VICUÑA 29.01.2023

This should have been the day of many unnecessary steps!? We could see the goal from the rooftop terrace of the hotel, and it was only about 2 km away! The viewpoint Mirador Cerro de la Virgen, a large statue of the Virgin Mary from which you have a great view of the city and the surroundings. But first, another attempt to get a massage, unfortunately in vain! And then my sense of direction failed me, and we walked in completely the wrong direction. Google had placed our location (hotel) in the wrong street, so I felt confident with my contradictory instructions. But as the heat pressed down on us more and more, and I asked a taxi driver for directions, the mess became clear to me! What a mess!! We had to go all the way back through the town, and eventually there were even signs pointing to the Mirador. Now we had finally found the right way, but it led up a rocky, dusty path that wound its way up the mountain in long loops. We crossed a precarious area of wooden huts and collections of debris (car tires, wooden slats, horse stables, and construction debris), and now we stayed true to Google and I didn't dare to suggest shortcuts anymore! There were hiking poles in the suitcase at the hotel that we had borrowed from Anni and Bernd because they were collapsible! Great, now we could have really used them, as it was constantly rocky uphill, but.....! Finally, we reached the peak! But it was fenced off because there was a large amplifier directly at this spot! On the way closer, we could see Christian motifs carved into white stone, but we weren't at the Virgen statue itself! And then suddenly two men on their motocross bikes drove around us, which didn't improve our mood. Robbery? Backpack theft? We are no longer so naive in our thoughts, constantly being warned of dangers, it's very unsettling!? But the men were friendly and quickly rode off with their roaring machines down the narrow paths! Based on the tracks we found on a different path back, it seems to be a popular area for dirt bikes. Anyway, I regained my sense of direction, and we passed by the cemetery and returned to the city! Unfortunately, we couldn't take a peaceful look at the cemetery because they were about to close it right behind us. Why? 

Now we crossed the outskirts and noticed that there were many metal bowls at several places where residents seemed to dump food scraps for the stray dogs. Unlike many other countries we have traveled to, we have never experienced aggression towards these animals here, nor have we encountered any that terrified us!? At night, you can hear the packs of stray dogs barking and howling, during the day they are just part of the scenery!

We also experienced that in the evening. Yesterday on the way to the 'Essens-Zitrone', we discovered a restaurant that was well attended in the courtyard of the Club de Social Vicuña. We wanted to have dinner there tonight, but there were only empty tables and an exceptionally friendly waiter. He made every effort to understand our wishes, and we made every effort to translate the menu. There was a very friendly communication, at the end of which he knew everything about us (?) and we got a very rich and tasty meal. He could take his time with us because there were no other guests again. He gladly accepted a cigarette I rolled, and he was delighted. But a dog approached our table, and when its head lay on my lap with a sad look, the waiter verbally chased it outside. Only for a short while, because then it was back again. Our new friend took a spray bottle (disinfectant for the tables?) and the dog disappeared, but only briefly. By chance, the cook (?) happened to be present at the next attempt and took the dog outside! There was no shouting or screaming, everything went peacefully!? On the way home, this time we got ice cream from a different gelateria, just as delicious and just as crowded as the day before.

Karin brought the Pisco to the rooftop terrace from downstairs because the bar was closed on Sunday! Still very delicious and a nice ending!