From La Serena the Elqui Valley goes up east. It is one of the few in Chile not running North-South. Closest to the ocean there many different vegetables are grow followed by a region where citrus fruits grow. Further up the valley, which used to be very dry, wine growing is making the valley green. Thanks to new irrigation techniques the more and more land in the valley and on the slopes is converted from semi-arid dessert to fertile, wine growing land. The grapes are used for exportation, producing wine and the famous local brandy called Pisco.
The day was a nice mixture of countryside, culture (we saw the house and school of Gabriella Mistral, the literature Nobel price winner of 1945) and visiting a Pisco factory. And of course I had to drink a Pisco in Pisco!
I am now in San Pedro de Atacama, after a 17 hours bus ride. I thought this would be far too long and too horrible - but in the end it past quickly: first a good night's sleep and then looking at the countryside, which by now was only dessert!
San Pedro is a lovely place - but unfortunately as it is the main place to discover the dessert here up north and is a gateway to Bolivia. So although it is about 30C hot and very dry, it has a distinct feeling of a ski resort: small village, one main road catering for all the tourists at extravagant prices....Tomorrow I am leaving on a 3day tour to Uyuni in Boliva, visiting the mountains, lagoons, flamingos and the largest and highest salt lake in the world. So next news will be posted from Bolivia.
No comments:
Post a Comment