Me llamo Bond...Santiago Bond

According to the Santiago daily La Tercera, foreign and Chilean crews will spend 12 days later this month filming part of the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, in the Atacama desert region of Antofagasta. About 1300 km north of Santiago, the producers are looking for arid open spaces where 007 (now played by Daniel Craig) can pursue his nemesis Dominic Greene.

They'll find an abundance of possible locations limited likely by the need to house and feed some 300 people involved in the project. I'd expect them to choose something pretty close to the coastal city of Antofagasta, the capital of its namesake region, which has a critical mass of hotel rooms and catering options. Calama might work if they decide to film at the imposing open pit copper mine at nearby Chuquicamata, but its travelers' services are fewer. My own preference, though, would be to see 007 challenge a Goldfinger-style villain over the fairways and "greens" of the Tocopilla Golf Club--the literal Pebble Beach--on the coast about two hours north of Antofagasta.

UPDATE: As of Tuesday, March 11, the Chilean daily La Tercera reports that the advance crews are staying at Antofagasta's waterfront Radisson, and that Daniel Craig is due to arrive in Chile Monday the 22nd, with shooting due to start two days later.