Last night we took part in a very dangerous tourist activity not hang-gliding or scooter riding, not skiing or rock climbing but astronomy! Firstly we had to find and then drive up a very steep and rocky track in the dark, at the end of the track we were met by an astronomer with a lantern. We then proceeded on foot in the dark up a mountain on a very narrow path with lots of obstacles and a drop on one side to the viewing platform where the telescope was mounted (outside, no need for a cover, it does not rain). The viewing platform had a sheer drop on two sides and a very shaky rail to stop you falling. Then of course he turned out the light! The astronomer then gave a very interesting talk about life, the universe and everything and we then got to look through the telescope at a number of stars including Beetle Juice! Actually it's real name is Betelgeuse but what's the fun in that?
Most of the stars were new to us northern hemisphere folk and the sky is so clear here you hardly need a telescope to see a lot of them. It was a good evening but to celebrate we were then given a glass of pisco before trying to stagger down the steps and then drive down the mountain again without hurting ourselves.
The area we are staying in is called the Elqui Valley which in practice is a number of different valleys which all join together. The picture above is of the town of Pisco dwarfed by the surrounding mountains, all the valleys are stunning. One small one we drove up this morning was adopted by hippies in the 1960's who believed that the Age of Aquarius had shifted the earths magnetic centre from the Himalayas to the Elqui Valley. They have even built their own Stupa! You can get any sort of complimentary medicine or massage in the villages in the valley but no one sold coffee which is a shame as we were thirsty.
Back in Pisco we did the touristy thing and went round a Pisco Distillery. Basically they make wine then distil it once put it in oak barrels and then bottle it after 1, 3 or 10 years.
The 1 year old is only good with a mixer, most people drink it as a Pisco Sour which, apart from the alcohol, is bitter lemon and sugar. The 3 and 10 year old ones can be drunk neat or with ice. In the name of research Gill and I have tried a number of Pisco drinks and none is a threat to a Gin and Tonic.
The glass on the left is a Pisco Sour, the one on the right is their take on a Pimms.
The distillery we visited has also branched out into Alcopops, we were give two different bottles to try and then the barman and guide ran away, once we tasted them we knew why, they were as horrid as the alcopops they sell in the Vaults.