Next day, despite our long day to the penguins, we head off to the famous Pisco producing Elqui valley. A gorgeous green agricultural valley set against the stark high, steep Andes is an amazing sight. Lined up the steep valley sides are vineyards that seem to hang from the mountains. Hand picking is the only option here. We stop at the only large winery in the valley to find it closed except on weekends. Also stop at a fruit stand and pick up local tomatoes and melon.
As we climb up the valley, which eventually leads to the Argentine border, we leave behind the crisis-crossed vineyards planted at angles for wine protection.
We arrive at the somewhat hippie commune of Pisco Elqui, which changed its name from something more pedestrian a while back. It’s a compact little town, full of small hotels and cabins, and book into a cabin for Sunday/Monday as they are fully booked now through the weekend. We have lunch on a sunny patio: me to have great pork ribs - like a loin roast - white Ted sticks to the local specialty choclo, a corn meat casserole. Far too much food.
Back down the valley we book into the stately old Hosteleria Vicuña in the town of Vicuña for Saturday. It seems deserted, with gorgeous gardens and a huge pool and tennis courts, all seemingly unused.
Back to Serena, there is not much around us in the way of eating places so it’s back to El gaucho, where the guys in their cowboy gear and hats light a wood BBQ, but we don’t see many customers coming in to take advantage of their cooking skills. We can only manage empanada and salad and pisco sours.
With time on our hands now, we find it quite good to kick back and rest in La Serena, Ted enjoys his walks and we find we have a kitchen to enjoy our pork leftovers with salad rather than venturing out to a huge Chilean meal. A walk to the ice cream parlor is enough to finish my days here.
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