The Edge of the World

A view of the harbor and coastline from above.

We scored a little time off from work at the holidays and traveled to the Pacific coast. We rented an apartment for a couple of days in a little town called Reñaca, which is near Viña del Mar and just up the coast from Valparaiso (to which the locals refer to as Valpo).

Enjoying a meal perched on the edge of the world at
La Colombiana restaurant in Valparaiso.

The coast is really lovely; it felt a lot like Greece, and there was plenty to explore. Dotted in the blue waters of the Pacific, are rocky islands, many times covered in sea lions sunning on the rocks.

Sea lions basking in the sun -- right in front of our apartment.

Viña and  Reñaca and another little town called Concon are preferred locales for Santiagians to visit, because they're a little more resort-like, where Valpo is really historical and lovely, but a little less family friendly.

Patrick and Trip on a beach in Reñaca.

The cliffs of Valpo are filled with homes on stilts, and this town's history lends for some lovely old buildings, despite the fact that it's been plagued with earthquakes. Many of the tiny little communities are only accessible by foot or funiculars, which Trip loved.

A view of the stilted homes in Valpo.

A beautifully painted funicular.

Trip's thrilled going for a ride on the "train." I am not so much.

The weather along the coast is quite cool in the mornings and evenings because of the Humbolt Current. Even when the sun comes out and warms everything up, the water remains frigid. Apparently, the waters are coming from Antarctica, and this makes for an icy swim.

Patrick surfed on a beach in Concon. He took some lessons
from a local surfer called Mono, and managed to catch some
waves despite the water only reaching 60 degrees.

Nonetheless, the beaches are beautiful, the waves are gigantic, and the seafood is fresh and yummy. We went to a local favorite called La Gatita, and this tiny little restaurant commanded a wait, and a line outside, but the food was wonderful, and the feel: really happy.

Our last sunset in Reñaca.

Our last night here, we discovered a little gem, high on the hilltop and overlooking the water below. I had a typical Chilean dish called pastel de jaiba (or crab cake), which is a cheesy, crabby casserole cooked in a tiny clay pot -- rich and good. We're already eager to return to El Secreto and share the secret with our friends.