Toconao and Miner's Day

June and July were surely quiet months for us here in Calamaland but the action has picked up. Odessa suggested we go on an outing and sounded great to me, so with Odessa's friend Betsy accompanying us, we skipped our normal morning routine of going to the gym and headed out on our excursion to Toconao (sounds like: Toe-co-no) located southeast of Calama and San Pedro de Atacama. Betsy is from Toconao and celebrates her 27th birthday tomorrow 08/12. Larry and I had driven by the "structure" seen below on our several trips to San Pedro de Atacama and surrounding area locations but had never investigated. Odessa obliged and what we discovered was a sculpture constructed in 2004 and called "Ancient Language." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Rogers_(sculptor) I googled the artists name and was directed to this link -- interesting. The picture of the plaque below is what the sculpture would look like from above -- interesting.

Again, Larry and I have driven through this area, in the midst of the Valle de la Luna, many times but we've never taken the time to stop and take a picture. The area is so visually interesting and changes as the day continues due to shadows.

Odessa took us on a little hike to see this big hole which she said she has been told people believe was created from a meteor --we're not sure but weren't able to come up with an explanation for it either -- anyone have any ideas?

We arrived in Toconao and Betsy directed us to the Quebrada de Jere. Translation of "quebrada" is gorge and the "river" that flows through it has the same name. Betsy explained that people from the town of Toconao have owned and utilized this land for a long, long time and the land is passed down to family members. It is known for its fruit trees. Quite the canal system has been devised to irrigate these small orchards which were all fenced individually with padlocked gates (some quite simple and made of sticks to sturdy ones made of iron.) This view has us looking west.

This view has us looking east. Amazing to find this little oasis in the midst of the dry Atacama Desert.

Toconao (around 8,000 ft.) is a colonial town which is said to be completely built with "liparitas" stone of volcanic origin which is mined from a quarry by Quebrada de Jere. The word "Toconao" is said to come from the pre-Inca language of cunzo and Betsy explained that "toco" means "stone".

I located a Web site that explained that the main source of work of its inhabitants is based in the agricultural and artisan activities that are made in the volcanic stone quarry.

The Torre Campanario (Bell Tower) and the town's church is said to their origins as far back as 1750.

Another great Atacama Desert excursion.

Miner's Day was celebrated here in the Condominiums on Saturday, August 8. It seemed to me to be the coldest day we've experienced so far this winter. The fellows hung out by the "parilla" keeping warm by drinking beer and the women and children stayed inside the pergola. Larry is third from the left. FYI: the tall fellow in the middle is from the U.S.

Larry came and collected the camera as he wanted a photo of Claudio warming up the wine on the grill....

There weren't a lot of us but we sure enjoyed the food, company and of course, Chilean wine.

Next post: hopefully a trip to Salta, Argentina, at the end of the month.