Coquimbo and La Serena, Chile




Surprise! Our shuttle bus today took us to La Serena, the town just north of Coquimbo where we docked. It was a bonus because we didn’t expect to be taken there so we got to enjoy a short, but lovely 15 km ride to La Serena. Our guide gave us much information about La Serena and area, including about Cochiguaz, a place of energy where they believe exists a magnetic center. People go there to meditate and pray for UFO’s to land. There have even been claims of seeing UFO’s, but he tells us that’s usually after drinking 2 or 3 pisco sours.

Just off the town square we found a bank and since Teddy was the only one who though to bring her ATM card with her, she became the designated banker. She and I tried the ATM machine, which was in quasi English, but it didn’t yield any Chilean pesos. A lady behind us helped, though she spoke NO word of English and lo and behold, we got our 10,000 pesos ($20). The reason we needed pesos is that tomorrow we’re in Valparaiso and we’ll have to take a bus and they will only take pesos.

So, money in hand, the three of us set off to find the post office to mail some cards and pick up a few extra stamps so Teddy could mail all the cards she plans to write between Valparaiso and Punta Arenas when we’re at sea for 3 days. I truly love those sea days! At the post office, we lined up with everyone else but the armed guard heard us speak English and indicated we should follow him, his hand on the revolver at his hip. Yes indeed. Hans and Teddy followed and Hans indicated I should wait behind. What? So I could run for help? In any case, it was all quite innocent. They were just led into a room where the lady spoke English and could take US dollars for their stamps. A good thing too since Teddy and I didn’t want to go back to the bank for more pesos.

Then we walked along a semi-pedestrian mall. It looked like it should just be for pedestrians but there was a fairly regular stream of traffic anyway. No matter. We found our way quite by chance to a large supermarket and decided to explore the possibility of wine. Princess has wisely changed its policy and allows passengers to bring aboard a bottle of wine each. The store had bottles, large ones, and even larger boxes of wine. A two litre box of Carmeniere wine cost us $3.33 each (they let us pay in US dollars). Here’s hoping it’s not rotgut!

While Teddy and I were in line to pay, a youth sidled up really close to her and was sort of twitching around. It made us both nervous so I inserted myself between the youth and Teddy since she was busy getting out her money. I made sure I clutched my bag quite tightly and in the end nothing happened. Thank god.

And finally, back on the ship after a long morning, we got lunch at 2:30, the longest we’ve gone between meals since boarding and the first day I’ve actually felt a hunger pang. Yikes.

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