CHILE TRIP REPORT Day 14: San Pedro de Atacama Plaza, Artesan Market, Flight to Santiago

 DAY 14: DEC 24 FRIDAY 

PLAZA DE ARMAS, SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA, , FLIGHT TO SANTIAGO

BOOKED NORUS APT AFTER DEPARTMENTOS CANCELED 

The previous night, we had whatsapp messages from the apt we had booked asking for payment to be made before noon on 24th . They lied our credit card was declined . We telephoned BOOKING.COM and they said the hotel had canceled our reservation. Thankfully we were able to book at NORUS where we had stayed at our 1st stint. Booking.com has reimbursed us for the difference after sevral calls. Anyway it was a waste of our time and energy and very unprofessional behavior from Departmentos. 

We checked out and took pics as usual in the morning

Key on the door as instructed

Our car was loaded with our bags. We parked at our usual spot in front of a restaurant and walked to the town square

PLAZA DE ARMAS

Stalls were being set up for the weekly market

The church gate and ceilings are made of cactus wood...we could onkly see the gate. The church was closed . On the 1st day we had been here, the church was open, we should have entered then. We postponed the visit as we had to book our tour

CACTUS DOOR

LOCAL MARKET

ARTESAN MARKET

Local art/craft pieces of good quality all in one place and they take credit card as well . 

These pots are from cactus wood... restricted use for high crafts only

Atacama highlights... star gazing, cactus, vicuna, laguna and salar

Bought our souvenirs, gifts here and paid with credit card

The ATM on viewer's left in the pic below. Tamarugos and algarrobos are the nitrogen fixing trees here, common in the desert of Northern Chile

They are so proud of their cactus...

Church was still closed

DRIVE TO AIRPORT

Drove back to Calama airport, stopping on the way to have our lunch. 100 km trip. 

RENTAL CAR RETURN [with unmanned counter]

We had to figure out how to enter the gate and park the car in the grounds. Out rental kiosk was unmanned, the neighbor gave us info on going to the gate, getting a parking ticket with time stamp and then come back to the airport coiunter after parking and drop the car key and parking ticket in the drop box

We did everything above taking many pics for all steps

Petrol tank reading

time stamped parking ticket... 14.30... before 3pm per our agreement

The airport shop had some lovely curios

SANTIAGO, NORUS APTS

We prepaid at the airport BLUE Taxi counter as usual. Long wait for taxis as it was Xmas eve. We reached Norus apt... felt like home.

Report continues