Arica

Monday 20/8 and Tuesday 21/8 - ARICA (Chile)

From La Paz to Arica (border crossing).

The Parinacota volcano, 6348m, the border with Chile.

Our bus (La Paz-Arica), awaiting at the border.

Trucks awaiting at the Bolivia-Chile border, they have lower priority.

Still in Bolivia, awaiting.

All together it took about one hour to enter Chile.

Checkout with the Bolivian administration on one side of the road,

followed by a checkin withe Chilean administration on the other side.

After of hours of desert views, the fertile Valle de la Lluta appears,

The road descents into the valley for 30 minutes until Arica.

Arica, Plaza Colon.

Arica, Plaza Colon, the church assembled from a Gustave Eifel kit,

before his succes with the Eiffel tower.

Arica, Iglesia San Marcos, the Gustave Eiffel church.

Lauca National Parc tour (one day tour organized by "Orange Travel, Arica")

San Jeronimo church, Poconchile.

 Once above 1000m, we are above the clouds. and in a desert landscape.
Below the clouds: the fertile Lluta river valley.

Candelabra cactus.

There are not many of them left, because of the excellent wood quality.

(picture stolen from the internet, as the bus driver refused a photo-stop).

The breakfast restaurant.

Lago Chungara, one of the highest lakes in the world,

the volcano behind is half Bolivia, half Chile.

Just as a proof, we are at 4500m.

View from Putre.

Behind: the Payachatas volcanoes of yesterday. 

Putre, another view.

Putre, wall paintings.

Putre, the adobe church on the Plaza de Armas.

Putre, the church full of colonial artifacts.

Quite "kitsch" but charming.

Putre, another colorful wall painting.

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