la serena

I´m writing this from an internet café in La Serena, to which a group of 12 COPA kids arrived yesterday night, late, after a 6 hour bus ride. We were split up into various hostels (few have room for 12 people from any kind of group, especially because it´s a long weekend) by a nice guy named Mauricio, all within walking distance of the bus stop. Funnily, when he was divvying us up, he asked, "¿Hay algúna pareja?" because, it turned out, one of the hostels had a room with a big bed (he called it the "matrimonial bed"--no joke). Rosie and I timidly raised our hands and he pointed down a side street and said, again, no joke, scout´s honor, these exact words: "Go to number 18, ring the doorbell, ask for Pancho and tell him Mauricio sent you." Perhaps the sketchiest instructions I have ever received from a stranger. But we went and it turned out, after a walk down a dark and utterly deserted street, to be a very sweet place, Pancho was a great guy and made us tea and the room is comfortable enough. There are also some French and German kids staying there and a trio of girls who are Australian, Dutch and the other´s nationality I don´t remember but it was equally exotic. Very nice people all around.

Today we got up early and after some mishaps and confusion about a bus tour that Joseph, who got here yesterday morning before any of us, arranged, we split into two groups. One went on the bus tour and the other, including me, Rosie, both Tims, Vickie and Amalia, made our own way by bus first to the Capel pisco factory, where we took a free tour and tasting. The mango pisco, which isn´t available in stores even here yet, was delicious and I bought a bottle for my host family to enjoy. From there we went to Vicuña, a cute little town very near (walking distance) from the pisco factory, and the birthplace of Gabriela Mistral, who is a national hero here. We ate lunch in a good little café and then chilled in the beautiful plaza before wandering around to look in on some artisan stalls, where I bought a new nice leather wallet and others got similar nice little things. Then we went to the Mistral house and museum and I realized that, well, winning the Nobel prize for literature means you were probably pretty good at writing. And she was. Her Nobel Prize acceptance speech in particular was very moving. Anyhow, we wandered back to the plaza and then found our way to the bus station and came back to La Serena. The plan now is to make a trip to the mall because various people forgot bathing suits (we´re on the coast and the weather today was SPECtacular) and I need some socks, and then to the grocery store for some eats, which we will take to the beach and eat picnic-style. Good plan. I had lots of time for thinking and reflecting and being introspective today and I thought about many interesting things (helped along by The Labyrinth of Solitude, by Octavio Paz, which is fascinating), but I´m paying by the minute here, so they´ll have to wait. Pics will be up as soon as I´m back in Santiago. Take care, my peoples.