3/19  We arrived in La Serena at 5:30am. Had to stay in the bus station for an hour, since it was too early to check in. Finally got a cab and went to the cabanas. We have our own 2 story little cottage.  There is a pool, lounge chairs and very, very nice. We all decided to take a 2 hour nap. We then found a tour agency about 5 doors down. Basically we had the driver and the van all to ourselves for the day. We went to see a big dam, T was thrilled. He loves infrastructure. This was on the way to a Pisco vinyard. Pisco is the Chilean drink. A very strong liquor. Our guide, Wilson (I know, not a spanish name) spoke almost no english, but I managed to either understand or figure out everything he was saying. I even asked some questions. I am getting very confident with spanish. The driver took us to a cocina solares (sun kitchen) for lunch. They have all these little wooden boxes with glass tops where they cook your food. Also there is a mirrored large dish under a grate with a teapot. We ordered the special...goat. Really good. Kind of tasted like a pork roast.  See below.
We got to stop at a papaya plantation where we bought some jam and juice. (Papaya tree picture below. They are funny looking). Along the way we saw how they watered some of the agricultural fields. A guy has a backpack filled with water with 2 hoses, one on each side. He walks down the rows spraying the plants. Unbelievable. I really am trying to get a picture of the soccer fields here and how they are tucked into the most unexpected places. But I just can't seem to get them quick enough. Today they were playing on a completely dirt field. Dry dirt too, so it was incredibly dusty.
The whole valley is surrounded by big hills that are covered with cactii. The grapes grow,in this rocky, sandy dirt. The vinyards are expanding up the hillsides. Wilson said there are no nutrients, but loads of minerals. The grapes like it very dry. It is weird to see these dirt hills with lush grapes. Kind of like desert meets the tropics. See below The picture with the water is from the top of the dam.
We stopped in the village to see the Torre Bauer, a tower based on a model in Ulm, Germany. It was a gift from Germany. There was also a craft market, but nothing really cool. We had the driver, Fernando, stop at a fruit stand on the way home. They have such good fruit here.
We spent the evening sitting by the pool with a nice cup of tea. It gets cool here now at night, like in September.
Tomorrow we are going with the same tour agency to the Isla Damas, where there are penguins, dolphins, whales etc. We will get on a boat to the island where we can only stay for 1 hour walking around so we don't disturb the wildlife. Sure hope we see lots.