ARICA SIEMPRE ARICA

Arica is known as the City of Eternal Spring, a perfectly appropriate name for a desert town that serves as an oasis to the people who love living here, the city has everything the people would want for a comfortable life in such a hostile environment. 
 Itis a self proclaimed slow, chilled out, town that revells in its isolations and its warm climate.  The endless sunny days and lack of commercialism gives it a certain `island` feel, and I love it.  With a populstion of 180,000 and only a couple of double storied buildings, the town sprawls out from the gorgeous coatline, far and wide into the desert basin, with baron hills sourrounding it like a natural guardian or boundary.

The flat rooved buildings, make complete sense since there is no rain. Brick and concrete walls boast big colours, yellow, blue, pink, purple and the climate poses no threat to the the make shift tin shacks on the outskirts of the city. A massive Chilean flag flies playfully in the sea breeze at El Morro, a lookout point that can be seen from all over town, huge sign, Arica Siempre Arica is written on the hill side for all to see, and Pasion Por Arica is grafitied on the street walls, clearly announce the pride the people have in this town and I feel very priviledged to be here.  I look forward to peeling back more layers of this fascinating place.