San Pedro de Atacama

(orig) (info) This pciture was taken from a dune to the west of San Pedro, looking toward Linconbur and Bolivia.	(orig) (info) Linconbur in the background, San Pedro in the foreground	(orig) (info) Looking the other way, away from San Pedro. How many living things can you spot?
(orig) (info) Linconbur, the next day. It didn't change much.	(orig) (info) Taken from the road to Valle de la Luna. We walked 10km or so down the road to the valley. It was amazingly hot and dry and inhospitible.	(orig) (info) Another long, lonesome road
(orig) (info) Dry, dry, dry	(orig) (info) The desert landscape along the road was beautiful	(orig) (info) Even though there is normally no rain in a year, water still plays a big part in shaping the land
(orig) (info) landscape	(orig) (info) Looking back at Linconbur from the hills	(orig) (info) Crystaline structures form in the sand
(orig) (info) The dunes surrounding the valle de la luna	(orig) (info) Looking out over the valley	(orig) (info) more valle de la luna
(orig) (info) Looking back at San Pedro	(orig) (info) And at the volcano	(orig) (info) We sat here for quite a while, and the only living thing we was a fly. I don't have any idea what it was doing there.
(orig) (info) The shape of the groud was surrreal	(orig) (info) Another view of the desert	(orig) (info) Me!
(orig) (info) Me again!	(orig) (info) The view from the road	(orig) (info) More crystals on a rock
(orig) (info) The next day we rented mountain bikes and rode out to the cave of the devel, and devil's gorge. This is the enterance to the cave.	(orig) (info) Inside the cave, looking up	(orig) (info) Me, at the start of the gorge
(orig) (info) This area was very similar, in many aspects, to parts of Canyonlands NP. Only the walls are made of duper dry mud and sand, and not sandstone. And there's a lot less water.	(orig) (info) Though there is no water, there are many signs of it	(orig) (info) Cracked clay
(orig) (info) We found this at the end of one of the dead end canyons. All it needs is a few thousand years and it'll be a precious artifact.	(orig) (info) At the end of the canyon, with the figurine, was a big pour off. We were at the bottom of it. This is part of the the wall in front of us.	(orig) (info) This is another part
(orig) (info) The water trenches look like they could have housed worms or something else small.	(orig) (info) I climbed one of the dunes (trying not to make too big of an impact) and this was the view from the top.	(orig) (info) More of the view
(orig) (info) Still more	(orig) (info) Looking down at the trail	(orig) (info) More of the view
(orig) (info) I later walked around that rim	(orig) (info) A crystal I found. It reminds me of the flatirons a little bit.	(orig) (info) Though I tried not to make an impact...
(orig) (info) The canyon walls were an odd layering of mud and crystal	(orig) (info) A closer view	(orig) (info) Closer still
(orig) (info) Looking back down the river valley toward San Pedro	(orig) (info) Another one	(orig) (info) San Pedro de Atacama's Plaza de Armas
(orig) (info) A flower, in the plaza	(orig) (info) Looking down one of the streets in San Pedro de Atacama	(orig) (info) The view, from the bus window, for 40 of the 50 hours that I've spent on a bus so far.