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Published: January 8th 2009
La Serena
The churches here are all graceful and serene. Here are the wonderful bells of Iglesia Santo DomingoLa Serena:
This very livable city sits at the mouth of the Rio Elqui. There are two parts of La Serena, the glitzy modern brassy coast lined with apartment hotels and cabans along the Ave de Mar and the city centre which is a very attractive place full of colonial style houses, lots of churches and hidden squares and alleyways with huge palm trees overlooking it all.
It is Chile's 2nd oldest city but it was not until the 19th century when pirate attached were no longer the major threat and silver was discoverted nearby that it really took off. As usual once the silver was found teh mining magnates had to compete to see who could build the most ostentation mansion.
We walked for miles today around this fascinating city including the modern mall which is of course like mall everywhere. We were however able to get a reasonable cup of coffee there, whihc has been almost as illusive on this trip as freah fruit and vegetables. Nescafe reigns here and in a top hotel with white table cloths and servile waiter we were served the little packet of nescafe on a silver platter with hot water
La Serena
Inside Iglesia Santo Domingo in a silver jug. The silver did not, however make the powdered stuff taste any better. The coffee in our hotel here is so weak that we were unshure if it was tea or coffee. Coffee con leche will get you coffee with hot milk, half and half unless you insist on more coffee and less milk. Ask for frio leche or cold milk and they will look at you as you have just grown horns. trying to get coffee undiluted by hot water or milk is a problem but in the mall in a coffee shop we managed to get a drink that did taste of coffee.
The city was busy this morning and as usual it all closed down at 2pm to open again at 5pm. A very sensible arrangement.
Tomoor we leave to begin the trip back to Santiago and then on home to the cold and wet so I am enjoying today in the warm and dry climate here very much.
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