Valparaiso
Un poco excursión a Valparaiso! (A small excursion to Valparaiso)
Here are a few photos of our trip to Valparaiso, where I went this past Saturday with some friends from my spanish language school (Escuela Bellavista).
Our bus to Valpo. Round-trip cost about US$15.
My bus-mate Cristina, from Brasil.
The outskirts of Santiago. Looks pretty suburban to me.
About 15 mins west of Santiago, on the autopista (highway).
The last set of mountains before the tunnel (which puts you pretty much on the way to the coast).
Valparaiso.
A huge street market on Saturdays.
At the museum, with part of the city & port behind me.
Our group: 3 Brasilians and 1 each from Holland, Germany, China, and USA.
The museum, which was the guy's house. I admit my cultural ignorance here, but I had never heard of this guy before. But he lived recently and seemed to be connected to important / famous people in Chile's history. Maybe it's like visiting an eccentric home in Hollywood and getting a veritable who's who in the descriptions of the contents (like "Carey Grant sat here when he came to visit Lucille Ball ...")
A view of Valparaiso.
Valpo had lots of colorful flowers, which is in contrast to Santiago where we get more sun but dont have as many flowers.
Pablo Neruda was the guy's name (at this museum).
Isabella eating a cactus.
In addition to it's famous museum, Valpo is also known for its collection of steep hills, colorfully painted homes, and murals on the sides of walls/buildings.
An interesting fire hydrant. Of course the dogs still use it.
I wonder if this thing still works?
One of the wall murals.
More flowers.
Me and Daniella & Isabella (both of Brasil).
Our lunch spot. For US$10 we had a 5-course meal overlooking the city & the port. I had tuna salad, rice & broiled fish, grilled potatoes, and an excellent dessert!
Pisco sour, the Chilean way (not to be confused with the Peruvian Pisco, which is different). I actually didn't like this drink and gave it to Ana.
The other side of Valpo (behind me). This was our view at lunch.
Mmmmm. Dessert!
Valpo is Chile's main port.
Beneath the Arc.
posted by Brad @ 2:31 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
LOVE the bite-by-bite dessert photos. Brilliant.
And Pablo Neruda! You went to Pablo Neruda's house?! I LOVE him! Read his stuff, Brad - it's fantastic. I'm not usually a lover of poetry, but I love Neruda. He was a revolutionary-type hero in Chile - he really inspired the people, but he was exiled at some point. And the Italian film Il Postino is a fictional (?) story about him in exile in southern Italy and his friendship with the postman.
Holy moly, what a beautiful country! I am soooooo envious of you! (I know I say that every time I post a commment here...) I second francine's encouragement to read some of Pablo Neruda. It's really interesting/beautiful.
Also, if you are interested in some recent history of Chile, I would recommend Isabel Allende's book "Paula". She's the niece of Salvador Allende, who was overthrown and exiled in the mid-seventies. I'm not sure, though, what the current situation is there and if her stuff is accepted and/or available down there at this point.
Gosh, I just don't know what to say, except that Chile sounds like so much fun. You sound like you're having a really interesting time & that God is moving too. :)
haha, you really never heard of neruda? since we're reccomending readings, you know che traveled through on his motorcycle diaries. pretty awesome ;)
your bus mates a cutie, must have been a fun ride. so... how's the spanish now? Would you all only speak spanish? like all of you? or maybe sometimes english. you fluent yet? ;) hope to talk to you sometime. how's work and everything? or have you started anything yet? you gonna do more spanish classes? l
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