San Pedro is a desert town but not the least bit deserted. It draws in tourists of Chile and Europe because of its salt flats, geysers, astronomical tours, and trekking/adventuring trips. Life in San Pedro reminds me of New Mexico, where beauty can be found under all the dirt.
San Pedro has its authentic parts: adobe buildings and dusty smiles. However, some of the city's production seems to enhance the culture, to bring in higher profit. For example, the city has a dance performance every day with a parade.
Many of the restaurants offer vegetarians dishes (and that's not because of the locals!) Some culture is lost when a city is gentrified, but the inhabitants of San Pedro seem to reflect a rare culture of its own, crawling with hippies, artisans, and adventure guides. The nightlife and restaurant spread is comparable to Santiago. I'm surely not complaining.
We rented bikes for 5 hours and rode out to the infamous "Valley de la Luna". The valley looks very much like I would imagine the planet Mars mixed with the sands of Arizona. My shoes are still full of sand.
We had a "lay over" in La Serena for 12 hours. Nicole and I met up with our friend, Warren for the day. We ate seafood, shopped (again!), and visited an archaeological museum featuring pottery of the Incas and one of Easter Island's carved stones.
I am happy to be home in Curico. I have many showers and naps to catch up on!
1 comment:
We are so happy you returned safely!
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