PISCO ELQUI / BIKE TOUR

Let me preface this with the truth: it had been a long, long time since I had been on a bike anywhere other than in a gym, and riding a real bike is quite different than a stationary bike. I was expecting this to be a miserable experience but worth it for the beauty, but it was a lot of fun. We really wanted to see Pisco Elqui and the surrounding area, and we eventually settled on a bike tour offered by Turismo Migrantes. They drove us to the top of the hill, and then let us find our way back to town. The photo above is where we started...

Above is the river that we went down to — one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It had a few leftover campfire pits, and I would love to bring Brandon back here and camp under the stars. It was so peaceful, and the openness was just unreal. Getting back up the hill made me want to die, but it was worth it!

We biked a bit further and came across this breathtaking crevasse, one of several that was just incredible. I can only imagine what this would look like covered in snow.

We got back into the city surprisingly fast — the drive to the top seemed eternal, but getting back to Pisco Elqui was surprisingly prompt. I admit, I was happy to get back and have some juice! 

This was the day before the tour, at one of the hotel/bars we snuck into for a photo. The lighting was wretched, but you can see the important things: The beauty of the valley and the crevasse behind me. Incredible. I'm so happy to be in Chile.

LA SERENA / VICUNA

Last week we had a lot of free time, so a few of the girls in the group and I went on a little bus trip up to La Serena/Vicuna/Pisco Elqui for a few nights. I've split up the photos between the two posts so as not to inundate you, but it was breathtaking. 

First stop was La Serena, a mid-size coastal city. It was a long, long bus ride (12 hours+ total) and we were pretty tired when we arrived. We didn't really do much in the way of touring the first day, but we did go for a shortish afternoon walk to the beach. I was surprised at how warm the water was! I am used to the frigid waters of Oregon, and I assumed that the water here would be the same. I really enjoyed slipping my shoes off and enjoying the warm sand and water after the long day!

The main strip had several sculptures, mostly portraying people in acts of bathing or playing with children. This bathtub fascinated me though! Why? Why have a random tub on the side of a walkway? What does it mean?

We spent one night in La Serena, and then traveled to the Pisco Elqui/Vicuna area. We went to Vicuna for the observatories, and it was so worthwhile. The ozone layer is much thinner here than it is in Oregon, and the visibility was amazing. Watching the stars that night, looking into the telescopes, every minute was just mesmerizing. There was such a peaceful stillness there on the mountain, and I hope to experience that again.

Random tidbit: Chile has a great deal of the same franchises/stores as Oregon, and I had seen several McDonalds while here, but no Subways. I had just spent a solid 20 seconds whining about it while walking past McDonalds #20000 when we came across this beauty. I don't eat a ton of Subway in the U.S., but this was such a nice taste of home. I really, really enjoyed that veggie sub! We ate local cuisine every other night, and only stopped here because it was a holiday and a great deal of the good, non-chain restaurants were closed. I'm really trying to eat/shop local as much as I can while here.

RAINING HARD

This week has been pretty wonderful! It is beautiful here, and I have enjoyed going from Summer in the States to Spring in Chile. I managed to survive my first week of classes, and have managed to get a bit of my homework done early. We have a whole week off, and I normally procrastinate. I feel like I'm actually understanding more and more Spanish!

I have really enjoyed the more relaxed culture in respect to alcohol. In the States, alcohol is HEAVILY controlled. Here, the university hosted a party and had random vendors on campus selling alcohol. I think the legal drinking age here is 18, but I never saw anyone check ID. It was so beautiful, and we just danced for ages. Also, I may or may not have eaten my body weight in sopaipillas! 

FIRST WEEK

This has been a week of firsts! We started classes on Monday, and I finally started to figure out the money here — this 7 UP is the first thing I payed cash for here! I have been walking to and from class, and I have to say that 7 UP is quite refreshing. I don't usually drink caffeine-free drinks in the States,  but this is the only diet soda that the store on campus offers. 

Initially, I walked to school because I was unsure of the bus system and didn't want to get lost. Now? I walk because it saves me about $15 a week and I get to see so much of the city. Walking to school has been one of the best things I have done since coming here. It allows for me to feel a little bit more secure, and lets me relax a bit more (I'm never lost, it is now my city.)  There are so many adorable, random street dogs here! I keep trying to get a good photo of this one dog that always follows me a for a block or so in the morning — it is like a pit bull, but it has split nostrils. I don't know how else to describe it! It is almost as if it has two faces, but it is not from an injury. 

There have been a few... shall we say... learning experiences? Like the time I went into the restroom at the university and was rather surprised to find that there was no toilet paper. I had a solid four seconds of thoughts like "They don't use toilet paper here?" before I used a tissue from my backpack and headed for the sink. I then realized that the thin paper by the sinks was not, in fact, paper towels (the university has air dryers) but was actually toilet paper, meant to be grabbed before entering a stall. 

Very confusing.

I have been so busy and have so much to share! I have daily posts for the next few days so as not to write essays every time I post! 

I HAVE A FAMILY!!!!

It has officially become real. I have a family assignment and an actual, physical address of where I will be living in Chile. My host mom has sent me an email. I have host siblings, and I know that it will be a roughly fifteen minute walk from where I'm going to live to the University. 

It just... hasn't felt real until now. I have been going through the motions of filling out the applications, working on passport stuff, and looking at the dates, but it has been kind of a game up until now. 

Now? It is real. I fly out in 41 days. I can't imagine what it is going to be like to wake up in the U.S., and fall asleep in another country.