Blogs from Valparaíso, Valparaíso Region, Chile, South America - page 41

Mendoza oli ”nähty”, joten oli aika suunnata kohti Chileä. Bussimme kohti Santiagoa lähti 9:45 aamulla. Otimme tavastamme poiketen päiväbussin, koska tulisimme matkaamaan Andien yli ja maisemat olisivat hulppeita. Bussiasemalle ravatessamme (taas meni aamu vähän pitkäksi) totesimme, että edellisen illan viinipullo ei ollut pelkästään hyvää, vaan toi aikamoisen kohmelon mukanaan. Kyse oli Trapiche tilan viinistä, eli emme voi suositella sitä kenellekään (varsinkaan cabernet sauvignonia - vuosikertaa 2006). Bussiasemalla löydettiin heti oma bussi, joten laukut ruumaan ja menoksi. Tapana on, että laukkuihin laitetaan bussifirman laput missä on numerosarja ja annetaan lappunen, jolla laukut saa lunastettua määränpäässä. Lappujen kiinnityksen tekee luultavasti ja toivottavasti mies, joka on bussifirmassa töissä. Pientä närää meille aiheuttaa se, että olemme maksaneet jo koko matkan ja tä... read more

So we arrived in Valparaiso after a short and sweet bus ride from Santiago, Chile. We arrived at a cool hostel called El YoYo and started our adventures of the coastal areas of Chile. Valparaiso has all these cool asensores that are like elevators that go up the hillside. The entire city is built up and up and up into the hills. So there are these elevator things or a LOT of stairs. We used a little of both. The first day we were there we walked around the city, went down into the harbour and just sort of explored. The nice beaches were in the next city ¨Viña del Mar¨or the even posher nicer ones in the city after that - Reñaca. So day #2 was a beach day. And it was hoootttt. And apparently ... read more

FELIZ ANO NUEVO! Valparaiso proved to be just to our taste. We were fortunate enough to jack up a surf with the owner of the hostel in the chilly Chilean coast. The waves were suprising big and dangerous and my mind is cast back to getting dominated at Piha last summer. The nightlife in Valparaiso and neighbouring Vina Del Mar was sensational. We went out to 5am on the 29th, 9am on 30th and some how i managed to hook up with the only other blonde in Chile. Our body clocks were now set for party mode - perfect for New Years. We got hooked up with tickets (thru local knowledge) to a party at the port for New Years. It was basically a 150m bar on a pier (cranes included). Best thing was drinks ... read more

I did it for you, my readers. I arrived back in Chile only one night before New Year's Eve so I was hoping for something of a transition period, but the annual celebration would not wait for me to readjust. I had an ambitious idea but did not want to end up disappointed as the New Year celebration always seems a bit overrated. I continue to search for that magical evening that has eluded me. Still ranking high on my list are a sleep over at Maggie's house the year that Bryan Adams had song of the year with "Everything I Do, I Do It For You" and the year of our DDHS lock-in. With this possibility of disappointment lurking in my mind I peeled myself from the couch in Santiago, packed my day pack and ... read more

A short story of the dogs, cats and rats (of the sky) of Valparaiso:- With a pisco sour in hand and 4 hours until the fireworks display and the ticking of the time clock here in Chile into the new year I have time to reflect on the dogs, the cats and the rats of Valparaiso. You see there is a pecking order here in this wee port town about two hours west of Santiago. As in all typical port towns there is the seedy underbelly by which everything ticks. the cats. and the palatial prestige that sit above it, just content knowing that the engine is running smoothly. the dogs. then there are the rats. We arrived fresh, clean and innocent to the slow churning of the port town Valparaiso and checked into our hostel ... read more