Half the fun of traveling (for me, at least) is hunting for unusual local notebook brands. It can also be very disappointing when the hunt turns up nothing but the same-old same-old: global brands like Moleskine and Leuchtturm and Rhodia, which seem to have crowded out smaller regional manufacturers. Fortunately, there are intrepid artisans everywhere, so it’s still possible to get lucky and find a notebook that you could never buy at home. And notebooks make great souvenirs!

When I went to Chile and Argentina several months ago, I knew I wouldn’t be spending a lot of time in the major cities, so I wasn’t getting my hopes up too much about finding notebooks. But I did manage to snag a couple of South American souvenirs nonetheless.

The first notebook I bought was from several days into my trip. I hadn’t seen any stationery stores yet, but when we stopped for lunch midway through a long drive, I noticed that there was a small store that seemed to sell children’s party supplies and school supplies. I went in and poked around, and discovered some basic school notebooks made by Colon. I didn’t see any pocket size notebooks of the type I usually prefer, so I got this one, which measures approximately 7 x 9.5 inches:

It’s staple bound, light weight, with pretty thin paper. I forget how much it cost but I think it was the equivalent of just a dollar or two. A made-in-Chile basic school notebook that local kids can afford. Not all that exciting, but definitely not something I’d be able to get at home!

My other Chilean find was at a craft market at Punta de Lobos, a popular surfing destination. I was so excited to see a table full of colorful handmade journals, where the friendly proprietor was very patient with my fumbling Spanish! The brand is called Confluye, and they had some really nice journals, photo albums, and watercolor sketchbooks.

I bought a nice little two-pack of pocket notebooks. (I don’t remember the cost of these either, but I’m sure they were more expensive than the school notebook.)

The Confluye notebooks have sturdy kraft covers, colorful stitching on the spine, and recycled paper within. The are somewhat similar to Field Notes or Moleskine’s Cahiers, but the covers are heavier, and the corners are angled rather than rounded, which would help them fit in a notebook cover.

The paper inside is an off-white, with little fibers– what I think of as that classic “recycled paper” look. It feels pretty light and I didn’t think it would be anything special so I almost didn’t bother to do pen tests. But I happened to have a couple of my fattest, juiciest fountain pens nearby when I was taking photos, so I thought, what the heck… and wow, what a surprise! The paper feels quite lightweight, but these fountain pens did not bleed through or even show through at all! No feathering either.

The brand name Confluye means “converges” and their slogan on the paper band means “so your ideas will always have a space to begin,” (more or less). I enjoyed that day at Punta de Lobos a lot, and I’m glad I have these nice little Chilean notebooks as a souvenir. You can find Confluye on Instagram: @confluyecrea

My trip eventually took me all the way down to Punta Arenas, where I had some time to wander around. I didn’t find a stationery store, but I did browse in a fascinating vintage shop called Vieja Patagonia. I was really excited when I saw some old pocket sized notebooks on display, but it turned out they were from the owner’s personal collection and not for sale. I guess this little notebook was used for recording grades or other information for a student’s parents.

Before heading home, I spent a day in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I was not feeling great (and it turned out I had COVID!) so I didn’t do a lot of exploring, but I did plan a walking route around several stationery stores that I’d found in Google maps. Unfortunately, every single one of them was closed! I guess it was a holiday that day. It was so frustrating, as I spotted a notebook brand I’d never seen displayed in one of the windows. I didn’t take a photo and now I can’t remember what the brand was. (I did review a notebook sample from the Argentinian brand Brügge once, but I don’t think that was what I saw.) I consoled myself by visiting one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores, El Ateneo… and a pharmacy. I never did manage to buy a notebook in Argentina, but I hope to have another chance someday. I would love to go back and see more of Buenos Aires when I’m not sick! And Chile is worth another visit too.