June included a lot of trips near our house, so we could save our money to take our longer trip to San Pedro at the end of the month into July. First, we wanted to visit one of the beaches near the coastal city, Concepción. The beach we visited was called Cobquecura. This beach is known for its giant rock that is home to many sea lions. From the shore, we were able to watch the sea lions hang out on the rock, jump off and swim with their friends. We walked along the black sand, taking in the coastal air and enjoying watching the crashing waves. I’d never been on a black sand beach, let alone seen that many sea lions in one place.
Since it’s still winter here, the coast can get even more chilly than where we live in Chillán. After walking along the beach for a while, we were super cold so we wandered up to the row of stands that were selling warm foods and drinks. We ordered orange flavored hot chocolates and they were so good we came back later and ordered another one! We walked through the tiny town, bought some chocolates and soon it was time to get back on the bus and head home.
Later on, our friend Gillian from the university invited us on a hike to see Las Turbinas in the town of Los Lleuques. We caught a bus early in the morning and arrived in the town about an hour and a half later. The hike started off with around a 2 kilometer walk down what appeared to be a residential gravel road. As we kept walking, we met four dogs that followed us down the path. Eventually, we made it to a clearing with mountains all around us. These mountains were unique because we had been used to seeing ones that were a lush green or had begun to gather snow on top. These mountains, however, held captivating autumn colors such as oranges and yellows surrounded by the rich greens we’ve been used to seeing.
We walked down a steep set of stairs to arrive at a river where the sun shone beautifully over the running water. The dogs were still following us, and they took a break with us in the sun before we kept walking. The hike also included lots of signs indicating the many different species of trees.
The next stop were the waterfalls that this place is known for. Not one, but two streams rushed down from the river above and continued down to the river that we had just visited. Something about water is just so fascinating and calming to me. I instantly feel a rush of peace whenever I am around it.
Fast forward a week, we spent our last weekend of June in San Fabián with our families. Not only did we enjoy lots of good food and family time, but we also managed to get outside and head to a popular viewpoint in the small town. In order to get to the viewpoint, there was a short hike to get to the top. Once we made it up, we could see the entire town down below.
Time is passing by way too fast. We are taking advantage of every opportunity to enjoy the mountains. I simply cannot comprehend leaving my family in just a month…they feel like a part of me that will always be there.
The final two days of the month we would spend traveling to San Pedro de Atacama…but that’s for the next blog.
Ciao,
Jordan