Enchanted Oasis

It's time to structure, as time is limited and views are plenty.

Route: San Pedro - Aduana (customs) - Reserva National Los Flamencos (sector Soncor, laguna de Chaxa) - Socaire - Toconao - Quebrada de Jere - San Pedro

Time: 9.30am - 7pm

Highlights: We spent hours at the lagoon. Lakes reflect the deep blue skies and vulcanos surrounding the spot. James' flamincos feed and fly over our heads. We walk in table salt. Salt cristals create the most bizarre forms. Although the pictures are probably good, the feeling of the wide open space is hard to describe and only reflected in the time it took us to do the half-hour stroll.
Then we strive for higher grounds. Destination Socaire and further. We don't make it further as it is already 4 o'clock when we arrive. It's a remote "Alp" viallage close to the vulcanos we would want to climb if we had the time. By now I have switched from RAW to JPEG format with my Nikon SLR. I haven't counted the pictures yet.
On the way down we go for a little off-road trip into a dead end (luckily or we may have killed us on the road). In Tocona we stop to see the church tower (torre campanario). And the church it self has a beautiful roof, straw on the outside and beams made of cactus wood.
Just before sunset we reach Jere, an oasis in a deeply carved red valley. White figue trees without leaves (it's winter here) give it a spooky aura. The smokes from buring fires add to that. I need to duck through a narrow path covered with branches and small walls of rocks.

Tip of the day: Visit Quebrada de Jere about one hour before sunset.

Intermezzo: Customs is an experience here. Extremely friendly. Only relevant when travelling from here to Bolivia or Argentina, but never the less the officers are completely relaxed. In the evening the guy even accomponies me out of the building with a tap on the shoulder.

Temperatures: Throughout the day comfy (T-shirt). Sun is quite intense. In the evening it cools off quickly and a pair of thin gloves are just ideal.

Another food note: Chilean eople just don't like any of their neighbors - unfortunately for me as I am still hoping to get an Argentinian steak. Argentina is so close though...