THE “WHITE GOLD” ROAD

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

It’s on of those rare days where can have breakfast outside on the patio. What a treat.
When the sky is so blue and the outside temperature so pleasant, you hate having to leave, but we must move on.

We take the same road south west to Antofagasta as we did several weeks ago to go north.
Here the traffic is all related to the mining industry. As we drive, I learn more about this area which is known as the Capricorn Tropic.

There are more than 30 Saltpeter mines along this road. The majority of them are  ruins. Several of them have been declared National Monuments and have interesting histories.

The mines are divided into five territorial geographic divisions called Saltpeter Cantons which relate to its means of communication and transportation with the port of shipment. Each Canton has a series of important groups of “Offices”.
We already visited Santa Elena and Chuquicamata which are part of this particular Canton named Pampa Central or Conton Bolivia.

As we continue south we come across Pampa Union built in 1911. It may look like a ghost town, but 100 years ago there was a lot of activity here.

When the mines or “Offices” where built, it was for the purpose of productivity, without any consideration for social or recreational aspects. Except Union, where stores and entertainment places and hotels were built. Therefore, workers from as far as 200 km would come to Union to shop and have a good time. It was not an official town so there was no mayor or other law enforcement. Union was therefore refered to as “Sin City”.

The Chacabuco mine farther south, is another example of prosperity during those years. Unfortunately it is closed for visits today, but from the distance we have a good idea of what this community of 7,000 was all about. Ramiro tells me there was a concentration camp set up here in he early days.

On our way north, we were not able to find the Railroad Museum of Baquedena, today we find out why. Not only is the museum for sale, it has not been maintained for at least 25 years. We are able to walk straight into the maintenance yard where half a dozen very old locomotives have been stripped of all interesting parts for collectors.

Not much explanation is required to indicate how the locomotives would be moved under the maintenance shelter and later placed onto the large rotating platform with a rail, which could turn them in a 360 degree angle onto any of the tracks leading in various directions. The place looks mysterious and absolutely abandoned.

We cross several railroads and watch the long trains full with copper slabs on their way to the port.

Close to Antofagasta, coming in from the north, is a large concrete structure, which is a Rotary Project by the Clubs of Antofagasta. This monument commemorates the last solstice of the 20th Century which took place on December 21, 2000, when this particular spot lined up perfectly with Capricorn.  It’s not a project I would have voted for.

It is so refreshing so see the ocean again after several days in the desert. I am hoping to find a nice place at the ocean with a balcony or patio. (Am I getting spoiled, or what?) We drive all the way to the Peninsula of Joan Lopez, but everything is boarded up, even the police station. Nobody is home. The Chilean holidays may be over, but ours are not. Where did everyone go? Or did they perhaps prepare for a Tsunami? So back again, through the hills to Antofagasta, where we end up at the same place we were at three weeks ago. Only this time we have a room without a kitchen. Which really is not so bad, because that means I won’t have to cook.
We spend the last few hours of sunlight on the balcony with a nice glass of cold white wine, listening to the waves and the birds.

The days are getting shorter, the sun is disappearing much earlier. It’s also a lot cooler here in he evening.

We drive downtown before the sun sets and  discover some places we did not see last time. The promenade is full with people, shopping, sipping coffee or eating. Just as we are enjoying a glass of Pisco Sour and some appetizers, we get a phone call from one of the members of the Rotary club who tells us that the Rotary meeting is tonight. His office happens to be one block away from where we are. We meet and he drives us to the club house. Unfortunately the attendance is very poor, but we nevertheless enjoy the company of our Rotary friends.