Change of Plans

Brazil recently started making English speaking countries apply for a visa before you can enter the country.  It started mid-April, so when we bought our plain tickets to Iguazu it hadn't taken effect yet.  The travel agency didn't know anything about, and the travel guides didn't mention anything either.  I happened to see something online, so we quickly applied for them, but it was too late.  My mom's visa came, but mine and Nathan's visas didn't arrive until yesterday (the day we would have been returning from our trip).  We didn't realize the airport was on the Brazilian side, so we got up at 3 in the morning to get to the airport at 4am.  We checked in and went through customs only to be turned away at boarding.  It was awful.  We spent 5 hours in the airport total trying to cancel our Iguazu Falls hotel and tours, but we lost the money for the plane tickets.  We headed back to the travel agent to goo somewhere else.  We chose Buenos Aires.  The next day we returned bright and early to the airport and flew to Argentina.  

We stayed in the really cool historic hotel Savoy downtown.  We dropped off our luggage and hopped on the double decker red tour bus.  We traveled all over the city.  The narration was awful and didn't really explain much of anything, but Buenos Aires is a beautiful city that reminds me a lot of Madrid.  You can definitely feel the European influence.  Buenos Aires sits on the Rio de Plata, so it feels like you're looking at the ocean.

We tried to find Choripan for lunch, but it's a street food, and it's not the right season for the food trucks.  We stopped at La Americana for some empanadas and flan.  The dulce de leche is so ridiculously good. 

The highlight of the trip was the Argentine Tango dinner and show we went to that night.  It was incredible!  The dancers and musicians were so talented.   

Before leaving Buenos Aires we also took a taxi to see the Buenos Aires temple.

I'm so jealous how easily Little Man can fall asleep anywhere including in a taxi during rush hour.

The Coast

While my mom was busy with transfers, getting missionaries back and forth from the airport, Little Man and I did a day trip to the coast.  It's an easy 90 minute trip to Viña del Mar from Santiago.  We made a quick pit stop to try a caramel treat, and of course, Little Man made fast friends with Martin, an adorable cat.

Viña del Mar is home to the flower clock and one of the few Maoi statues not on Easter island.  We also visited the market.

This blind seal was rejected by his herd, so the fisherman feed him.

My favorite part of the tour was definitely Val Paraiso.  It's the Chilean version of San Francisco that's painted.  It has the most street art of any town in the world, and it's so cool! There are dogs everywhere!  The town feeds them, so they're fat and happy all over town.

Nacho was our tour guide, and I loved how much he told us about the history of Chile and the current situation of the towns.

The best alfajor of the entire trip was made fresh by a little, old lady in a random side street of Val Paraiso.

We had the most amazing view for lunch on top of a restaurant.  I tried Hake for the first time - a Chilean fish, and Little Man had their version of barbecue ribs - it was almost fruity with a hint of mustard, and they were delicious!

On the way back we stopped at an all natural vineyard.  They use lavender to keep the bugs away.  We made friends with an alpaca. This was my favorite tour of the trip. We had so many wonderful people on this tour from all over the world who were so fun.  It made the tour even more enjoyable.