Another early morning rise. I am not sure why this is so difficult except that we have been luxuriating in the slow-to-start mornings. But sometimes we have to suffer through this if we want to see a port. Our view this morning was much nicer than yesterday in San Antonio.
We met our tour guide Sergio at the terminal. The company is Turismo Cochiguaz.
On the way to our transport, we saw pirate ships in the harbor.
Our trip today was to the Elqui Valley. On our way, we drove past the Puclaro Dam and through the Puclaro tunnel through the mountain.
The native indians called the Elqui Valley the trumpet of the Andes. Along the way we saw many vineyards. However, water is very scarce here.
Papaya is known as the tears of the Indian princess. The area has 320 days of clear skies making it an ideal location for astrology.
Our stop to lookout over the Elqui Valley.
Incas taught the newer tribes how to cultivate and farm the land using a diagonal approach on the hillsides.
We stopped at Aba Pisquera to learn how they make Pisco, an amber or yellow colored alcohol beverage made in Chili. It is made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof drink and it was developed in the 1700s. It is very strong around 30-50 proof.
We next visited Vicuna, the city where Gabriela Mistral won the 1945 Nobel Prize for literature. She was the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
We visited the Immaculate conception church in Vicuna. The ceiling was painted by a Chilean college student.
The Bell Tower located around the city square was built in the 1800s and was the city hall.
We went for lunch at Entre Cordillera. The owner showed us how they cook with solar.
I had a salad, rice and steak and Bruce had rice and chicken.
La Serana is the second oldest city in Chili, founded in the 1500s. This was our last stop on our tour. We visited the Cathedral De San Bartolome De La Serena which was built in the 1800s.
Santo Domingo Church was built in the 1600s.
The last photo op was the lighthouse which isn’t a lighthouse. Those of us who have seen many of the real things, were not impressed.
And I can’t end today without some of the beautiful street art!
And we made it to the ship without a minute to spare!
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