The Vizcacha (or Viscacha) is an unusual looking Rabbit looking Rat thing that hops around the Atacama desert, over and under rocks.

They usually occur at high altitudes, where the thin air starts playing tricks with your head.

Here’s a Vizcacha trying to escape the gaze of my camera.

If you visit Lauca National Park, (Parque Nacional Lauca) in far northern Chile, you will definitely come across numerous Vizcacha signs like this one.

The speed zones in these Vizcacha habitat areas are barely above double digits so that you don’t unceremoniously flatten one of these cool animals under one of  your car tyres.

The Vizcacha is an unusual beast.  On first appearance, the Vizcacha resembles a rabbit.

I haven’t eaten one, so I have no idea if it tastes like a Rabbit.

But the Vizcacha is actually related to the Chinchilla, which is a rodent.  Or basically, it’s more related to a Rat!

This animal conundrum is similar to the Hyrax of Africa, which is unusually related to an elephant!

So the Vizcacha is not a Rascally Riddle Rabbit like Bugs Bunny.

If you want to find out more, check out Viscachas and chinchillas: An entry from Thomson Gale’sGrzimek’s Animal Life

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The Chilean town of Valparaíso is located on the Pacific, west of the capital of Santiago.

The most notable thing about Valparaíso is its barrios (or suburbs) that are engrained into the hilly surrounds, and the method of transport required to access them from the flat city centre are called Ascensors.

Ascensors are bizarre ‘elevators’ that are over 100 years old and are used by locals (and unfit travellers like myself) who could not be stuffed walking up Valparaíso’s large hills – as shown below:

Each Ascensor has its own operator, but what is remarkable about these metal coffins is that they are operated purely by mechanics and gravity, with no trace of any electrical system.

Judging by their rustic character, I think the only maintenance performed on these Ascensors may have been the yearly tin of grease and a paint job that probably occurred when lead paint still graced corner hardware stores.

But I loved riding in the Ascensors.  Even though it felt I was trapped inside a metal coffin!

You can check out more in this print: Ascensor Artilleria with City Buildings Beyond, Valparaiso, Chile.

Other things to do in Chile after riding in an Ascensor – have a ‘Coffee With Legs’ .

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I can’t ever see Starbucks Coffee coming up with this idea that can be found everywhere in Chile’s capital – Santiago.  It’s called Café con Piernas, or literally translated as ‘Coffee With Legs‘.

It’s surprising that something like Café con Piernas took off in a staunchly Catholic country like Chile.  You’ll find out why Starbucks Coffee isn’t that popular here!

So what is it? In a nutshell, it’s like visiting a strip joint at 9am in the morning.  But you’re there to drink coffee.  I visited one in Santiago on a visit in 2007.

I had to see what the fuss was about, because I had viewed a documentary on these places on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Foreign Correspondent Program.

Some of these coffee drinking establishments are no bigger than a bedroom.  As soon as one walks in, you will be greeted by a platform of ladies dressed in skimpy costumes, ready to serve you a caffeine hit.  Note, they don’t actually do any stripping routines – the ladies serve you coffee in costumes more suited to the beaches at Rio de Janiero.

There are usually mirrors lining the walls with lots of flashing lights, and it’s a challenge to try and maintain eye contact when ordering a coffee.

Café con Piernas is not the domain of just men either – women often go to drink coffee as well.  A male version for ladies was experimented with in Santiago temporarily – but miserably failed.

Ironically, the coffee isn’t that expensive – only around $1-2 USD. It’s not like the Kopi Luwak Coffee that is processed by Asian Palm Civet stomach, but it definitely isn’t Starbucks Coffee!

Not sure if you need to undertake a barista course like this one before you work there!

Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures from my visit, but here is a video about Café con Piernas in Spanish – but you don’t need to understand Spanish to know what it’s all about.

You can have one of these non Starbucks Coffees after you marvel at the tarnished reputation of banks across the border in Argentina, and tried a massive steak.

I think there is a business opportunity here to rival the massive international chain that is Starbucks Coffee!

Somehow, I don’t think Cafe Con Piernas will appear in Coffee Shop Secrets!

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