily had like 4 more people come with us, but it was nice to just travel in a small group.

my kuchen! soo good.

When we were done freshening up we headed out to grab a cup of coffee so we'd wake up at Cafe Housmann, a little family run German restaurant . I mainly went for the kuchen because I have never tried it before. I liked it, it was different, but still delicious.

The one that walked up to the humans

We then headed to a local fish market, Feria Fluvial, that is right on the river. This place was amazing, besides selling fish they sold fruits and veggies, and even cheese. We ended up buying some smoked fish, cheese, and bread that we all shared for lunch. As we were wandering around looking at different things when we ran into the sea lions of Valdivia.. We didn´t realize they were there at first because there was a fence sort of looking thing that was keeping them separated from the fisherman cleaning their fish. Every so often a some one would throw the parts of the fish that were not going to be used to them, and the sea lions went crazy.. I definitely   would not come between one and their food. It was also interesting because when we were leaving one started to come up onto the pier thing, and just walking around. A man started to yell at it in spanish and he to get down and it actually listened.

Jessica with her yarn

After we watched the sea lions for a while, we went to this artisian fair thing. It was was interesting to see, and Jessica even bought some yarn to give to her sister.. It was a little to expensive for me otherwise I would have gotten one too. We looked around at every thing and headed out to try and find a spot to eat our fish and cheese for lunch. We ended up sitting in the grass on a trail that was just off a main road.

While enjoying our wonderful laid back lunch we had a little dog come visit us. It was the cutest puppy ever! it wasn't a real puppy, but i really wanted to take it home... We knew right away she was begging, so we decided to be nice give her some bread. She didn't eat the bread, just sniffed at it and continued staring at us... So we then threw her some cheese. She again didn't go and eat any of it.. and continued her star. It then all of a sudden clicked that oh she wanted some fish... she when we were done with our lunch we just gave her some left overs. She seemed content and we left. But I have never seen a stray dog act like that before, being picky over what they are given. She's lucky she was cute!

It was around 2 o'clock now, and according to the Lonely Planet book the Kunstmanns Cervezaria was only a 5 min car rid away, so we decided to walk. We didn't think that it would be that long a walk, and it was sunny and beautiful our. So we walked, and walked... and walked a little farther more. We stopped at a fruit stand along the way got some fruit and asked people there how much farther Kunstmanns was. They told us it was a half hour walk more (we'd already been walking for a half hour) and they advised us just to take a bus. We didn't want to, so we continued on our journey and about 45 min later we arrived at the place. We wanted to take a tour, but the tours are only for big groups or something like that. Instead we looked around the museum and then ate in the restaurant. for 4$ we could sample the 7 different beers that they brewed. So I tried them and discovered I still like Miller Light the best.

We then headed back to Valdivia on the bus.. and then went on a boat tour of Valdivia. It was only 4 mil for a 3 hour boat tour, and we got to try Chicha.. a drink thats fermented grapes. Kind of like wine, but not really like wine at all... They drink it a lot around this time of the year because its the Independence day. (Sept 18, this year was the bicentennial). It was a neat little thing, and you got to see how pretty Valdivia and the surrounding area is. 

I'm tired.. at a really late night.. Continue later with the adventures of Saturday and Sunday... Adventures indeed.