On the way our road paralleled this railroad track, unused since 2002.
The area was dry but there were farms and towns in the valley.
We stopped to look at some geoglyphs on the hillside.
Long ago the people who lived here had arranged stones in the form of immense animals, birds, snakes, and other figures.
Because there is very little rain the figures have remained unchanged from when they were made by the Incas.
Nancy took the last photo by putting her camera lens against the eyepiece of her binoculars.
Try it if you don't have a telephoto lens for your camera.
We passed this unique settlement of members of the Hari Krishna sect.
Other homes along the way.
We stopped at this little church to stretch our legs and look around.
It was originally built in 1580.
The youngest member of our tour group had a good time climbing around on the wall.
As we climbed higher the climate became dryer.
Streams coming down from the mountains are used to irrigate crops so there are occasional patches of green.
Here borax was being mined.
As we went higher we found ourselves in a desert so dry that not even cactus can grow.
It hasn't rained in recorded history.
There are riverbeds here in the Atacama desert that geologists can show haven't had water flowing through them for thousands of years.
The road steadily ascended toward our goal, Altiplano.
However our assent was interrupted when our bus developed trouble.
We would stop, wait a few minutes, go again then repeat.
Finally it stopped for the last time.
The driver got out banged on some things but to no avail.
Neither radios or cell phones would work to get help.
Finally a passing mining truck offered to carry our message to the police outpost we had passed on the way,
The police showed up and were able to call for another bus.
A minor mix up resulted when the call went to the wrong bus company so our rescue was further delayed while another was dispatched from Arica.
Of course I had magic ropes so some of the folks on the tour tried to solve my puzzles.
I also challenged one of the officers who came to help and he taught me some of the knots he uses for mountain climbing.
Where we stopped there was a small shrine.
It was a memorial to someone who had died there.
Nearby there was a small wooden cross placed in remembrance of another family who had died in an accident.
While we were waiting there was plenty of time to explore.
There were several rocks that had strange shapes and holes.
Nancy took a couple of pictures as I walked across this rock field.
You may be able to find me in the first picture but I bet you can't in the second.
Two and a half hours later our replacement bus arrived and we were on our way again.
As we went higher we entered an area that gets some snowfall in the winter and so has some cactus and brush.
Another small town could be seen from the road.
Then we started to see animals.
The first were small groups of vicuna.
Further along, llamas and alpacas. Sometimes all three in a single herd.
We finally reached Altiplano, the high plains, at more than 14,000 ft.
The guide told us that the temperature each day would go from plus 20 to minus 20 Celsius, that is +68 to -4 Fahrenheit.
Melting winter snows create the lake which is a haven for a variety of waterfowl.
The most unlikely are the flocks of flamingos.
We only saw them as we were driving along so the pictures leave something to be desired.
We didn't get near enough to the shore to determine whether the deposits were minerals, ice or sand.
These mountains are all volcanos.
The most distant is in Bolivia.
No one in our group had any serious trouble because of the altitude but everyone on another bus had problems (headaches, nausea).
Nancy and I both experimented with what a little physical exertion felt like at more the 14,000 ft.
We found that we got lightheaded and felt a little woozy if we walked briskly for only a short distance.
Not too surprising considering that the available oxygen is about 60% of what is available at sea level.
The symptoms quickly subsided if we slowed down.
Maybe our unplanned stop had paid off.
I had fun chatting with these kids.
I don't know spanish and they didn't speak english but we managed to talk anyway.
We bought some sweaters and a scarf made from llama wool from a vendor who had set up shop there.
Some of the sights we saw on the way back down.
Because of the breakdown we were nearly an hour late getting back to the ship.
Fortunately they waited on us.
Here is a picture of he harbor as we returned.
