Purls & Pics

Back in Guatemala several countries ago, we visited a Coffee Museum and active coffee plantation. Coffee is their #1 export. We were shown a chart which revealed that coffee prices peaked here in the 1980's. They also grow vast amounts of sugar cane and cocoa beans, but according to our guide, they keep most of those for themselves. They, like I, do love chocolate and sugar. Their third largest food group, however, I can do without - alpaca. They would have one believe it is the healthiest meat one can eat due to lack of fat. I, personally, would rather see the animals live and produce that luxurious fiber sooo nice for knitting. Two attempts have been made to feed me alpaca without success and it shall stay that way! Anyway, back to coffee, their leading export, even in this age of industrialization, is still picked by hand, Loaded on trucks by hand. Processed by hand. And as you can see in the photo below, spread over an area larger than a football field to dry. Since the beans are at least a foot deep, men push grader-like things in front of them back and forth all day long to sun dry the beans. Can you imagine doing this all day long, day after day? Blows my mind. Bet those guys don't drink coffee! Would put money on it. I did not retain if we were told how many days they must push a batch around before it is deemed dry and continues on in the processing. They do this day after day after day until the rainy season. Seems there is an alternative to sun drying but final product is not as tasty. "Best coffee in the world is produced right here in Guatemala." To prove it, we were all served a cup of steaming hot coffee. It was good. But then I'm not the guy behind the grader-like thingy.

Forgive me as this picture is out of order. This is a close up of the salt flats we traversed in noonday heat to get a better perspective of the Geoglyphs etched in the stone mountainsides some 700 to 1,400 years ago. Artist/s unknown. Crude but still impressive. The etching that is. Salt is not mined here as they have plenty elsewhere. This area was so barren, even the sea left it. Presumably there was life here at one time. Now it is just tourist and travelers along the Pan American highway. None of God's Creatures are reported to inhabit this region. Totally understandable but certainly a sight to see. Pictures of the actual etchings to follow.

Below: Our welcome sign to Iquique City, Chile. We were previously "welcomed" by the smell of rotting fish. Sign was nicer. Interestingly there were no musicians or dancers on the pier. Hmm? No worries, we were soon whisked away by luxurious airconditioned buses for our excursion of choice.

Some of the aforementioned etchings. See the lizard like carving at the top of the mountain? Think he was King of the Hill?

Oasis at salt flat for our hike across them. Rock had been broken up, moved and somewhat leveled to form walking path and parking area. This species of tree is the lone plant able to survive in this region. There was an explanation of how but suffice it to say they have extremely long roots.

Remarkable! Somewhat cavemanish style, but still amazing! By whom and how was it done???? Exhausting, hot, dry, remote but well worth doing!

Note all the animals. Drawings only sign of animals here today.

Well after days of trying without success, it seems this picture is now included twice. Technical issues. Certainly not user errors.