I have known for some time now that my "Host Region" would be Region II, Antofagasta located in the Great North of Chile. However, I did not officially find out my "Host Town" until today. I will be located in a small fishing port of Taltal!
It is located 299 km South of Antofagasta (the capital city of Region Antofagasta) and 1,114 km North of Santiago. It was founded in 1858 and its boom began in 1876 with the opening of 21 offices of the booming saltpeter (potassium nitrate) industry. Saltpeter is the critical oxidizing component of gun powder and food preservatives. The main activities are fishing and mining.
According to Lonely Planet...Taltal has a population of 12,852. For such a small place, it has palpable pride in its heritage with elegantly manicured plazas and lovely period architecture from its nitrare export heyday (when it's population was 20,000). The town shrank as the oficinas closed (between 1940 and 1960), but is growing again as copper miners set up residence here.
Hey sounds great glad you are by the water!!
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