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Article: ABSOLUTE DESERT; The Atacama Desert of Chile is a confluence of oddities. Volcanoes tower over boiling hot rivers. Strange creatures graze in the shade of stranger rock formations. On the outskirts of an Indian village, one of the world's most exclusive hotels welcomes guests to this extravagant environment.(TRAVEL)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- April 15, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Through the binoculars, I finally spotted it. A large rabbit with a tail like a cat regarded me with casual disdain. It was chewing on something.
I pulled down the binoculars and the creature merged back into the mountain of broken rocks that spread before us, a mile wide and at least a half mile high.
The woman standing next to me couldn't see the viscacha, a rock-colored rodent with rabbit-like ears and cat-like tail. We were in its home territory, the Atacama desert of northern Chile.
"Do you see one, do you see it? Where is it?"
"It's there, right next to the rock," I said, dryly. She stuck an elbow in my ribs.
Behind us, ...