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Published: July 27th 2015
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Hola,
This area was recommended to us by Cristian, who said as we only have one day left to see something other than Santiago we should make the 2-hour bus trip to the port of Valparaiso.
It use to be the leading merchant port through out the Pacific Ocean routes, however since the 1906 earthquake and opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the popular use of the port and the financial income that went with it declined. Today it is used for the cruise ships and fruit exports. The city was given an UNESCO, so being marked as a world heritage site and also being voted cultural capital about 10 years ago the tourism has boomed.
Neil and I spent the day here wandering around the cobbled streets. The best parts come when you take the rickety ascensores (cable cars) up to the top of the hills, allowing for great views, little restaurants, wall art and many craft shops.
We ate lunch in one of the little cafes, which was cheap and tasty. After wandering some more we also tried our favorite dessert ‘tres leches’ at another little
café. After walking around some more we stopped in the central plaza to read our kindles for a while too. It was cold but sunny.
As we had booked our return bus for 17.20, we found ourselves waiting around from about 16.00 when we were ready to leave. However, we had some cringe worthy street entertainment to keep us occupied. It was a Sunday when we were there, so that may have been the reason for the show; we witnessed two lady-boys and one old lady, who were taking it in turns to dance to various songs in the middle of a park, but this dancing was extremely exotic/ cheap strip club worthy. Each dancer was wearing very little (particularly disturbing for everyone when the fat old lady had a go! We’re not sure if they were being judged, but during the commentary at the end, the two lady-boys started having a dildo fight!! It was so strange as there were kids everywhere! Most of the people just observed in bewilderment at the dancing and the battle of the dildo, others loved it.
Anyway, we finally got on the bus back to Santiago before
heading somewhere to eat. We chose somewhere on our walk back to the hostel, which was also showing the football. There was only one other couple in the place and they weren’t eating- so alarm bells should have been ringing just by this. It was THE worst meal I have probable ever had in my life! I chose the salmon and mash potato for a healthier option (about £7), but when it arrived the salmon tasted awful, it was also swimming in a pool of grease from chips, fried onions it was bedded on, and from the fried egg that had been dropped on the top of it! I was so upset as I was really looking forward to the meal, and also because we’re not able to speak enough Spanish to say this was awful. I couldn’t eat any of it, so Neil finish his steak (also covered in grease but he likes that) and we went back to the hostel for a few games of pool.
Overall, Valparaiso was different, we’ve seen prettier places but it is a port after all.
Love V&N xxx
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