In 2003 Valparaiso became part of UNESCO, a world heritage site, mainly because of a famous modern building called Çubo de Vidrio. Since then several other art galleries were established and Pablo Neruda’s museum hosted visitors. These events lead to more and more hostels being built to cater for tourists. The immigrants at first were reticent to welcome tourists, but when UNESCO threatened to invest all their money in their rival port San Antonio, Valparaiso soon welcomed tourists because it desperately needed the money.... read more

It was during the Californian gold rush that Valparaiso became a rich port. When people were sailing to California, they would stop off at Valparaiso using it as a half way stopping point. People then began stopping there longer, and settling there with their families. Valparaiso became wealthier and Calle Serrano in Valparaiso became the richest street in Latin America. Then once the Panama canal opened people travelled through the canal instead on their way to California and had no need to stop in Valparaiso. However, the port of San Antonio (not Valparaiso) was the most important port of Chile , located about an hour away by bus from Valparaiso. Valparaiso, was mostly famous for its salmon production. Chile now produces more salmon than Japan or Norway. This is one of the reasons why customs are ... read more

I had a nice and relaxed Peruvian lunch in a restaurant on the same street as my hostel just after checking out. I’d collected two big bags of laundry, changed some money and handed the cleaner and owner of the hostel a little red post box keyring and a postcard which I’d bought in Leeds and thanked them for the wonderful 8 breakfasts I’d had during my stay and for 7 very good nights sleep, apart from last night when a group of people were having a smelly barbecue and a loud party under my window. I arrived in Valparaiso easily enough, about an hour ago, but I’m suddenly wishing I was back in Santiago. My hostel advertised itself as having lockers which it does but none of the lockers close so I’m now in a ... read more

One of the most frustrating things I found at first in both Argentina and Chile were the very long waiting times for everything. I jump out of bed at 8am thinking I can RUN up that hill I see in my neighbourhood, RACE back to the hostel to get a shower, JUMP on the metro whilst just POPPING into the supermarket to buy some bread, then get to the museum just at 10am when it first opens then I can BE READY to eat Menu del Dia in a restaurant, QUICKLY pay the bill and then SKIP to the bank to exchange some dollars for pesos.. I must forget these adverbs and replace them with comforting slow words such as CALMLY, PLOD, STROLL and STEADY PACE as in Latin America fast adverbs do not seem to ... read more

One of my biggest problems I’ve had on this trip has been due to my relationship with time. I regularly feel frustrated and that I am losing time. It makes me panic and I think it's a problem I need to address when I get back home as it is stopping me relaxing and leaving me feeling restless. On this trip I realise I’m having to split time between 1. socialising (not doing so much of that at the moment), 2 planning the next part of my trip and reseraching for the next day, 3 the mundane but necessary jobs that take a long time to do here in Chile – such as changing money, buying food before a long bus trip to prepare sandwiches and looking for a launderette to do laundry, 4 my travel ... read more