The Atacama desert is incredible--the driest desert on the planet. Yesterday we went to the Valley of the Moon and the Valley of the Dead. Beautiful rock formations. We also went to the Salt Mountains--so called because the mountains are mainly made of salt. We climbed through a cave on our hands and knees. Then we watched the sunset while drinking pisco sours.
The temperature ranges from warm enough for short sleeves to 30 degrees in a single day. Glad we brought lots of layers.
Today we hiked to Pucaro de Quito which was an old fort of the atacamenos before the Spanish conquered them. The first time the Spaniards attacked, they lost badly. They came back with many more men, captured the fort and beheaded 300 sodiers. The Spaniards then used it to control the region.
Later we went to the salt flats (the Chaxa Lagoon). The salt flats go on for miles and miles and look like a desolate landscape. There is no vegetation. But there are three kinds of flamingos in the area and we spent a long time watching and filming them. And watching another sunset.
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