“Valparaiso, how absurd you are... you haven’t combed your hair, you’ve never had time to get dressed, life has always surprised you.”
After spending another couple of days in our beloved Santiago (while fine-tuning Pepe's engine and giving him a little beauty makeover), we finally make it to Valparaiso, Santiago's crazy little brother-by-the-sea. Our patience has been rewarded: off we go for a lovely weekend escape with both Pepe and best-host-in-the-world Rodrigo!
Valpo is a wonderful mess, and immediately wins you over. Set on some chaotic hills (cerros), linked to the sea by crumbling 18th century lifts (ascensores) - and even some toboganes! - it is a pretty bunch of crazy houses, each with their own street art message... gritty and witty. What's not to love?
While even a leasurely Sunday afternoon stroll provides a pleasant open air museum feel, our main focus this weekend - strongly influenced by Rodrigo's presence - is "fine wining and dining" (even more wining than dining :) in the countless cute little eateries and hipster bars, all of them with views to kill for. Quality Time in the true sense of the word.
Though one of the city's most famous residents and ourselves did not hit it off during this trip. Determined to pick-up some "big-c" Culture (after Rodrigo went back to work), and after having skipped the dedicated museum in Santiago, we enthusiastically head to the hilltop house of Pablo Neruda... only to find the door hermetically closed. Well, I guess this is just the "excuse" we needed to definitely come back! :)
“Valparaiso is a heap, a bunch of crazy houses.”
