VICUÑA 28.01.2023

We didn't report yesterday how we (with Franziska's help) actually came to this place! So I already hinted that after the shared week with our daughter and the time with the full program in San Pedro, we just wanted to relax and be pampered. And Vicuña is also the central place in the Elqui Valley (Corazón Del Valle De Elqui). This valley, with its Rio Elqui, offers a very diverse range of leisure activities for tourists and has even more possibilities through its Puclaro reservoir. And for us from the Atacama region, the green of the plantations, vineyards, fruit stands, and the overall agricultural fertility was wonderful! The eye and the senses had not experienced this colorfulness so intensively for a long time! Absolutely fabulous, which made taking a breath possible! And our next plan was Coquimbo, but we crossed out the place (about 320,000 inhabitants) from the plan, because we didn't want a 'hard' working city with a harbor anymore.

In Vicuña, however, we didn't even bother with guided tours, but let ourselves be guided by the Lonely Planet. Karin's efforts to get at least a massage took shape initially (massage in the room), but then we found out that the masseur is also a nurse by profession and had duty in the hospital. The hint about a massage salon around the corner came too late, because nobody reacted to her knocking there either! What a pity! Instead, we treated ourselves to a short taxi ride to El Arenal, to Pisquera Alba! We don't even remember if we've written about the national drink 'Pisco' (I believe so!?). But now we wanted to see the production personally. According to the Planet, this should be the best and most adventurous opportunity! But the book is not necessarily up to date anymore! Nevertheless, we caught the beginning of a half-hour guided tour, in Spanish! There should also be English-speaking ones, but only by appointment and rarely. But the son of the family-run Pisquera (since 1921) still took us with him and we could understand the whole process well and he even answered my expert questions with the Google Translator! The samples consisted of two small plastic cups mixed with Pisco Lemon and Blackcurrant. But then we bought a bottle of Pisco Mango and a bottle of Pisco Fuegos. This is an undiluted Pisco that is supposed to taste more like a whiskey (40% alcohol) and also has the corresponding color due to the wooden barrels! My whiskey enthusiast couldn't resist! We called the taxi back using our mobile phone, the same driver who had taken us there.

We wanted to spend the evening in the recommended place Chivato Negro. The trout, which was praised as the main attraction, was not available! Karin's vegetable plate with artichokes and my meat plate with salad were the absolute letdown of our entire trip! Partially cold, prepared without love, and not fresh at all. We should have sent everything back, but.....! Limited language skills are not so exciting! At least the ice cream tasted good on the way back to the hotel! And on the rooftop terrace, we digested everything in the lounge chairs with two Piscos! Total compensation, because the mix was very good!