Roadtrip Peru, Bolivia & Chili - Part 8
Antofacasta - Mano del Desierto - Wednesday 20-09-2023
Today we are going to sculpture Mano del Desierto.
Sculpture Mano del Desierto, literally translated: Hand in the Desert. This remarkable sculpture by artist Mario Irarrázabal stands in the Atacama Desert. It is an 11-metre concrete sculpture. The sculpture was erected in 1992 to attract tourists.
This hand of artist Mario Irarrázabal is now so popular that similar artwork can be found in other parts of the world. The sibling of this hand can be found at Playa Brava in Punta del Este (Uruguay). The Parque Juan Carlos in Madrid now also has a variation on this particular sculpture.
El Cobra
After Sculpture Mano del Desierto, we drive towards El Cobra. A truly fantastic mountain road with great views. After El Cobra, the road turns into a coastal road towards Taltal. We follow this road for many kilometres and take a lovely walk on the beach. Remarkably, people live in this remote place. As far as I can judge, the houses consist of beachcomber's wood and are really a mishmash. What these people live on, God only knows.
Arco de la Portada
Back in Antofogasta, we decide to drive on to Arco de la Portada on the north side of Antofagasta. A drive of about 20 km through the city. We knew Antofagasta was big but it really is a huge city. Just before sunset, we reach the Arco. We shoot some beautiful pictures and fully enjoy the view. On the way back, we go to Plaza Colon and the old train station. Where we were hoping for a cosy square with nice restaurants and bars, we find only vagrants and a church. We walk on to the station but, as expected, everything is closed and we can only admire the outside. Back at the hotel, we grab a beer and a modest supper 😜😜.
