We start our descent of this long, very long country
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili049.jpg)
We are in the middle of the Atacama desert, with a low altitude. We have a huge snow storm during the night...
After the small snow spot in Bolivia, it is our first snow in 2 years...
National Park Pan de Azucar :
We have just drive quite long hours. Pollux et Titus are
a little bit nervous. We ask them to run in front of the truck... They like it very much !!!
Dryness of the National Park
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili052.jpg)
Playa blanca... just for us
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili055.jpg)
the national park is well known for the colony of penguins, cormorants and pelicans
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili058.jpg)
the color of the rock comes from... the birds droppings
sea lion
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili059.jpg)
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili061.jpg)
the coast is covered by a fog all the time. It brings a permanent humidity
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili063.jpg)
some nets get back this humidity
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili064.jpg)
way out of the national park.. the desert, always the desert
La Serena :
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili066.jpg)
beautiful church with a sober architecture
Elqui Valley :
in the middle of an arid vegetation, the Elqui valley
is like an oasis. In this valley, the chile national drink is distilled : the pisco.
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili071.jpg)
of course, we visit a
distillery
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili074.jpg)
65° !! and it's only a start !!!
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili076.jpg)
Erres is the reference
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili069.jpg)
the street names letters are always beautiful Clock tower in the city of Vicuna
Titus... 4 years old !!
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili080.jpg)
Yes... some Lego !!
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili084.jpg)
Chile is well known for the brightness of the sky. Many international observatories are located around. It is
difficult to visit them. The city of Vicuna has created an observatory just for the tourists. It is a great
occasion to observe Venus, Jupiter and some constellations. Unfortunately, the star of Pollux was not visible
at the time of our visit...
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili085.jpg)
Crossing of a range of mountains through small tracks... very small tracks...
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili087.jpg)
The cactus is the main flora
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili093.jpg)
Ovalle :
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili089.jpg)
Ovalle is the granary of Chile...
![](../../../image/amerique/chili/i-chili092.jpg)
by duj ![copyright duj](../../../image/home/logoduj.jpg)
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