Blogs from Arica & Parinacota, Chile, South America - page 10

Well, I still haven't taken many photos yet, but the kids at Aldea SOS always steal my camara so thanks to them I have nearly 400 now. I've kept busy lately; in typical amy-manner..... My official university classes begin Monday this week, but I've been teaching informal workshops/lessons to practice and spread the love of screen printing. I first made sure to teach Rodrigo and his Mom. They were my inspiration that some of you read about for coming back to teach art here. Rodi is really creative, and always looking for new outlets to express his ideas. His mom is an artist who sells her stuff (jewelry and purses.. if you've seen my stuff from Chile most all of it is hers) in the paseo en el centro. I visited their apartment (right next to ... read more

The chill on the overnight trip across the Altiplano from Uyuni had been intense. Wearing all my clothing and wrapped inside a sleeping bag I still found myself shivering. The gods must have decided I had done something wrong and were punishing me. Could I not just say three Hail Marys and be done with it? We arrived in Oruro at 3 o'clock in the morning. I fielded a couple of questions to the people in the bus station and I resigned myself to braving the ferocious cold of the unheated building and boarding the first bus towards the boarder to explore Bolivia's Sajama and Chile's Lauca national parks. Steve, whom I had met in the Amazon months earlier, dispelled my initial belief that they were over hyped and overpriced. Sitting in the unheated building, waiting ... read more

Je suis arrivée à Arica à 7h du matin et j'ai réussi à avoir ma chambre tout de suite. Je me suis dirigée vers la plage après avoir pris une douche très appréciée. Pour aller au centre d'Arica, j'ai dû prendre un genre de taxi-autobus qui est en fait un taxi avec trajet prédéterminé qui arrête ou tu veux. La plage était déserte et j'aimais plus ou moins l'idée de me mettre en maillot de bain devant tous ces Chiliens qui passaient près de la plage. Heureusement quelques personnes sont arrivées ensuite et j'ai pu me faire bronzer sans crainte. En revenant à l'hôtel, j'ai regardé un film avec un gars du Royaume-Uni, le tout avec une bière à un dollar.... read more

Hola a todos! A quick message just to let you all know that I arrived safely after 26 hours of traveling/layovers. I am EXHAUSTED, physically and emotionally to be back in Chile. We've already had our share of fun adventures crossing the border and running through airports with our luggage/tracking down lost bags/shrink wrapping exploded suitcases. I think this group is going to keep me pretty busy after all :) Now we are all in our homes, resting, unpacking... I'm off to my siesta, but it looks to be a fun few days of watching la cueca (national dance), spending time with tons of Bolivian students visiting Arica this week, watching the world finals of the surf competition here, celebrating the 7th of June with fireworks this weekend, and of course, catching up with my friends ... read more

BREATHLESS Since we last wrote we have flown from Cuzco to Arequipa, spent a night there, flown from Arequipa to Tacna, spent about 5 minutes there and caught a taxi to Arica in northern Chile. $40 US for a 50 km taxi ride and the driver handled all the cross border paperwork for us. Arica is a coastal town and fishing its main industry. Birds love fish, and there were thousands of pelicans and cormorants chasing the fish and the fishing boats. We spent a couple of days wandering the black sand beaches, hiring some bicycles one day to have a look further down the coast....In all the years of technological development in bicycle design, the seats are still unbelievable uncomfortable ;-) Got the bus up to Putre last Tuesday. A town of a few ... read more