Thursday 8th February

Arica

This is the northernmost port in Chile and is very close to the border with Peru.

Every time  you leave the ship in Chile you are told not to take any fruit or food off the ship by the crew and as you arrive at the customs you are again advised with the help of a big sign what not to bring ashore. So thats why I still wince when I hear the snap of a rubber glove after what poor Barry the apple smuggler went through!

I’ll let him tell the story when he feels able! (this actually happened at a previous port but I didn’t have this photo then)

Our first stop after we left the port was to climb El Morro. This is the big hill that overlooks Arica. There was a fierce battle fought over this hill during the war of the Paciffic, the combatants being Chile and Peru.

It is a long hard walk up the steep slope and on a hot day it really takes it out of you! As you can see, the land is very arid in this part of Chile and some years it doesn’t rain here at all!

Just in case you weren’t aware of what country you were in, they have kindly placed a discreet flag on top of the hill to help! If you cant see it, its the one right behind me.

The view from the top is worth all the effort and gives me yet another chance to use the panoramic button on my phone!

The top of the hill is a national monument and there is a museum, statues and a few artefacts left from the Pacific war.

Here is a picture of a fisherman telling the size of the one that got away.

Here is a picture of me being silly in front of the fisherman.

This is a picture taken by me of Kev taking a picture of Val being silly in front of the fisherman.

Jill and Barry were a bit more respectful!

This building was once the Peruvian embassy and is now a national monument and is preserved as one of the few colonial style buildings that have survived the many earthquakes which are prevalent in this area.

This Cathedral was designed and built by the french architect  Gustav Eiffel.  He is of course famous for that iconic building in Paris, I think its called the Arc de Triomphe.

This bird seems to have the right idea sitting in the shade very close to some water.

A view of the harbour with the ships at anchor and the parched landscape taken from the top deck of the ship.

As  we set sail the last tourist boat came out to bid us farewell.

Goodbye Chile I will always remember you for the many happy people I met during my visit to your long narrow and varied country!