Iquique, Chile

Thanksgiving weekend we learned that there was a Chilean holiday (Immaculate Conception Day) on Monday, December 8, so quickly tried to figure out someplace to go. Iquique (e-KEY-keh) won. Our trip began by heading west towards the coast where we spotted this electric train high above us.

We arrived at the coastal community of Tocopilla (about 2 hours later) and then turned north and drove along the coast the entire way to Iquique. We came upon the Tocopilla Golf Club and were so tempted....

Check out the view from this hole!

Upon checking in at the Gavina Hotel (we stayed here when we visited Iquique when we lived in Bolivia!) and were given a room with an ocean view and a balcony on the 12th floor (there were only 12 floors). This is the view looking south. Iquique has a population of around 200,000 and depending on who is interpreting the meaning of the word it either means "laziness" or "where the birds and the wolves sleep" -- hmmm.

This is the view looking north.

We headed out to see what there was to see and encountered this colorful combination of boats.

We spotted our "boat from hell" that was evidently bought by someone from Chile. (Scary huh Dave and Mike!)

We headed out bright and early from the hotel on Sunday. This is Calle Baquedano which is a pedestrian walkway "peatonal". The majority of these buildings were constructed between 1880 and 1920 and housed those that made their fortunes via the nitrate industry.

The peatonal led us to the Plaza Arturo Prat with the Torre del Reloj (clock tower) in its center and in the picture below is the Teatro Municipal (municipal theater).

The Torre del Reloj was constructed in 1877 and the Teatro Municipal was built in 1890 -- it was retored in 1987.

Every Sunday the military academy and the band parades in the plaza -- very official. When they played the national anthem, everyone sang -- okay, Larry and I didn't sing -- we didn't know the words.

This is the Centro Espanol (Spanish center) and is also in the plaza. It was constructed in 1904 in this unique Moorish style. We enjoyed the obligatory "pisco sour" and lunched here.

We were treated to beautiful sunsets from our balcony.

We left Iquique Monday a.m. and headed inland. This photo demonstrates once again how barren the Atacama Desert is. That "green" area at the end of the road is called Pica. We visited Pica which is truly an oasis in the desert -- The Incas know a good place when they find it -- they used to hang out here. All sort of citrus (including the little limes that "pisco sours" are famous for) are grown here and folks travel here to enjoy the hot springs. We looked but, once again, weren't interested in "bathing" with a bunch of people -- especially when the sign at the entrance said that people with diseases of the skin were not to enter. Pica is described as a location where the Incas hung out. We had left Pica and were now heading for Los Geoglifos de Pintados.

The geoglyphs are estimated to have been constructed between 1000 and 1400 AD.

We enjoyed our long weekend and have since kept occupied attending pre-Christmas festivities and despedidas (going-away parties). Blog on that to follow!