Trip continued

On the way to Valparaiso, we stopped in different villages, my favorites being Tunquen and Quintay. Somehow, these villages had so far escaped development, though I fear they are next in line. I want someone with a lot of money to buy the land and preserve it as a national park. Tunquen was a teensy dot on the map, and we passed through via dirt roads and through a river. On the OTHER side of the river was the sign that said “Don’t cross unless you’re in a truck.” Too bad they couldn’t get that sign for both directions. However, lucky for us, because it was breathtaking. Just some farms and houses scattered here and there, with giant cliffs (VERY steep) behind and the sea in front. Beautiful.

Quintay was similar, with the steepest road I’ve ever traveled leading into the town. We were a bit concerned our little rental car would make it. I can imagine that the people in the town like it that way – cuts down on the traffic. However, of course as you’re driving down the road, it feels as though you’ll drive straight into the sea, and at sunset, you want to camp out and forever live your life gazing upon the glittering water and the wet rocks rising tall from the sea. It was one of those moments I’d like to be able to have even when I grow old and my memory begins to fail me.



…

After our night/next day in Valpo (Neruda’s house, lots of walking) we headed north for La Serena, and stopped on they way to spend the night in Los Vilos, a coastal village with a giant beach which must be marvelous during the summer. We stayed in a little cabana without heat (we were cold a lot on this trip) and woke up the next morning to continue on our journey. Upon arriving in La Serena, we found a hostel (with heat!) and ended up walking around a bit and driving to see the now-defunct lighthouse and the beach. La Serena is a couple of miles from the beach, and there is now a strip of hotels, restaurants and a casino along the water. La Serena itself is very quaint and old, with a beautiful Plaza de Armas and cobblestone streets.

My priority upon visiting La Serena was to go to the Reserva Nacional de Penguinos Humboldt, the Humboldt Penguin Nature Reserve. I was so excited that penguins resided outside of Antarctica. There were also supposed to be dolphins, sea lions and during the summer season, whales. So we went. The drive was about two hours – an hour north on the big road, and then an hour heading west, on a dirt road with no signs and the occasional fork, which resulted in us taking the road that looked more worn. We drove through the desert until FINALLY we reached the little town that was a marker – Los Choros, and then into the town where we could hire a boat to take us around Isla Choros. (This isla was really an island.)

As we drove in, we were of course accosted by two men who REALLY wanted to take us to the island, and commenced to follow us around as we looked for some kind of visitors center or a place to pay an entrance fee for the park. As far as we could tell, there wasn’t any, so we stopped at a restaurant to get a drink. While there, I struck up conversation with an older Chilean couple who had, funnily enough, been accosted by the same two guys. We decided it’d be cheaper if we shared the ride. We found the two men close by (not surprisingly) and so put on all of our warmest gear, life jackets, and headed out to sea.

It was chilly, but also refreshing, and as we made our way across the water, a pod of dolphins joined our boat. At first just two parents and a baby, but soon there were about 15 dolphins and one sea lion all swimming next to the boat, surfacing at the same time, disappearing for a while and then reappearing to the delight of all. The followed us all the way to the island where the dolphins dropped us off, and we headed to the sea lion colony. Sea lions are great creatures – so sweet-faced and awkward on land, but smooth and swift in the water. There were babies, mothers, the head of the family, and they were all perched on every possible surface you could imagine – ledges, the flat of rocks, huge angles – and somehow not one fell off.

There were also three different types of cormorants, which dove spectacularly for fish and then found their way to a rock to dry their wings. The penguins were next.

The Humboldt penguins are very shy little penguins who lay their eggs on top of the island to avoid have the sea lions eat them. Therefore, each day they cautiously waddle down the rocky cliff to fish. We saw some walking along and in turn, they played hide and seek with us, darting under rocks, waiting a few moments, then trying to run to the next rock without being seen. Adorable, and absolutely worth the trip.



We returned to La Serena that night absolutely satisfied, and set off the next morning for Elqui Valley. Now, Elqui Valley is where they make Pisco, the national alcohol of Chile, so one would expect a climate similar to California. Except that we happened to go on one of the three or so days a year that it happens to rain. And it rained. A lot. So we didn’t get to see the giant vistas or go on any hikes, but we did drive through all the small towns and see the pisco vineyards spreading out like a golden autumn blanket below. It was all quite picturesque. And we found some beautiful shops with pretty glass and bought some pisco. However, I think to fully appreciate Elqui Valley I’ll need to return on a sunny day.



The next day was sunny, and we drove back to Santiago in order to return the car in time to have dinner at the house of the Risopatron – Hoffman family. The grandparents of this family, Luz Maria and Rudy, know a couple from my hometown of Lexington – the men had been at MIT together – and their grand-daughter, Antonia was coming to visit Lexington for about three months or so beginning on 22 July. Because of the connection, I had connected with the family and they so generously had us to dinner. Luz Maria and Rudy’s daughter, Veronica (mother of Antonia) hosted, and we had an absolutely hilarious time. Juan Pablo, Veronica’s husband, makes the best pisco sours I’d had in Chile, and everyone was laughing and really enjoying themselves. It made me wish for my parents that they lived in Lexington, or that my parents would move to Santiago so as to have great friends around. This family is the kind of family that’s easy to sink into and relax – they are incredibly accepting, generous and funny and make you feel as though you are part of the family. Their family dynamic is just so incredibly energetic and joyful – you leave feeling light and exhilarated. Very special indeed.

The next day we took a trip up the mountains to see snow. There are 48 curves to get up to the ski resort areas, so as soon as there was snow to throw for a snowball, we returned, and spent the afternoon recovering from our weak stomachs.

We recovered just in time to celebrate an early birthday at the famous restaurant Astrid y Gastón. Reputed to be one of the best, if not THE best restaurant in Santiago, we had an incredible dinner beginning at 9, ordered by 9:45, food started arriving around 10 or so. We were there for about three hours, enjoying the different courses, the presentation and the uniqueness of the cuisine. This is the sort of restaurant where you have to pick your dessert at the beginning because they make each one from scratch and they need time for preparation. It was worth everything. And I received a book of poems and an autographed Tom Rush CD from William, whom I still can’t believe thought enough ahead to send Mom and Dad my birthday present so they could bring it to me. Great brother!



The next day, I did work while Mom and Dad explored on their own, and then we went to see Get Smart, though here it is called Super Agente 86. It was great. The next day was leisurely, buying some gifts in Bellavista and then finally saying goodbye, which was quite hard. It had been great to have my parents here and for them to see all the new things in my life. I was starting to feel kind of like a grown-up, which made it hard to have them leave. I so enjoy being a kid and it’s so easy to fall into that when parents are visiting. However, I had great friends whom I hadn’t seen for several weeks, and Shostakovich 5 on Tuesday, with the Maestro coming Thursday, so I charged right back into life.

Oh, and I got a new friend named Little Joe. Here he is: