La Serena, Coquimbo y Vicuña

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I just got back from La Serena, about 6 hours up north on the coast. We went for the independence (September 18th) but didn´t do much celebrating. We walked along the boardwalk for about two hours, until we got to an amazing seafood restaurant. The guy we were staying with (from couchsurfing.org) wined and dined us but was a little annoying- inviting himself everywhere and due to his lack of self-confidence acted as if he knew everyyything. Anyways, we stuffed ourselves with great fish, sauces, wine and empanadas then took about a two hour nap on the beach. That night we went to the neighboring town, Coquimbo, and went to a few bars that were full of karoke and fiestas de las patrias. The next day we took a bus about an hour out to Vicuña and visited a bunch of villages nearby. We had an asado in the garden of the hostel that we were staying at, it was picture perfect- with a hammock, swings and vines covering the buildings. I experienced hitch-hiking for the first time in my life, on the way to the Pisco Distillery (the national alchol). My favorite part of the trip were all of the little villages that we visited, they were tiny but full of farias, colorful casitas and a churches.

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Photos

Pisco Elqui
Church in Pisco Elqui, a little pueblo in the valley.

Monte Grande
My friend, Tatiana, in a little street of Monte Grande. I loved all the colorful houses and green plazas.

Capel
We went on a tour of the Pisco Factory in Vicuña, it´s the national alcohol that everyone drinks here.

Vicuña
Our fellow hitch-hiking friends.

Diaguitas
The bus dropped us off on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. After walking for a while we found Diaguitas, this river ran through the town; the town consisted of about 20 people, a plaza and two streets, ha. There was a fair going on for the Independence but nothing too exciting.

Cueca
On the independence day, everone dances the national dance, Cueca, waving around a little piece of fabric.

Hostel en Vicuña
Chilling out after our barbeque at the hostel.