Last summer, before leaving for Chile, I read the book My Invented Country by Isabel Allende where she discusses life in Chile, telling about its people and its land. One part of the book that really stood out to me was when she described the beauty of the landscapes in Valle de Elqui, I was determined to visit and last weekend finally got my chance.
I, my roommates, and twelve friends traveled north eight hours to arrive at the valley’s main town, Pisco de Elqui, which sits in the midst of the green valley that looks ever greener in contrast to the brown mountains that border it. I felt as though I was in the Shire! Low hanging willow trees and the rushing blue Elqui River created a refreshing contrast to the tall grey buildings and bustling traffic of Santiago that I was so happy to be momentarily escaping. During those three days we hiked, swam, explored, laughed barbequed and even enjoyed some of the local pisco that the region is known for. As the weekend came to an end I was sad to leave this delightful oasis but I am so glad to have had the opportunity to finally visit la Valle de Elqui. There is a special sensation when you arrive somewhere you had previously only read about in books.
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