The best memories of my first trip to Valdivia

I was a 14 years old when I traveled to the south of Chile for the first time, I remember that I didn't sleep well at night due to the nerves I felt. On that day in February, my sister, her boyfriend, and I traveled by bus to Valdivia, where my aunt was waiting for us with open arms to show us that beautiful City.

Our first destination was a town called Niebla, which that day decided to live up to its name, as upon arrival, we were surprised by the thick fog and the cold weather, even though when we left my aunt's house, the day was clear and very hot. Despite not having the right clothes for such a cold town, we had an amazing time!! We explored a beautiful local fair and enjoyed lots of delicious food.

At the end of each day of exploring different places, we ended up exhausted. The next morning, my aunt provided us with a hearty breakfast that gave us the necessary energy to continue exploring. We were fortunate to visit during a bustling time, as the "Valdivian Night" was approaching, so there was a lot of commerce and beautiful exhibitions. However, what I loved the most were the lakes in the various towns we visited; I enjoy swimming and spending summer afternoons basking in the sun.

Without a doubt, Valdivia is a city where I would love to live. One thing I noticed is that the people are very friendly. For example, when we asked for directions to a place, they would explain with a lot of patience and kindness.

One of my favorite experiences in that place was when we were just a day away from ending our vacation. We spent our day traveling to a town my aunt called 'the ghost town.' Antilhue was a very small and welcoming town, but at the same time, the streets were nearly empty. My aunt knew a route that would take us to a hidden river, and when we arrived, I was enchanted. We had a beautiful evening, even though we were in such a quiet place. The water in that spot was exquisite!

While I did travel to the south of Chile during other vacations, the first time will always remain in my memory as an unforgettable journey. And I hope to be able to return as soon as I finish classes to continue collecting beautiful moments in that beautiful city.