Chinese New Year Parade (2) - Lions

Taphophile Tragics



San Miguel de Azapa, near Arica, northern Chile

This cemetery visit was suggested to me by the owner of the hostel I was staying at in Arica. There is a particularly good museum in San Miguel, he told me how to get there and suggested that, while I was there, I take a look at an interesting cemetery in the desert sands just behind the village.

San Miguel de Azapa is located in the narrow Azapa Valley, which produces tropical fruit (including guava), olives and flowers. The area also is home to relics of the cultures that once populated the area. Located about 13 km from Arica, the town is reached via a paved road that leads past lovely scenery and the San José River. The route also passes a number of archeological sites, such as the geoglyphs area and pucará (pre-Columbian fortress) or San Lorenzo.

Other attractions include the San Miguel de Azapa Museum, which is administered by Universidad de Tarapacá and exhibits 10,000-year-old relics of the Chinchorro culture, which predated the Inca.

The town was also home of the first black slaves to arrive in Chile. Unlike the country's chilly southern region, the climate was amenable to them. When they were freed, they were granted their own land and crops. Many of their descendents still reside in San Miguel de Azapa.

For more taphophilia please visit Julie's Taphophile Tragics.

Chinese New Year Parade - Year of the Dragon

I didn't think I'd be able to see anything along the main parade route so decided to photography the marshalling area and then see if I could find a spot to watch the parade. I couldn't get anywhere on the main drag - it was packed - but managed to squeeze in on the last block of the marshalling area, just before they turned onto the parade route. It was great spot as most groups were already marching by the time they reached me. They also slowed as they approached the turn.

The Master Chef dragon.



Bringing up the rear.

Monochrome Weekend

For more monochrome madness, visit Dragonstar's Weekend in Black and White.

Weekend Reflections

Cyril's Fine Foods, ususally referred to as Cyril's Deli or just Cyril's, has been a fixture in Hay Street for as long as I can remember (and a lot longer than that). Its a traditional European Deli which first opened at a time when Australians weren't into that "foreign food" and it would have been very exotic. I used to call in there for a fresh bread roll with ham, salami, cheese and pickles when I used to work around the corner.

Cyril is still going strong and offering old fashioned service to his very loyal customers, many of whom would come for a reminder of their birthplace.

For more reflections visit James' Weekend Reflections.

Sky Watch Friday

Michael Snape's "The Trail" sits on top of the hill behind the brickworks in Sydney Park at St Peters.

For more Sky Watch from around the world, drop in to the home of Sky Watch Friday.

Chinese Gardens (6)