Coquimbo Region
The Coquimbo Region welcomed us with a sun filled windy day on the coast. A great day to discover the wonders of La Serena, the second oldest city in Chile, located 470 km north of Santiago. The national dance of Chile, the cueca, was being preformed in the port by locals when we disembarked. It was the beginning of an incredibly relaxing day.
La Serena is a surprisingly modern city next to the Pacific Ocean mixed with a neocolonial style architecture downtown. The inhabitants of this area are relaxed and enjoy their quiet way of life. More than 25 churches and old fashioned buildings around the city provide the feeling of taking a journey though the history of northern Chile. The recova market was a great opportunity for souvenir shopping.
A group of us took the day to visit the Elqui Valley, a mystical place with 300 days a year of clear skies, where big observatories like Tololo are located. This is also the place where the pisco is produced, a distillation of wine made in these regions with high sugar content grapes like Pedro Jimenez and Moscatel de Alejandria. Also in the area, we saw the Museum of Gabriela Mistral, which was a great moment to experience. It displays the history and background of this man, one of the most well known poets in Chile and the world.
We then visited a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve named Fray Jorge National Park. On our way up to the hills where the park is located, we saw a desert landscaped with cacti. However, on the top of this cliff, a deep fog called camanchaca covers an entire Valdivian temperate forest (880 acres) with thriving flora and fauna. The little drops of condensation from the fog allow the forest to survive.
A great Syrah wine from Limari Valley in the Fray Jorge National Park during lunch was enjoyed.
Grapes are good…wine is even better!!!
The Coquimbo Region welcomed us with a sun filled windy day on the coast. A great day to discover the wonders of La Serena, the second oldest city in Chile, located 470 km north of Santiago. The national dance of Chile, the cueca, was being preformed in the port by locals when we disembarked. It was the beginning of an incredibly relaxing day.
La Serena is a surprisingly modern city next to the Pacific Ocean mixed with a neocolonial style architecture downtown. The inhabitants of this area are relaxed and enjoy their quiet way of life. More than 25 churches and old fashioned buildings around the city provide the feeling of taking a journey though the history of northern Chile. The recova market was a great opportunity for souvenir shopping.
A group of us took the day to visit the Elqui Valley, a mystical place with 300 days a year of clear skies, where big observatories like Tololo are located. This is also the place where the pisco is produced, a distillation of wine made in these regions with high sugar content grapes like Pedro Jimenez and Moscatel de Alejandria. Also in the area, we saw the Museum of Gabriela Mistral, which was a great moment to experience. It displays the history and background of this man, one of the most well known poets in Chile and the world.
We then visited a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve named Fray Jorge National Park. On our way up to the hills where the park is located, we saw a desert landscaped with cacti. However, on the top of this cliff, a deep fog called camanchaca covers an entire Valdivian temperate forest (880 acres) with thriving flora and fauna. The little drops of condensation from the fog allow the forest to survive.
A great Syrah wine from Limari Valley in the Fray Jorge National Park during lunch was enjoyed.
Grapes are good…wine is even better!!!
