Sunday--February 13--Santiago--Valparaiso

Sunday--February 13--Santiago to Valparasio

When I went downstairs for breakfast I met a woman from Washington State.  She and her friend had been traveling in Argentina and Chile for several weeks because they came to meet their children who were traveling together.  They told me how their kids (in their 20’s) were robbed at gunpoint in Buenos Aires.  They lost their cameras, money and phones.  Then to make matters worse, a few days later on the metro the girls wallet was stolen.  Oy, I’m going to Buenos Aires.  O.k. they told me where they were robbed at gun point was a bad neighborhood but really.

They also gave me information about a hotel they had stayed in in Bariloche.

I asked Gabriella if she had tried Gloria again because I really wanted to talk with her before I left.  This woman from Washington was fluent in Spanish and found out for me that Gloria was not answering her phone that she was out of town at a wedding.  Great.  I decided to leave Gloria a note asking her to contact me so we could discuss the accident. 

The woman’s friend was from Boston.  Her daughter, who had just spent 3 weeks in Valparaiso was coming to our hotel so I decided to wait and talk with her to get some information.  Anyway, her name was Emily, and she had actually stayed in Vina Del Mar, but was able to give me some information about Valparaiso.

I got a taxi to the bus station and easily got a ticket for the 1 1/2 ride to Valparaiso.  The bus was very comfortable and I read my kindle.  I haven’t been reading so much because I don’t have the time.  I’m glad to have the kindle though because it is light weight and when I want to read I have something.  Between writing the blog, taking and editing photos, I don’t really have so much time.  I do need to sleep.

I arrived in Valparaiso and found a taxi that took me to the Da Vinci Hotel.  Wow, the hills here are way steeper than in San Francisco.  It’s hard to imagine you really need to see it.

I was very tired when I arrived and I think still upset over my night guard.   When I arrived to check in there was a young man, Rene, who was at the desk.   The hotel is quaint, very simple, but clean.  It’s only two years old.  My room is on the second floor, it’s o.k.  on the inside with a window that looks out into the hall.    

I asked Rene, where I should go have lunch.  He showed me the map and made several suggestions.  I ended up eating at the vegetarian restaurant two blocks up and I mean straight up the hill from the hotel.  Just two blocks and my heart was beating pretty fast.  

After lunch I thought I would walk around a bit to discover the town.  This girl Emily had told me to be very careful with my camera in Valparaiso and that the town was known for pickpockets and thieves of cameras from tourists.  Great.  On this first venture out I didn’t take my camera with me.

One of the first places I found was a photo gallery.  The work was very interesting.  The photographer prints his photos using an old bi-chromatic chemical process and on pieces of linen and canvas.  I asked if he was using a film camera or digital, he told me digital.  I found his images nice and was very interested with his process.  He told me he was Chilean but had lived in Paris for 10 years.  I asked him about the “camera” theft and he agreed that one needs to be very careful.  Caution noted.

I continued up the hill and saw a guy posting a sign for a photo exhibit.  I asked where it was and he pointed to the door in front of him.  This was a restaurant on the bottom floor and a gallery on the second floor.  He said the exhibit was upstairs.  I went in and walked up the stairs.  One must be in good physical condition to visit this city for sure.  Not only are the streets steep but many of the establishments have steep stairs inside as well.  My hotel included.

I climbed to the second floor and found maybe a dozen black and white photographs, mostly views of the city.  When I walked back down the stairs there were many people eating and the food looked very good.  I had seen Salmon Cerviche on their outside menu and thought I would come back later to try it for dinner.     

I was quite tired and went back to the hotel for a rest.  The nice thing about being in summer is that it stays light until about 9:30 p.m. and the Chileans don’t eat dinner before 9:00.  Restaurants don’t even open before 8:00 p.m.  I know Santa Barbara is nearly a sleep by this time.  Big adjustment.

Around 7:30 I was hungry and decided to go back to Salon Color to try the Salmon Cerviche.  The one I’d had in Santiago was so incredible that I wanted to try another one.

I walked up the hill and when I arrived at the restaurant there were a few people in the bar but no one in the restaurant.  I asked if they were open and the man said, yes, sit where you like.

A nice young lady came to the table and asked if I spoke English.  “Yes,” I said.  I discovered that she was 20 years old, from Germany and had been living in Chile for six months.  She originally came on a group tour of Chile for 6 weeks but then decided she wanted to stay longer.  She told me she had been doing volunteer work in Valparaiso with the poor people who live high on the hill.  She explained that the poor people living up there don’t have good living conditions; no services, fresh water or paved roads.  When the weather is bad they can’t leave the hill.  She said it was very sad for her to see people living in this way.  Her volunteer work has made her appreciate how much she has and told me how bothered she is now by her friends wastefulness.  She went once a week to help build roads for these people so passage down the hill would be easier.    

She also told me that she was having a hard time decided whether to stay in Chile and start University or return to Germany for school.  She likes it so much in Valparaiso she doesn’t want to leave.  However, her friends in Chile told her to return to Germany as they felt the Universities in Germany were much better.  Her real dilemma was she had to make a decision in a few days because University begins in Chile next week.    

I finally ordered the Salmon Cerviche and also a local micro brewed beer.   

Not too long after I was there another couple arrived and sat at the table next to me.  I heard them speaking English so I engaged in a conversation with them.  A nice young couple (maybe 30‘s ), who had been traveling for 10 months.  He was originally from Australia and she from England (but half American),  and the’d been living in London.  (I’m so bad with getting and/or remembering people’s names). They told me they were working on their resumes because they were getting near the end of their travels and wanted to try to live and get jobs in New York.  Really.  I said I was kind of shocked at that.  He explained that he was a computer nerd and wanted to live in New York to experience that crazy pace of life.  Quite the contrast from living on the road for a year.  They told me they have friends who live in New York and were hoping they could help them get started.  I’m sure they will succeed.

The local beer was quite good, a bit bitter though.  The salmon cerviche was very different from the one in Santiago, more gourmet but also delicious.  I went to take a photo of the dish and oops, no memory card.  Silly me.  

Well, it was nearly 10:30 when I finished dinner.  It was nice to talk with people.  I feel so much more comfortable here.  I don’t know if it’s Valparaiso, or Chile in general.  I like the casualness of this town.  I would say it’s not for everyone but I enjoy the artistic  side of things.  The town is uber eclectic.

I didn't take any photos today.