3/25 Ok, so somehow the dates got mkxed up. Today is Monday the 25th. The high altitude lakes were on Sunday. We went out for dinner last night at a really cool place. We sat outside, which was most of the restaurant. There are very few doors and windows. They had chimineas in all the corners. Loved the atmosphere. The meal was quinoa soup, beef and for desert, red beet ice cream. Yum. I know it doesn't sound good and we were apprehensive, but it was sweet with a hint of beet flavor.
We are really getting into the South American culture... eating dinner at 10pm.

3/26  Today we leave. I think San Pedro is one of my favorite towns. It has such atmosphere, with the dirt roads, adobe buildings and friendly people. The sun shines 363 days a year. This time of the year, the days are nice and really warm, no humidity and the evenings cool enough to need a jacket and heavy blanket to sleep.
We went to Calama, where we took a tour of the Chuquicamata copper mine, the largest open pit mine in the world. It was amazing. The trucks look like matchbox cars and just the tires on them are as big as our tour bus (Greyhound size). See pics below. Terry was in his glory. They produce 1500 tons of 99.99% pure copper everyday. 
On our way to the pit, we stopped in the little town, which is now a ghost town. At one time 25, 000 people lived there, but due to environmental problems, they relocated them all to the big city near by. So weird to see  the bank, movie theatre, town square complete with Christmas decorations just like people where there.
After the tour, we walked around the city, bought some copper souvenirs and ate in a little local stand. The 4 of us shared a churrillana called The Titanic. See below. Yummy
Now we are sitting in the bus station waiting for our sleeper bus , which leaves at 11pm. This will be jnteresting, since there is not a full cama (full reclining)bus. Bet it will be a long night.