On our arrival at the pier we were greeted by a large group of traditional dancers, a youth band, and a representative from the mayor's office. Dominating the landscape was an enormous cross setting high atop a nearby hill which serves as the main symbol of Coquimbo. We learned later it is the tallest monument in Latin America (93 meters). Quite beautiful.
As we began our tour for the day we drove along clean, sandy beaches. Surfing is a popular sport in this area and surfers from all over the world come here to surf the waves. Since we were here on a Saturday and the weather was pleasant, the beaches were crowded and there was a myriad of vendors selling everything from souvenirs, clothes, food, sports equipment, etc. This area has been discovered by people from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America and tourism is becoming increasingly important to the local economy.
Traffic was quite heavy this morning on the narrow two-lane road and it was filled with trucks. It took us quite some time to make our way through the villages before we turned inland and headed toward the mountains. Just before we left town we passed the lighthouse, 36 meters high, which is the symbol of the town of La Serena. Once we left the coast, traffic improved moderately.
We passed a number of universities, both private and public. Our guide told us there are also quite a few technical schools where students can attend after high school for a two-year period and learn a trade. I wish there were more opportunities for young people to attend technical schools in the U.S. So many students who struggle in a university setting and eventually drop out would benefit greatly from attending a vocational school like the ones here in Coquimbo.
The road through the coastal mountains was narrow and winding. Unlike the U.S., the countries in this part of the world don't always have barriers on the side of the roads. It didn't give us a sense of confidence as our large bus sped around the curves. The landscape of these mountains is similar to what we have seen elsewhere. They are very dry, rocky, sandy and quite barren. As we drove, our guide pointed out that the local area is known for having the clearest skies in the world. Consequently, the hills and mountains are teeming with observatories where many scientists from all over the world come to study.
We kept driving until we reached the green valley which was overflowing with vineyards. We stopped at a winery which is a cooperative of many different growers. We toured the vineyards where the vines were absolutely beautiful - so very green and healthy. Afterwards, we walked to the area where they separate the grapes then "smash" them. Although there is a huge machine which handles this process, all I could think of was Lucy and Ethel pulling up their skirts, leaping into the huge tub and smashing the grapes by stomping on them with their feet. One of the best episodes ever. We also toured the fermentation area as well as the distillery. Finally, we saw how the wine is bottled and labeled.
After touring the facility it was FINALLY time to taste the wine. Actually, today they served us the national drink, the Pisco Sour, which they produce there as well. Quite delicious. It was so tasty that we bought a bottle to take home and share with our family on Bob's birthday, which is a few days after we return home. We'll have a GREAT party!!!
We started our trek back through the mountains back to the coast and I'm still quite amazed by the drivers here. No one waits until it is completely safe to pass. If there is a short break in the oncoming traffic they put the pedals to the metal and go!!!! Even the buses pass an entire stream of traffic when there is visible oncoming traffic. At times it was easier for me if I jut closed my eyes and tried to relax (I do this all the time when Bob is driving)!!!
As we neared the town again we began to see rows of condos overlooking the ocean. Our guide explained that this area used to be filled with large, brightly painted colonial mansions but there was a major earthquake in 2010 and since that time developers have come in, bought up entire neighborhoods for a good price and then built luxury condominiums. Some of the local residents are sad to see much of the old charm of the seaside village disappear as it becomes more commercialized. We returned to the port just in time for our ship to sail. In fact, they had to hold the ship for arrival! Tomorrow morning, some passengers will disembark, rooms will be cleaned quickly and new passengers will join us on board. Then, we will enjoy a relaxing day at sea before our next port. I always look forward to sea days when I can sleep in a bit and get to the blog. It's really difficult to write after an exhausting day of touring!
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