It Takes Two to Tongoy

And this is the bus that did just that....On our last day together, Lesley and I woke to clear blue skies - and as we  know that hasn't always been the case - and  thought we'd spend it on a bit of beach. A young chap (a risk manager studying for a PhD) who we met in the Pisco Elqui hostal, suggested we try Tongoy. It's about 1 1/2 hours by bus south from La Serena, where we returned to Sandra's place from Vicuna. And it was just what we needed.

The bus took us down the Pan American highway along some dramatic coastline - but that doesn't always mean good resort beaches.  The sea can be mean and moody - full of tricky currents - and pretty cold. But Tongoy had the feel of a an English beach on steroids. We treated ourselves to sunbeds and shade - nearly didn't as this cost £10 for the whole day, and our frugality-meters have been running at high pitch. We did come to our senses however....The temperature was perfect - about 24C with a nice breeze - and we did venture in for a quick swim. Behind us in a lagoon, kids were kayaking and seabirds wheeled overhead.
When we got back to Serena yesterday, it was a Fiesta day and it had the feeling of the August bank Holiday - that last gasp before everyone is back to school and work. The small shops were shut - but the department stores were full of people buying school supplies and uniforms. So the Socos beach at Tongoy was probably not as crowded as it might have been.

Travelling Chile in February we've certainly been part of a crowd of Chilean holidaymakers - but it's also meant we've come across festivities, music and markets we wouldn't have any other time. As Lesley and I have often said on this trip, being super-English....'SUCH FUN!' Before I came out, an Italian chap who lives in England, said the Chileans  were a mix of the Italians and the English - and I can see what he means. Apart from the fact that the valedictory greeting is 'Ciao' there is a politeness and orderliness mixed with a warmth and desire to share their heart with you. I think Lesley and I have most enjoyed chatting with anyone (Hablo poco - pero entiendo mas...) and a large smile gets you a long way. I mean, where in the UK would you find the men who are doing the weighbridge check on your bus miming 'give me a call' - especially to the so-called invisible woman in her sixties....All 'such fun'!

And of course, the last day together had to include a seafood lunch, washed down with a delicious bottle of Reisling from Patagonia. We tried to identify what we were getting to eat - and the waiter helpfully brought us out the fresh shellfish - when I started to photograph the offerings he made sure they were properly styled on plates and also brought out one of the  largest 'ostiones' - scallops, simply for photographic purposes! We also had Machas a la Parmesana - a macha being a saltwater clam, native to Chile. They do seem to love cheese with their shellfish - but the Parmesana was more like a mozzarella than Parmesan. Anyway....so delicious that I failed to photograph it before we wolfed it down!

Osteones

 


 

We boarded our bus back to la Serena feeling like this had been the perfect ending. Good travelling companions are rare - and we've negotiated our way through a fair few decisions with little friction and a LOT of laughter.

I put Lesley on the bus to Santiago at La Serena bus station at 11.15 last night; it was heaving with people clambering on to night buses - young and old, neat and tattooed, uniformed and guitar-toting - every type was on the move. So, I now have a few hours to spend in the city before I fly to Buenos Aires via Santiago...
Back to the land of Tango temporarily....it seems fitting that it's Tongoy to Tango - but I have to credit Lesley with the title of this post!