January 26 - Arica, Chile

January 27, 2024

Yes Arica is part of Chile. It was seized from Peru in 1880 and only recognized as Chilean by Peru in 1929. Some Peruvians still believe it is part of Peru. The area is a desert and they only have 0.1 inches of rain a year. It is laid out in a valley that has an aquifer below it and its predominant feature is El Morro, which stands 139 meters / 456 feet above sea level.

We arrived on the first day of their 3 day carnival. People come from everywhere (Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, etc.) to participate.

In the middle of town, and the carnival, is an all metal church, the Cathedral of San Marcos. The Bell is from the original church of 1729.

Then it was off to the Azapa Valley and we passed by a variety of residential areas

We went to the San Miguel de Azapa Archaeological and Anthropological Museum. It is primarily a museum of mummies dating back to the sixth millennium BC of the ancient Chinchorro peoples. Because of the acidic water a lot of people died. However, to keep them as part of the family they mummified them and kept them in their homes.

Then we viewed the Geoglyphs, which are unique drawings created by the indigenous people and the primary reason I went on this excursion. Petroglyphs are made by scratching, rubbing, or chipping at rock surfaces. Pictographs are painted rock surfaces. Geoglyphs are larger, ground markings made usually by trenching or clearing away rocks and the top layer of soil, in patterns or lines that stand out from the natural surface.

And we arrived at El Morro de Arica for panoramic views of the city, another Christ statue, a monument to those that lost their lives in the battle of the Pacific and the large flag which we saw as we entered the harbor

Heading back to the ship we went via the beach. In summertime the residents rent out there house to visitors and move to the beach. It is more than camping. They actually have power for the fridges and appliances. The only thing they don't have is running water.