"Only 4 of the cats are mine..."

...Is the first thing our hostel host said to us as we walked through the plain doors into the minimal but dusty courtyard of our desert hostel.  A little dog with dreadlocks around his butt came right up to Michael and sat at (practically on) his feet, ready for pets and ear scratching.   The collared cats ( his 4) and the homeless ones greeted us as well.  The kittens couldn't care less.  There was one thing I thought was missing at our hostel in Mendoza: a cat.  This place seemed perfect for several.

We are now in San Pedro de Atacama, the most arid desert in the world.  Tomorrow we'll test our bodies' reactions to altitude sickness by going to the Tatio Geyser at 4200 meters.  If  we survive, we'll book a trip to Salar de Uyuni, a 3 day tour in a 4x4 with 4 other people.  So if anyone gets sick, unles they turn purple and pass out, we all have to deal with it for 3 days.

 The different landscape upon waking up on the bus from La Serena, a beach resort town.  This is serious desert country.

                             One of the two resident dogs at La Candelaria.  Pompom.

          Looks familiar.  Just replace "live mouse in the bathroom" with "live lizard in the courtyard."

                                  A first image of the pueblo of San Pedro de Atacama

                                                  San Pedro de Atacama Church

                                                            Our neighborhood

                                                            On the way to town

                                                              A bit of green

                                The only indication that it's the nearing the end of December.

                                                                   The entrance to the church

                             The local volcano.  So far it's not active.  Let's hope it stays that way.

                                                   Looks like the circus is in town.

                                                              Inside the church

                                                                 The pueblo

One of the homeless kitties at the hostel

 A well deserved Corona.  Had to drink it this day as we must refrain from alcohol  24 hours before going to the geyser at 4200 meters at 4am.