My mom and I have always been close — with a relationship some would consider more like friends. In many ways, that’s true. We go line dancing, and (jokingly) argue about who gets to keep the cute guy flirting with us. We have shopping dates and share wardrobes. And we fight. We trade good books. We have a list of other shared interests a mile long. And we give each other (sometimes unsolicited) dating advice. When I lived in the States, we talked on the phone at least twice a day … just to chat. Living on opposite ends of the world for seven months inevitably changed a few of those things. But more than anything, it changed my appreciation for the best friend I’ve always had by my side. It’s been strange to experience moving abroad and traveling to a dozen cities without her, so I was more than thrilled for my mom’s visit so we could pick up where we left off.

My mom arrived in Santiago after traveling overnight for nearly 20 hours. Wanting to waste no time, she eagerly agreed to take an overnight bus the same day to visit the northern coast of Chile. (You can see where I get my adventurous spirit!) So after sleeping on planes, buses and in terminals for two consecutive nights, Mom joined me for a long — luckily, relaxing — weekend in La Serena.

A snapshot of La Serena, Chile:  The seemingly private beaches of La Serena play a peaceful duet in winter: waves crashing against the melodies of barking dogs who prance along the shore. The white sand clashes with shadowy mountains in a unique ocean-Andean scene. Commercial shops and hordes of people stick to the city’s cobblestone streets where old cars and motorbikes tinker by. The stands offer tasty hot chocolate and toasted churros as the perfect antidote for the chilly sea breeze. Apple green leaves on age-old trees wave in the first sign of a new spring.

La Serena at dawn. / Photo by Melissa Fryman

We arrived to a dimly-lit La Serena before sunrise. In typical Chilean fashion, the place was a ghost town — not a soul stirred ’til three hours later at just before 9.  After sleeping in the bus station for a few hours then hauling our luggage to the nearest hostel, we wandered the desolate coast.

About six dogs followed us along the coastline for hours while we walked for miles, breathing in the fresh sea air and enjoying each other’s company on the peaceful shore. The leader of the pack waited for us as we wandered in and out of a restaurant and through a residential neighborhood.  When a different group of brawling dogs came tumbling our way, our lead dog jumped up on our laps and barked until they left. He was so cute that we wished we could take the little protector home.

Other than the coast, La Serena was not unlike most other small Chilean towns. The city’s cobblestone streets and sidewalks lacked order in their mismatched design, making walking the unique mosaic paths all the more interesting. Vendors sold handicrafts and the Chilean treat, churros filled with manjar (thick, caramel-like substance), in the plaza. Beautifully constructed churches and stores full of odds and ends lined every block.

Our little protector. / Photo by Melissa Fryman

The plaza.

A church in the plaza.

Night lights on cobblestone.

One afternoon, we strolled through the city’s Japanese garden — a serene highlight of La Serena. Despite it being not yet spring, the gardens were a lush green variety of trees near a lagoon and waterfall. We spent the peaceful day relaxing in the warm sunshine, admiring little children playing with coy fish in the pond and taking photographs of it all. I wouldn’t have wanted to share the day with anyone else; it reminded me of the afternoons my mom and I used to spend together in the botanical gardens in Milwaukee, Wis., every summer when I was a kid. Our days back then weren’t much different: I remember smelling the roses, making wishes on dandelions and taking pictures of us playing on the trunks of big trees. The little sentimental recollection was a special touch to start off our mom and daughter trip.

Me.

Beautiful bird. / Photo by Melissa Fryman

The Japanese Garden.

Mom and me.

—JDF