Antofagasta, a Chilean town in the Atacama Desert

Antofagasta is a coastal town in the north of Chile, seven hunded kilometres south of the Peruvian border. It is situated in the middle of the Atacama desert, a long way from other towns. Its prosperity is based on the abundance of minerals which are mined and then dispatched by sea to numerous destinations.

Note: Click to see small images full size and to scroll.

It spreads along the Pacific shore between cliffs bordering the sea. The town hugs the coast with its beaches and then climbs steeply up towards the hills beyond.

The town is quite modern, but there are parts which still show memories of past times.

The ships pass by heading to the distant port of Valparaiso……

leaving the fisherman to bring their catch back to the local quay.

As is typical of many South American countries, traditions are strong. It is a new continent, but the customs of previous times are kept actively alive. Some men still wear the traditional wide rimmed hats.

The customs stem from the Spanish colonial times. This is more typical in Chile and Argentina, whereas the traditions from Peru and Bolivia tend to be based more on the indigenous customs from Inca times.

Celebrations are an important part of the local tradition. As well as the wide brimmed hat, on such occasions the typical clothes of the men include wide flowing white trousers, riding boots and spurs.

In comparison, the women dress in brightly coloured patterened dresses.

The music begins and the streets are filled with colour and movement.

The women’s costumes perhaps show more of a blend between the colonial times times and local indigenous traditions.

Meanwhile the band plays on with the accordeon providing the centrepiece of the melodies accompanied by the beating of the “bombo”, a large, wooden, deep sounding drum covered with leather.

The fiesta continues throughout the day. Some dancers rest their weary feet.

I am lucky in that my work has taken me from the north of Chile, through Antafagasta, to the capital, Santiago, and then on to the lake area until arriving at the Straits of Magellan in the extreme south of the country,,,,, but these places I will include in later posts.

Volcan Osorno

Straits of Magellan, near Punta Arenas

Although I live in Peru, a country I deeply love, I am also fond of Chile. In the past, in the 1880s there was a war between Chile and Peru, “La Guerra del Pacifico”. That is of course well over and part of history, but there is still a feeling of healthy rivalry between the two countries.

La Guerra del Pacifico

Now we are at peace ……….. except for one thing…………

The Chileans claim that the grape-based spirit drink named Pisco, belongs to Chile . However, it undoubtedly comes from the Peruvian town called PISCO!!!!!! Hence the name!!!! Here a small collection of my bottles of Peruvian Pisco. And so…… to end this post…………

. “EL PISCO ES PERUANO, CARAJO!!!!” (PISCO IS PERUVIAN, *******!!!!)