CHILE: The Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert, in Northern Chile, is one of the driest non-polar deserts in the world.

Stretching along northern Chile, it lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains.

Parts of the desert are so barren that scientists use the area to simulate conditions on Mars.

To really explore the area we based ourselves in the little town of San Pedro de Atacama for 4 nights.

CHILE: Solar Cooking in The Elqui Valley of Northern Chile

In northern Chile’s Elqui Valley, there are around 300 cloudless, sun filled days a year.

Experimental cooking harnessing the solar resource in the valley began in the late 1980s through a project led by the University of Chile. 

The project's aim was to reduce reliance on firewood and improve rural livelihoods.

Many of the local women embraced the idea, opening restaurants that serve local cuisine using only solar power to cook their meals.

CHILE: Pisco Tasting

Every country has their “local hooch”.

In Chile, it is Pisco, a traditional grape brandy that has been made for centuries in the northern regions of Chile.

It’s considered Chile’s national spirit and Chile legally protects pisco as a national product. 

This means it can only be produced in certain regions of the country, similar to how Champagne is protected in France.

Of course, we had to go check it out, for educational reasons.