San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama is a village-oasis in the desert, still in the Norte Grande region, surrounded with volcanos (like the Licancabur, 5916 mts high, that dominates the village).

I arrived at night but a very nice boy drove me to his hostel, which was cheap and very nice, I shared a small dorm room with a chilean: Gabriel. The next day I visited the town and mu

seum, and on the afternoon I met my friend Sergio, a friend of a friend that I´ve met in Poland, he´s a guide in the mountains. He showed me around, we had a beer and I came back before night. I bought some fruits and veggies at the market, made myself a salad and went to sleep. The next day I rented a bicycle and went to the ruins of Pukara de Quitor, from the XII century, one of the last bastion of resistance against the spanish invasion. From up there, you have a great view on all the oasis.

I went to the mirador where the view is even more spectacular, and took my bike and continue to Catarpe.

There´s a small church at 9 kms from there and apparently some Inca ruins that I didn´t find or recognize.

After all the biking, I went to the vallee of death to try some Sandboarding, it was great but really tiresome, as we had to go up the hill everytime and it s the most arid desert of the world, and it was something like 45 degrees.

After this, we went to watch de sunset and most of all, the moon rising, cause it was the full moon that day , all that on the Moon Vallee . It was spectacular! Really amazing. The moon came out of the volcano, all shiny and glaring. We shared a pisco sour with the group and came back to the city.

I was exhausted from all the biking and boarding, slept like a baby. The next day I rented a bike again and tried to find the Aldea the Tulor, but I kind of lost myself plus I didn´t enjoy the big paved road so I came back to San Pedro and went to Pozo 3: the swimming pool in the desert at 3 kms from the village.

I enjoyed a nice fresh swim and met friends of Sergio, they invited me for a barbecue, with wine, great meet, and the best mango salad ever! With a guitar and singing, in this really nice place I spent all afternoon with them. It was great. Then I took my bike and came back to the village (it was really tiring) and we all met at Sergio´s place. Had some more food and wine, played some more music, and then I came back to the hostel around 11 pm and enjoyed a good night sleep.

Great memory of San Pedro. Very nice people, nice riding, some good exercise: everything for the soul and body ;)