On The Condor Trail: Valparaiso

jeudi 21 janvier 2016

Valparaiso

Valparaiso, the mythical harbour of the Chilean coast. It used to be the first big harbour after the passage of Cap Horn, it hence has been a sailor's city with all the stories and traffic that it involves. After the opening of the Panama channel in 1914 the commercial importance of the harbour decreased. Valparaiso nevertheless still houses a commercial activity but it is the presence of army ships that first draw the attention when having a glance at the bay.

The harbour

In Valpo Geo had a contact, Pauli a 45 years old women working as an artisan on the touristy cerro Alegre. So as we got there we climbed the cerro (hill) using one the numerous antique lifts. As we approached her stand she recognized Geo and ran to jump in his arms gritting, shouting, laughing. It was quite a funny scene and Fred and I didn't really knew what to do and where to stand. Once Pauli's calmed down a little (still speaking super fast in a perfect Chilean style Spanish that even Geo struggled to understand) she told us she had a plan for us to stay.
Pauli introduced us to some French guys living and working in Valparaiso, on the cerro Bellavista, manufacturing macarons. Mika and Thomas welcomed us in their home and macaron shop and told us that e could stay there for as long as we wanted and for very little money. A perfect place with a wonderfull panormaic view of the city.

The Macarons!!

So with our base sorted out we started the discovery of the city. Valparaiso is full of colours. Coloured houses, street art and wherever you are in the winding streets you are never far of a point of view over the city and the bay.

The city was nothing like any other city we had seen in South America during the trip. If you have the occasion I warmly recommend you to go there. It has a vibrant atmosphere, a sort of relaxed bohemian feel and even if some neighbourhoods are very touristy it is still possible to meet the true soul of Valparaiso wandering and getting lost in its many back alleys and stair's mazes. If I had to compare it with one European city it would be without a doubt Lisbon that would win the status of Valparaiso's sister.

At night when the sun let you walk without sweating buckets or loose your skin (Fred knows what I am talking about) we sat in the parks watching the sunset with a few beers. Pauli as crazy as ever was singing covers of Edith Piaf in Spanish. Beautiful moments.