It’s On My List

February 13, 2025

Today we visited our first of eight Chilean Ports. Arica is the northernmost seaport in Chile. In the late 19th century, The War of the Pacific was a conflict involving Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. It started because Chile and Bolivia wanted the same area of land along the Pacific coast. The war ended with Bolivia losing its coastline, Peru losing territory, and Chile gaining more territory, including the Arica province.

We docked close to the city center, so I decided to explore locally rather than take an excursion. One of the highlights of Arica is Catedral de San Marcos, which was designed by Gustave Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame. The church is made entirely of cast iron. I have to admit that sometimes cathedrals give me the “ick”. I can appreciate stunning architecture and beautiful artifacts, but ostentatious displays of the Church’s wealth, especially in countries with high numbers of people living in poverty, bother me. But this little cathedral gave me nothing but good feelings. It is simple, serene and welcoming. I sat and enjoyed the peace for a few moments before moving along.

Another highlight of Arica is Morro de Arica, a steep hill with panoramic views of the city and coastline. The Museo Histórico y de Armas (Museum of History and Weapons) sits at the top of the hill. It showcases artifacts from the War of the Pacific. There also are a number of sculptures at the top, including the 36-feet tall Christ of Peace monument. A giant Chilean flag at the top was clearly visible from the ship.

I decided to check out the walking path, not sure if I could manage the hike up. It is about 450 feet high, which doesn’t seem too bad, but the path is extremely steep. Nonetheless, I decided to see how far I could make it. The day was warm and sunny, but not too hot, and I had my sunblock, hat, and full water bottle. I inched my way up, stopping frequently to admire the view 😉 The path was described as having switchbacks, but there actually was only one switchback about halfway up, where I stopped to capture some photos.

I eventually reached the top. where I was rewarded with a cool sea breeze and spectacular views that the camera simply cannot do justice to.

I wandered around at the top for a while enjoying the view, then made my slow and careful way back to the bottom. There were a few other museums in town, including one with the oldest mummies in the world. But I was too tired from my hike to do anything else, so I returned to the ship.

I really enjoyed my day in Arica. I’m glad I pushed myself to hike up the hill. Also, glad I packed Tylenol.