Toconao and more

Bakerlite.co.uk

On the way to the salt lake flats, we came across a small village existing on a stream emerging from the Andes, which is the only place any permanent settlement can exist hereabouts. It is the pre Inca village of Tocanao, which has a pretty little church with a separate tower. Many of the buildings are built of volcanic stone.

	This is the creek bringing the lifeblood water through the village. Eventually, it runs into the salt lake and evaporates, as do all the other rivers in the region. They leave the dissolved salts behind which is the ongoing process that forms the salt flats.
The door, and the ceiling of the church are made of cactus, a popular building material before they became a protected species.		The interior of the church.

I received an e-mail in Spanish in August 2005 which I reproduce here advising of a community Radio station in the town. I think he is intending to transmit educational programmes.

It came from: CRISTIAN VARELA, DIRECTOR RADIO TOCONAO

escribe cristian varela desde toconao

38 km al sur san pedro atacama

COMUNIDAD INDIGENA DE TOCONAO TIENE UNA RADIO EMISORA TRANSMITE EN 102,9 FM

PARA TODO EL SALAR DE ATACAMA

NECESITAMOS MATERIAL PARA DIFUSION

EDUCATIVO Y LENGUAJE EGLISH-SPANISH----

WELCOME TO SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA Y TOCONAO

From the lush green of an oasis, we were next to explore the unforgiving desert in an area that is known as the Valley of the Moon. Come fly with me...