Some of you are going to realize while planning where to go on your honeymoon that you are an amateur history buff and no form of traveling is worth the sojourn without knowing the story behind the people and the land. If so, the formerly isolated country of Chile with its varied landscapes, climates and cultures might be your next honeymoon destination.
The country of Chile appears slightly perplexing on the map: a pencil thin stretch of land following the Pacific Coast of South America, bordered on the opposite side by the high Andes Mountains. But depending on your honeymoon tastes, there are a variety of things to do: to the north, is the famed Atacama Desert known for its immense landscapes and pristine skies. Central Chile boasts hundreds of fertile vineyards, yielding some of the world’s most famous wines; and Southern Chile is lush with thick rainforests and mythical creatures until one hits the vast icy peaks of the Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula. There are so many things to do, from sampling some of the best wines, to soaking up the sun of the Pacific, to trekking along the foothills of the Andes.
But with such a tie to the land, Chileans (or Chilenos, as the locals call themselves) are also known for their cowboy culture. One thing to sample while in Chile is the rugged history of the cowboy culture, descended straight from the country’s colonial beginnings when Pedro de Valdivia, founder of Chile, had his work cut out for him as he set off from Peru as a consort of Spain. Most of his men on horseback and on foot did not survive the Atacama Desert. But when de Valdivia set his flag down in what is now modern Santiago after months and months of trekking and riding across the treacherous desert, he had given birth a new generation of people – fearless, rugged and in love with the varied landscape.
Highly recommended by the Lonely Planet guide and many of their travelers, Bed
and Breakfast La Nona in Valparaiso is where we began our journey. This is a
spacious and bright home set high in the hills of the city, owned and operated by
lovebirds Rene and Carolina. The home was recently renovated to display 4
comfortably sized, private bedrooms, a bright and colorful kitchen (which travelers
may use) and a spacious living area where travelers may swap stories. It is the perfect
honeymoon location for budget travelers. For a very reasonable price, honeymooners
can expect a bit of history in this heritage home, with gracious hosts who know
everything there is to know about the city and country (Carolina is a history teacher),
and a complete rustic breakfast of fruits, empanadas (a national dish), breads, salamis
and cheeses.
And, on top of all this, your host, Rene is a true and verified cowboy.
Rene is a horse riding guide and friends with ranch owners of Ritoque Expediciones. Every month while the temperature is right, this horse ranch and eco-tourism outfit runs a full moon horseback ride across the Ritoque Sand Dunes, thirty minutes outside of Valparaiso. Dressed in spurs and boots, chaps and a cowboy hat, Rene arranged for us a beautiful tour under the full moon and stars. He and 11 other cowboys led us across the desert like sand dunes of Ritoque for a 3-hour ride. I had never seen the moon so vast and clear as I rode down steep hills of sand, across shallow rivers and between the brush of the dunes on my lovely horse Tefani. Then we reached a secluded fire pit surrounded by more dunes, trees and the open night sky, where we listened to cueca, live Chilean music of drums, singing and the cajon. The music was infectious, and even though we didn’t know the words we were compelled to sing along – our guide told us that some of these were national songs about the desert, the history and the people. We sang along and enjoyed typical Chilean drinks and meats and cheeses. After a few hours of singing, dancing and eating, we saddled back on our horses for another 2-hour ride, this time across the Ritoque beach back to the ranch where we started.
You will learn from this expedition not only what a traditional Chilean night of music, food and drink is like, but how one’s tie to the land, no matter where you are from, is the root of your soul. For more information visit www.bblanona.com and www.ritoqueexpediciones.cl.
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