FOTOALBUM

  • Galleries
  • About
  • Contact
  • Links
  • Search
Show Navigation
All Galleries

Chile { 56 images } Created 22 Aug 2011

Photos from Chile taken between December 2005 and January 2006.
View: 100 | All

Loading ()...

  • The former National Congress of Santiago de Chile was overtrown by Augusto Pinochet in 1973 and declared a national monument in 1976. Under the dictatorship of Pinochet a new Congress was build and stands in the city of Valparaiso.
    _MG_8890.jpg
  • Vicunas grazing along the route between Putre and Lauca National Park. The south-american camelid is well-known for its very fine wool and it lives beyond an altitude of 4000m.
    _MG_9113.jpg
  • Lauca is the northernmost located National Park in Chile and it has been declared UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1981.
    _MG_9135.jpg
  • Parinacota (6348m) and Pomerape (6282m) are volcanoes located in Nevados de Payachata, near the border of Bolivia.
    _MG_9137.jpg
  • The vicunas live in family-based groups. In the late 1960's this shy animals were hunted to near extinction for their expensive wool. After international trade restrictions the population has recovered.
    _MG_9190.jpg
  • Some landscapes along the chilean routes are magnificient. But driving during a very long time on graveled roads, can be very monotonous. A couple of days after i shot this photo, we were involved as witnesses and accident helpers in a ghastly rollover accident with 5 israelian tourists. <br />
Miles away from the crash site we finally found some kind of guard post with communication possibilities. <br />
After an emergency call, a young men suffering from severe injuries, had to wait for many hours for the ambulance to arrive.
    _MG_9198.jpg
  • According to "Wikipedia" - Lauca National Park is located in Chile's far north, in the Andean range. It encompasses an area of 1,379 km² of altiplano and mountains, the latter consisting mainly of enormous volcanoes. Las Vicuñas National Reserve is its neighbour to the south. Both protected areas, along with Salar de Surire Natural Monument, form Lauca Biosphere Reserve. The park borders Sajama National Park in Bolivia.
    _MG_9204.jpg
  • I didn't really appreciate the spectacular views due to a terrible headache, probably caused by beer or altitude sickness.<br />
However, as the hospitable guards of the CONAF refugio were eating small portions that they didn't want to share with hungry tourists, we went to the mine and after 10 minutes we were offered a delicious meal by the saltmine workers who were thinking that we were like some kind of Inspectors, supervising and examining their mine. We spent the same night in the CONAF refugio just in front of Salar de Surire.
    _MG_9219.jpg
  • After a cold night in the CONAF Refugio we start a beautiful day driving ahead Volcan Isluga National Park. On the photo you can se old ruins probably formerly used by vicunas shepherds.
    _MG_9227.jpg
  • We are overwhelmed by Mars-like, spectacular landscapes along the route of the National Parc.
    _MG_9228.jpg
  • Photo of the semi-arid region. In the back you can see the immense plain called Pampa, and the graveled road we were driving ahead to another awesome landscape scenery.
    _MG_9232.jpg
  • On our way along the pampa plain, we saw this alpaka shepperds trying to explain us that we were no more in Chile but in bloody Bolivia! After we were conscious about our illegal border crossing, we were offered an orange lemonade "welcome" drink by this lovely bolivian shepperds. We took some pictures and after i agreed to sent some photos to Mrs. Paulina Viza, we exchanged our phone numbers.
    _MG_9237.jpg
  • Captured distance view of the bolivian alpaka farm.
    _MG_9240.jpg
  • Driving through large puddles or ungraveled roads was very funny and indeed the only way to cross the National Parks. But at this time we were asking if we were still driving through Bolivia, crossing no man's land, or were we unconsciously driving again on chilean soil?
    _MG_9243.jpg
  • According to a lower altitude, the vegetation on Volcan Isluga Nationalpark is more abundant.
    _MG_9249.jpg
  • A lot of birds and other animals are part of this landscape which has abundant water ressources.
    _MG_9258.jpg
  • I remember the capital of Tarapaca Region for its large duty-free commercial center called Zona Franca where i bought cheap photography accessories. This photo shows the municipal theater of Iquique where residents assembled for the presidential runoff campaign.
    _MG_9271.jpg
  • According to "Wikipedia" - Iquique's 19th century architecture can be visited mainly downtown. Its origins are linked with the mining activities during that century, when European entrepreneurs became rich with the extraction of saltpetre and established their homes in the city. Many of them constructed big houses in different styles that predominated during the period and grouped in colonies with their respective buildings, with special stylistic, material and constructive adaptations to the climate of Iquique.
    _MG_9275.jpg
  • Located east of the city of Iquique, Oficina Santa Laura was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. In this nitrate town salpeter was extracted in large quantities.
    _MG_9289.jpg
  • In the early 1970's, some nitrate towns were also used as concentration camp under Pinochet's military regime.
    _MG_9298.jpg
  • According to the description of the "UNESCO World Heritage website" - Humberstone and Santa Laura works contain over 200 former saltpeter works where workers from Chile, Peru and Bolivia lived in company towns and forged a distinctive communal pampinos culture. That culture is manifest in their rich language, creativity, and solidarity, and, above all, in their pioneering struggle for social justice, which had a profound impact on social history. Situated in the remote desert Pampa, one of the driest deserts on earth, thousands of pampinos lived and worked in this hostile environment, for over 60 years, from 1880, to process the largest deposit of saltpeter in the world, producing the fertilizer sodium nitrate that was to transform agricultural lands in North and South America, and in Europe, and produce great wealth for Chile. Because of the vulnerability of the structures and because of the impact of a recent earthquake, the site was also placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, to help mobilize resources for its conservation.
    _MG_9302.jpg
  • The charming village of San Pedro de Atacama is a popular tourist destination. Near this cosy village you can visit main sights like the geysir fields of El Tatio, Valle de la luna or the giant salt area of Salar de Atacama.
    _MG_9337.jpg
  • The church of San Pedro de Atacama is the second oldest church in Chile, built during the colonization by spanish conquistadors.
    _MG_9341.jpg
  • The largest salt flat of Chile is located in the middle of the Atacama desert. The climate is extremely dry and you can feel the low humidity which lies around 3%-15% on your skin. But these climate conditions are perfect for photography as the air is very clear.
    _MG_9344.jpg
  • Just as we start walking through the Salar the Atacama area, we saw this little Sandpiper. This image was taken from a distance of about 3 meters.
    _MG_9350.jpg
  • The camouflaged saltflat lizard (Liolaemus fabiani) lives in the Salar the Atacama.
    _MG_9355.jpg
  • One of the most beautiful animal found in the saltflat of Atacama is the elegant andean flamingo. There are three types of flamingos living in this area.
    _MG_9371.jpg
  • Classified as vulnerable, the pink-feathered andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus) is the only flamingo that has yellow legs and feet.
    _MG_9393.jpg
  • Leaving the Salar de Atacama, we pass through the "oasis" of Toconao, a town located 38 kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama.
    _MG_9462.jpg
  • Every year a lot of tourists are climbing the sand dune in Valle de la Luna for a magnificient view over the valley.
    _MG_9482.jpg
  • Scientists were testing a Mars Exploration Rover prototype in the valley, which is considered as one of the most driest places on earth.
    _MG_9491.jpg
  • Tourists walking on a sand dune at sunset. This picture was taken shortly before we were to leave the valley of the moon.
    _MG_9499.jpg
  • The colored Palafitos can been seen in Castro, the capital of Chiloe Island. This small wooden houses built on stilts over the water are part of the interesting architecture of Chiloe. Some chilotan buildings have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    _MG_9591.jpg
  • Rio Negro crossing the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park.
    _MG_9602.jpg
  • The Carretera Austral also known as Ruta 7, was constructed under Augusto Pinochet in 1976. This road is appreciated by many tourists, but honestly i don't know why? There are certainly some nice spots along the route, above all the gloomy forests, but if you are not an enthusiastic driver, it's not worth the detour.
    _MG_9779.jpg
  • A low hanging cloud just below the mountain top.
    _MG_9800.jpg
  • A lot of guanakos can be seen in the Torres del Paine National Park. As vicunas, guanakos also live in high elevations.
    _MG_0539.jpg
  • Two young guanakos playing in a Torres del Paine prairie.
    _MG_0555.jpg
  • Technical problems at Torres del Paine National Park...
    _MG_0557.jpg
  • Amazing views on the first day trail of the famous Torres del Paine trekking route.
    _MG_0575.jpg
  • The trekking routes of the national park can also be done by horse.
    _MG_0603.jpg
  • This two flamingos were escaping from dangerous tourists. The other shy pink birds flew away as they noticed our presence some 50 meters away from their sanctuary.
    _MG_0624.jpg
  • After we had visited the Torres del Paine National Park we stayed in Puerto Natales for one night.
    _MG_0650.jpg
  • According to "Wikipedia" - Puerto Natales was founded on May, 1911 as a port for the sheep industry. During the last half of the 20th century the sheep industry declined and many people from Puerto Natales started to work in the coal mines of Río Turbio in Argentina. It has good tourism facilities, as it has become the base for excursions to the Torres del Paine National Park; the Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument (a cave complex used by prehistoric tribes and where remains of the extinct Giant Sloth have been found; the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park; and the Alacalufes National Reserve. The latter includes the Fjord of the Mountains, Cordillera Riesco and Cordillera Sarmiento.
    _MG_0652.jpg
  • The gauchos are residents of the immense plains of South America. As the North American cowboys, these gauchos were herding cows along the same route we were driving toward Seno Otway.
    _MG_0715.jpg
  • You might also see a lot of nandus along the chilean routes. This flightless bird can be compared to the african ostrich and is also called "rhea". This one was seen between Puerto Natales and Seno Otway.
    _MG_0734.jpg
  • Seno Otway is connected to the pacific ocean via the strait of Magellan. This place is famous for its magellanic penguin colony.
    _MG_0772.jpg
  • Each year from november to march thousands of magellanic penguins arrive at Seno Otway for breeding. On this picture you can see an adult penguin with two chicks.
    _MG_0776.jpg
  • By carefully approaching, you can easily photograph the magellanic penguins from a close distance.
    _MG_0794.jpg
  • Three penguins walking on their established path connected to the sea.
    _MG_0801.jpg
  • According to "Wikipedia" - Millions of these penguins still live on the coasts of Chile and Argentina, but the species is classified as "Near Threatened," primarily due to the vulnerability of large breeding colonies to oil spills, which kill 20,000 adults and 22,000 juveniles every year off the coast of Argentina. The decline of fish populations is also responsible, as well as predators such as sea lions and giant petrels, which prey on both the chicks and the adults.
    _MG_0802.jpg
  • Punta Arenas, the capital of the Magallanes region is also known as the southernmost city on Earth.
    _MG_0905.jpg
  • According to "Wikipedia" - The Spanish settlement was founded in March 1584 by Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa as the city of Rey Don Felipe with around 300 settlers, but conditions were harsh and local vegetation was sparse. This attempt to colonise the shores of the Strait ended tragically when the settlers starved or froze to death, and when the English navigator, Sir Thomas Cavendish landed at the site in 1587 he found only ruins of the settlement. He renamed the place Port Famine, and under this name it later became a base used by the British Royal Navy. The name was subsequently translated into Spanish as Puerto Hambre or Puerto del Hambre, and these names are still in use.
    _MG_0937.jpg
  • As a consequence of the south-chilean colonization policies, the construction of Fort Bulnes established authority over the region.
    _MG_0959.jpg
  • Mausoleums and a lot of gravestones from many countries are represented on the municipal cemetery of Punta Arenas.
    _MG_0988.jpg
  • Memorial to Hernando de Magallanes in Punta Arenas.
    _MG_1003.jpg