Valparaiso, 4 - 6 December 2008
Trip Start
Sep 19, 2008
1
25
39
Trip End
Jan 23, 2009
Where I stayed
Valparaiso, Chile
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Just two hours by bus away from Santiago by bus, Valparaiso is quite a change. Fresh sea air - the first time by the sea since Fortaleza in NE Brazil some weeks ago! The place is a bit decaying round the edges but the residential areas in the hills behind the city have lots of colour and character.
We stayed in the Cerro Alegre area which is a UNESCO Heritage area. The B&B owner had plenty of suggestions to occupy us over the three days - both in and around, and up and down (!), town and up and down the coast.
A weekend evening (when there are musician playing tango etc) at the Cinzano bar is a great way to spend an evening - great atmosphere and mainly locals (not tourists) ... walking up in the cerros (hills) amongst the colourful houses with some areas covered in quality graffiti and visiting poet and Nobel peace prize winner - Pablo Nedruda's house ... discovered quality local beer "Del Puerto": 3 varieties -> tasty!... local bus north through (multi-storey) Viņa del Mar to the pretty coastline at Concon (with Pelicans on parade!) ... just to the south south there's also pleasant coastline to walk along, but leading to probably the least appealing (although busy) beach we have ever seen (check photo!)!
