I have done quite a lot since the last post and it really feels like just a few days ago since I posted the last blog. So, I went to La Serena, Chile and spent a few days there. It´s a coastal town so I spent some time sitting on the beach, walking around the city and figuring out how to go see Valle del Elqui (Elqui Valley). Valle del Elqui, which is made up of many small towns, is said to be the magnetic center of the world and a place full of tranquility and good energy. So I met this girl in my hostel in La Serena named Yali who is from Santiago. Yali works with placing volunteers in the valley to teach English at the local schools so she gave me a lot of great information and even connected me with a family in Pisco which is the most touristic town in the valley. Yali was visiting for work and had rented a car, she invited me to go to Coquimbo with her to look around, see the port and watch the sunset so of course I went. We drove through all the colored houses, stopped at the port to see the sea lions and boats and then went up to the tres cruceros (3 crosses) to watch the sunset.
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| Coquimbo, the city right next to La Serena, built into the mountain |
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| sipping mate on the beach |
The day I was going to head into the Valley Yali was driving that way to go visit some of the other small towns so she told me to bring my stuff and I went with her. We ate lunch at a restaurant with solar kitchens and had a fun afternoon. She dropped me off at the bus station and I took the bus to Pisco to go meet the family that Yali connected me with. I spent 3 nights in Pisco, it was very quiet since it was off season but I spent time walking around, reading, volunteered at this place for Earth Day that was painting with children and also went to a Buddhist meditation at the same place.
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| Had lunch at a restaurant with solar kitchens. This is one of 2 solar kitchen restaurants. |
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| Me and Yali in Valle del Elqui. |
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| Katiu, Sofia and mom at their house in Pisco Elqui. Stayed with their family for 3 nights and it was an excellent opportunity to practice español. |
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| Vineyard in Valle del Elqui |
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| Valle del Elqui (Elqui Valley) |
I was ready to keep traveling and had heard amazing things about this campsite in Cochiquaz which is another small town in the valley that is unable to be accessed by bus. Cochiquaz is 19 kilometers away from the nearest town with buses but I wanted to go. So I packed my stuff, made sure I had enough food and set out to Cochiguaz where I camped at Rio Magico. I spent two nights there in solitude, besides the one couple I saw. I was there for the full moon and built a fire by the river. It was overall very relaxing and absolutely beautiful. It would be fun to go back during high season because apparently there is yoga, massage, reiki, big campfires every night and lots of other energetic types of things.
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| Amazing tree at Rio Magico in Cochiquaz |
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| catching sun by the river at Rio Magico |
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| solitude |
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| view from the campsite |
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| yes, I built that fire. night of the full moon (lunallena) |
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| leaving campsite |
After camping I returned for a night in La Serena then took a night bus to Santiago followed by another night bus to Mendoza. On my bus to Mendoza I met a guy named Elijah who is from New Zealand and we were going to the same hostel so we went there together. In Mendoza I went on a sunset horseback riding trip that evening and he went on a wine tour during the day. I was a little bit scared to ride the horse but thought it would be fun and I had heard great things about it, so I did it. Our group was 7 people and our guide, Alejandro (whom I chose to call Gaucho which is similar to cowboy). We rode into the mountain for about 2 and a half hours which was then followed by an asado (bbq). The food was delicious and then we had a fire and Gaucho played guitar and sang songs in English and Spanish. The stars were shining bright and it was a fun night, besides being quite tired after taking 2 night buses in a row.
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| In Mendoza, Argentina going on sunset horseback ride. My horse Vino Tinto. |
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| nice sky |
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| on the trail with our group |
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| Gaucho (Alejandro) fixing my saddle |
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| waiting for asado (BBQ) at the other ranch after horseback riding |
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| what a fun bunch! Girls on the left are from the USA and the other three are from Buenos Aires |
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| Gaucho playing guitar and singing for us |
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| The big park in Mendoza |
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| Honors the Jewish people living in Mendoza |
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| spices! |
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| Elijah drinking his jugo de piña at the market |
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| oink, oink. (sorry Nat) |
So Elijah and I were both traveling to Cordoba next so the following night we took a night bus together. When we arrived to Cordoba it was a holiday so many things were closed but there was a big racecar rally competition going on in Carlos Paz so we went to the rally. Carlos Paz is in the hills of Cordoba about an hour from the center. Neither of us know much about racecars but we had a good time. We returned to Cordoba and the following day walked all around the city seeing the recommended sites and experiencing the daily hustle in Cordoba. Cordoba is a university city so there are students everywhere which also means nightlife here is awesome. I am currently in Cordoba, have been here for 3 nights and have not been able to leave because the bus drivers are on strike because they want their salary increased by 20%. However, I am taking a night bus tonight to Buenos Aires and will be reconnected with Ali in the morning.
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| some VIP guys for the rally, in Carlos Paz |
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| Elijah and me waiting for the car races to begin |
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| FASTTTT! |
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| Big church... |
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| and inside of it. |
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| Leaving Justice Palace |
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| Cathedral, construction began in 1573 and is the oldest standing cathedral in Argentina |
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| Museum of the Memory, used during Argentina´s military dictatorship for detention and torture |
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| Oldest university in the country, over 300 years old. |
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| butcher |
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street named after my birthday! (October 12th)
So, I have bought my ticket to return to the states and will be flying back to Texas on May 22nd. I will be working as the gardening specialist at a summer camp with children, I am very excited for this next experience but am cherishing my last 3 weeks here in South America.
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| and the journey continues... safe and protected. |
Lots of love,
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