I had no idea what to expect about Uraguay. I said yes to an invitation from a friend who passed along the information on a trip to Estancia Vik near Jose Ignacio with a cute sounding bunch. I was up for an adventure, the place looked pretty nice and off I went. What took place upon my arrival was almost magical. First of all, the photos I perused did not even come close to portraying how magnificent the Estancia Vik is in real life!!!! The grounds and Estancia are truly breathtaking. Every inch of it has been carefully conceived and constructed by artists.....from the architect to the highly acclaimed artists whose works define each room in the most unusually lovely way....every room, a truly unique masterpiece. I am not an architect, but it felt like they took the original notion from Pompeii, with an outdoor garden in the middle of the residence, and multiplied it by ten. In other words, the layout felt a little like a checkerboard with an inside space that opened to many unique and stunning outdoor spaces, one more wonderful than the next. So, visually, the whole group was amazed and giddy about the "crazy good" setting that was to be our home base.
The staff at Estancia Vik was simply wonderful and went out of their way to fulfill any request any of us had, no matter how outlandish. It was as if they had attended my cousin, Miss Nancy's Manners Camp in NC. I didn't expect to find that level of graciousness in Uraguay!! Plus, some of the best food we discovered in Uraguay came out of their wonderful kitchen. I am still dreaming about the fish they prepared that was out of this world!!! It was all truly exceptional and we feasted and felt like Queens!!! Thanks so much to All of them, who felt like family to us, and special thanks to Max Broquen, Director of Vik retreats, who rolled out the largest welcome mat in all the land!!!!
So, while there.......we painted with exceptional artists, had leisurely lunches, sculpted, rode horses, dove in and out of the Atlantic and different pools, walked on beautiful beaches, rode bikes, took nature walks, had encounters with armadillos and ostriches, shopped in one of a kind boutiques, attended a local art show and purchased treasures from renowned artists, took cooking lessons, got dolled up for cocktails and fabulous dinners, experienced sunsets one would have to see to believe, enjoyed some very fine wines, danced a little and some even sang, and went to bed giggling and wondering if it were all but a dream!!!! The only downside was that it had to end. I feel so lucky to have been a part of it all, and can't stop obsessing about going back. My hat is off to Caroline Wallace, who conceived and planned it all and went to great extremes to make it as close to perfection as earthly possible. Many days have now passed since my return, and I am still smiling.....and with all the over-the-top places to go in the world, I am now focusing on my return to this Heaven on earth. .....Georgia