A small trip to Desierto de Atacama

For those who had never been in desert before is hard to imagine this ocean of sand wich never ends, or the noise of the wind over a perfectly even surface as long as you can see. The desierto is strong and affects your life same as the sea does. Come with me to adventure into the driest place of the world, the Desierto de Atacama.

Into the heart of "pampa salitrera", in a tiny town called Huara, stand the first home, defiant, in middle of nowhere. Is the only two story house that I ever seen in this zone.

Years ago it was a pharmacy, and still has beauty collection of medicin containers, big and very old, where medicines was stored.

Going my way trough the Carretera Panamericana, I stop my car and go out. Start to walk into desierto untill my car becomes a tiny white spot, far away.

The desierto is noisy. Every sound is amplified and trip over long distances. I fear a little and hurry to return.

Every certain distances, the desierto is crossed by huge caynons. Hundred of thousand years ago there was rivers of ice and snow from the Cordillera de Los Andes to the sea, this, besides the wind and erosion has created even walls and strange forms in landscape.

And in the midlle of la pampa, a ghost town: Humberstone. It has main square, teather and even a swimming pool of iron. It was left by people some 40 years ago but in 20s decade it was a rich and very important town.

Every year, during the week of la pampa old men and women that lived there where young take again the town, every one stand in his old house and they chat and drink tea same as in old times, as is time where frozen.

The desierto is not only sand , it is also blue. And at nigth is a terrific black. In desierto sky becomes remarkable.

Years ago I was left at nigth near Victoria, another ghost town of la pampa, my car was in panne. I think that every person, at least once in the life, must pass a nigth in desierto.

There they will know what fear is.

The End