The gaze of innocence. But the soul is demonic. The Chilean dove, the feathered evil!
At the terminal in Tacna, on the Peruvian side, the collectivo is waiting to take you across the Peruvian-Chilean border to Arica. The price of six dollars per person is quite acceptable.
The journey: Just like Peruvian tradition...three people in the front seats and three in the back. There's plenty of space.
The border crossing procedure is uncomplicated, but being who I am, I am already confronted with the socially-politically highly sensitive problems of the country: Chile is swinishly expensive and somehow you often come into contact with disgusting liquids here.
Dear Chileans! How about signs at the customs house like:
'Welcome to Chile, looking up protects against bird droppings'
or...'He's not a friend who wants to free your backpack from undefined mustard-containing liquids.'
Brazen giant bird in Iquique
Arica. In the War of the Pacific between Peru and Chile, the Peruvian troops were expelled from the hill in the city within 50 minutes in 1880. Since then, the city belongs to Chile. Arica from above, somewhere to the left around the corner is Peru. If it's bird droppings on my head at customs house (fortunately, you have to take off the cap that tends to be protective during the inspection), in Arica it's nice theft attempts. The trick: smearing disgusting stuff on the tourists' backpacks and offering to help clean it while being distracted by the actual thief.A accomplice then steals the valuables, or even the whole backpack. There are also delicious liquids: Chilean beer in different flavors. While in Peru it is drunk in dark dusty restaurants, here you can enjoy beer in garden restaurants again. Well. Those who have known me for a long time know that I am somewhat neurotic when it comes to safety issues like flying, bus travel, or city walks, which, besides amusing others, has the advantage that I am usually two steps ahead of thieves. Well, I already know the trick, and besides: That was really the most amateurish attempt you can imagine, as he forgot his accomplice and the 'Oh no, what do you have on your backpack'...any soap opera actor could have done better. Conclusion. The man tried unsuccessfully to walk quickly away and we smelled like mustard, but we still had all our things. The church in Arica was built by Mr. Gustav Eiffel, like many things in Chile, and transported here. Arica and the carnival.... Protection against bird droppings or pure creativity?
Bird-human at the carnival. An attempt to process the dove trauma? Just a few hours later from Arica is Iquique. The town, well city, between the ocean and a huge sand dune with post-colonial architecture, which appears rather unsightly from afar, has quite a bit to offer despite only having a beach promenade with a small crocodile zoo. The old tram in Iquique. It is occasionally put into operation during the high season. However, if you are not using a walking stick and are not 90 years old, you move faster even when you intentionally walk slowly. Nevertheless: Nostalgia factor 10+ Old bell tower in Iquique's old town center
Promenade
Promenade
The post-colonial houses remind me a little of Wild West movies. Old customs house at the port of Iquique Around Iquique, there are small villages in the desert, and...A dinosaur park! But thirty minutes from Iquique lies a very special jewel of Chilean history and in my opinion the real reason to travel to Iquique. More on that next time!
