Tuesday, August 18th - Atacama Desert

The perfect way to end this incredible journey!  A morning ride through the Valle de la Muerte!  Over the sand dunes and hills...   It afforded  me the perfect opportunity to soak in the surroundings one last time and solidify my unbelievable memories!  It also gave me the chance to thank Mother Nature for the beauty and magnificence that I was able to experience this summer because of her love and care of the planet Earth!

We fly to Santiago this afternoon and then home to New York overnight!  See you in New York!

Afternoon - Monday - August 17th - Atacama Desert

  I took a hike this afternoon on the trail that people followed as early as 3000 years ago to trade with neighboring villages.  At first they traveled using Vincuna...then lllama...and mules.  After the trek that I had...I have no idea how they did this with animals and supplies!  The uphill climb on the rocks was quite difficult...and the trekking on sand...really tough!  But...what I was able to see was phenomenal!  The way nature has carved the mountains and dunes is beyond majestic!  It's time we realize how incredibly creative and powerful mother nature is...and how meek we are!

Petroglyphs!

The Shaman - you can tell by the radiating tendrils from the face!

the rock pile here was used as a demarcation of territory!  The people traveling would have to stay in the area for a year at a time to feed and fatten the cattle for sale in the towns and oases!

Just enjoy the scenery!

Just one of the many incredible sights as I hiked through "devil's throat!"  It was amazing to see everything from the ground up rather than the top down!

Tomorrow I go for a horseback ride in the morning...and then begin the trek home! The experience has been life changing...I only hope I can hold on to my feelings, emotions...and beliefs!  I look forward to sharing it all with you in person!  See you in NY!

Monday, August 17th - Atacama Desert

What a phenomenal morning!  We went to visit the Valle de la Luna!  The reason it is called this is because of the tremendous salt deposits which leave it looking like the surface of the moon!  The mountain and rock formations are just unbelievable!  Our guide, Ricardo, was explaining to us that the striations and shapes are all a result of the shifting of the mountains as they rose up out of the earth.  It was geologically fascinating to listen to him...I just wish I understood more.  (I guess I'll have to read up on that!)

Ricardo actually grew up in this area in an oasis called Coyo.  Coyo has been in existence for about 3000 years!!!!  His family has been the main family in the oasis throughout the years.  He was explaining that different families emerged from the Atacameans and would start their own villages in surrounding oases!  They are all considered Atacameans...but have differentiated themselves from the ancient civilizations.  

We visited a salt mine.  Both salt and gypsum were extracted from the area.  Ricardo's grandfather used to run the salt mine that we visited.  He said that there was another larger mine also...but that had been run by a different family.  The mine was primitive by our standards...but certainly did the trick!  Originally, it was simply used for the people of San Pedro and surrounding oases...but then a copper mining company came into the area and began purchasing large quantities of salt to clean the copper.  That was extremely beneficial financially for a while...but the the copper company figured out a cheaper way to clean the copper...and then mines ended up shutting down in the 1950's.  

While I was walking with Ricardo to the top of the sand dune...which by the way was the most incredibly pristine dune I have ever seen!!!!...we started talking about the Atacamean culture.  I was asking him if the people had been able to hold onto their customs and traditions despite colonization by the Spaniards.  Different from the Rapa Nui...the Atacameans have retained many aspects of their culture!  Although they say that they have a syncretic blend of their beliefs and catholicism...in reality their primary beliefs remain true to their original culture!  They still first and foremost put their faith and spirituality in Mother Earth!  They offer supplication to her at various points in time...and look to the main volcano in the area as their protector...physically and spiritually!  He was saying that the main threat to the culture now are the Bolivians who come across the border and the people from Santiago that come here and bring their bad habits with them.  As he describes San Pedro...he calls it a city without delinquency...but the newcomers are bringing their vices with them and drugs and stealing are beginning to invade their peace and serenity.  The local people are not happy with the growth in population..or the invasion of foreign elements.  It was really interesting to speak with him. He seemed to be somewhat optimistic though that the people will choose to remain true to their culture and fight globalization! :)  They believe that man was put here to serve Mother Earth...not that Earth was created for man.  (Sounds a bit like Ishmael huh?)

Every time I enter the desert thoughts of "The Alchemist" come to my mind!  It as if I feel like I am living the essence of the story.  The vast expanse of desert, the mountain ranges, the levanter (wind), and the incredible beauty that to me exemplifies the "soul of the universe." (If you have not read the book...I highly recommend it!  I have plenty of copies at school! )  I am awed to be able to be in the comfort and care of Mother Earth...and to be able to experience her grandeur!

This natural formation is called 'las tres Marias."  The priest that found this thought the formation on the right looked like "Mary" praying to heaven.  And...jokingly...the figure on the right, Ricardo said, was a T-rex! :)

looking down into the salt mine

The encampment at the Salt Mine.  The miners would come up and live on the mountain.  They would work from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.!!!  Very rarely would they have time to visit their families!  What a tough life!

View of the top of the sand dune!  So pristine!  Ricardo explained that the indigenous people used to walk across the sand dune...but now it is protected by the national parks office.  

Scenic views!!!

Any white that you see is salt!!!

The mountain in the background is the "female" volcano that the locals pray to.  It is a different color due to the way it emerged from the land.  Originally, this area was under the ocean...which can be proved by the amount of gypsum in the area.

Magnificent rock formations!

This afternoon I'm headed out on a 12 km hike through the area. 

Sunday, August 16th - Atacama Desert

This morning I went on a hike through part of the vast desert to the Puritama Hot Springs.  The Puritama is one  of the two rivers that feed this area.  The word Puritama means "warm river."  And...the water that runs in this river is quite warm!  It is warmed by the many active volcanoes in the area.  (There are 150 active volcanoes in the Andes mountain range!)  The other river that feeds the area is the Puritanica River. This river is a cold water river.  There is almost no water in the region....everywhere you look is dry!!!  But...the guide this morning told me that during their summer months it rains quite often and the rivers flood.

The hike was quite rocky...climbing up and down rocks...pushing through foxtails...and navigating around sharp cacti!  But...it was well worth it! The scenery was awe inspiring!  I have been so incredibly lucky this past month to have seen nature at its finest!  The indigenous culture in this area has been here since before 1000 AD.  They formed an interesting way of life...that was unfortunately mostly extinguished by Spanish imperialism!  They were forbidden from using their native language, and so it no longer exists.  Christianity was forced on the inhabitants, but fortunately, they have still hung on to some of their traditions creating a syncretic blend of ideas!  The desert people bury their dead in the ground covered by rocks.  The bodies are put into the fetal position and then placed in the ground.  Some archaeologists have desecrated graves trying to learn more about the people of the past, but that they have been prohibited from doing so now.    My guide also told me how the people used to shape the skulls of their babies to mark which tribe they were from.  They would do this by placing some type of indentation device on the heads of the infants.  Fascinating!

We finally made it to the hot springs... and the warm dip in the water was fabulous!!!

These are the homes that the shepherds would build into the mountains.  They would build separate corrals into the mountains for their llama!

Sorry...forgot the specie name...but it's a type of rabbit...interesting...has a squirrel tail!

Close up of the homes in the mountain

common cactus- used for wood...since there are not really many trees around. The bottom of the cactus kind of dies while the upper part remains growing!  They grow at a rate of 1 cm per year!  This cactus is probably over 100 years!

We hiked along this river...the Puritama!  gorgeous!

Lots of vegetation here .... whereas not much in the vast majority of the desert!

Typical home in the mountains

This is the river that provides the main source of water for San Pedro, the main town.  As you can see it is pretty much all dried up...but in their summer it rains and the river ends up flooding the town!

View from the fortress...you can see the agriculture!  Each little oasis or village has it's own irrigation system.  They are little manmade canals that feed the individual farms.

The fortress...from the 1400-1500/s - destroyed by the Spaniards!  Gotta love colonization...or not!

Tuvolu - a the remains of a agricultural group from approximately 3000 years ago!  Just recently an archaeologist discovered this site!  All of the homes are connected!  Fascinating!  All the adobe walls that you see are original!

fabricated replica of what they believe the homes actually looked like!

Inside the fabricated homes

Saturday - August 15th - Atacama Desert!

Today we arrived in the Atacama Desert!  The landscape is magnificent!  No matter what direction you look in, the view is spectacular!  Our first excursion was to the salt flats and national park.  This national park is host to three varieties of flamingos!  The flamingos were great...but the real treat was watching the sun set!  I've tried to capture the moment for you in the pics!  Enjoy!

Tomorrow I hike to the Puritama Hot Springs and then we are going on a cultural tour explaining the history and the people of the desert!

Fascinated by the reflection!

Just amazing!

Does it get any better than this???????

Every couple of minutes the mountains would change color based on the placement of the sun in the sky!