Acensores, Murals, Pablo Neruda, la Ex-Carcel, Carlos, Pedro, Andres and Protests

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Valparaíso is definitely my favorite of the sister cities over Viña del Mar. It is rich with culture and history, and has a very San Francisco feel to it. One of my favorite things that I have done so far here are one, going to the Ex-Carcel. This jail was used to house prisoners (both actual criminals and political dissidents) in Agosto Pinochet´s seventeen year dictatorship over Chile. Although there is no documentation to prove it, many historians believe that people were jailed, tortured, and murdered within its walls. It is now a cultural center. When we went, we saw people dancing and learning how to dance, drumming, and people climbing up a three story sash. It was amazing. The inside and outside have been completely covered with murals, and the cells are in tact. The cells, a little larger than a king sized bed, were used to hold between seven and twelve people. There aren´t any toilets or sinks- these are not like the cells in movies in the United States. It was disgusting to think that people were actually ´housed´in this jail until 1996 (they had to plan a new jail and build it after Pinochet´s reign ended). The acensores are awesome as well. They are these little carts- literally, elevators- that take you up the hill, and they are very characteristic of Valparaíso. They cost less than US $1, and offer great views. Be careful, however, and try not to stand out as a foreigner; one of the groups in my program was robbed at gunpoint at the top of one of the acensores. I have not had any problems in Chile, and with a mix of luck and common sense, you don´t have to worry. We also, as a class, went to the fish market between Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, and talked to the fishermen and women about what their jobs entail. Often working ten to twelve hours a day, and waking up at four in the morning, they have a culture all their own and a strong political voice. We also got to see some sea lions. Some places I recommend in Valparaíso are: Color Cafe, a coffee shop; El Huevo, a night club; the LUCAS museo, a museum of the work of the Chilean comic LUCAS; Cerro Allegre, which is just beautiful in general, and definitely worth making a trip to is the bay where you can take a little boat ride onto the water. Also worth going to is the Museo de Cielo Abierto, which is a bunch of murals in the same general area.

Pablo Neruda:
(de Para lavar a un niño)
Y así recién lavado salta el niño a vivir
porque más tarde sólo tendrá tiempo
para andar limpio, pero ya sin vida.

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