A freak winter rain has hit the Atacama dessert. Most tours have been cancelled since snow has fallen in the higher elevations. Stargazing tours cancelled since you cannot see stars. I choose to look at the bright side…when I do get out there, the scenery should be spectacular.
Getting here from the airport city of Calama was interesting. Vast swaths of nothing for the 100km journey. I chose to stay one night in Calama since it took me 12 hours to get there from Quito. I then took a local bus. Turns out, there are plenty of transportation options easily arranged right at the airport. The only people coming to Calama are Canadian mining executives and tourists going to Atacama.
If you decide to come here, and are able, stock up on supplies and water in Calama. There are no real food stores here, just corner markets, and everything is expensive.
San Pedro de Atacama, the tourist center, is not much to write home about. This city is at an altitude of about 7,900 feet. Lower than Quito, but still up there. There are two main streets, neither paved, with souvenir shops selling all the same things and about 400 tour companies hawking the same tours. All tourists were just wandering around aimlessly today…up and down the same two unpaved streets.
There are dogs everywhere. EVERYWHERE! Some strays, some with collars, some without. Dogs were bored too and some fights broke out. A bit of lawlessness in this desert outpost. The dogs reminded me of a trip my mother and I took to Patagonia about 17 years ago. After dinner in Punta Arenas, Chile (the complete other end of this LONG country), Mom insisted on a taking her leftovers with her. Well, on the way back to the hotel, we were followed by a pack of dogs. A whole new definition of doggy bag. Don’t walk around anywhere in this country with a bag of cooked meat!
The only real thing of interest is the church. Built in the 1700s using traditional Adobe techniques and materials. It wasn’t open today (priest is probably stuck in the mountains) but there was a hole in the door that allowed me a peak inside.
Since the roads are unpaved and most structures are built from Adobe, there is a fine brown dust that covers everything; shoes, windows, dogs. Whether or not I want to, I will be taking a bit of Atacama along with me.
I bought my bus ticket for Salta today. The bus station was a bit of a circus since the road to Argentina was closed due to snow. No busses coming or going. Hopefully, by next week this will all be sorted out. It’s not supposed to rain anymore after today.
I am not going to give any information about the next few days, since everything is up in the air due to weather. You’ll jut have to check back in.
they must have known that you love seeing the unusual stuff….
Thanks for the hint on leaving the leftovers.
Safe travels.