čtvrtek 3. prosince 2009

finally - Valparaiso!

So I had seen the center of Santiago - it's pretty pretty - and bit bombastic... the governmental buildings I can easily imagine Pinochet marching there:) But nice, safe, huge, modern, lots of facilities, great shopping malls - in the old center, with small private shops, bit like Barcelona... one aisle full of shops with zippo's and smoker's apparel, for instance. Too bad they don't have those cute Camel add zippo's anymore.. I¿d buy it as a souvenir.

And then, already quite tire, I have to confess, I went on the bus to Valparaiso. It was around 4PM.

I have to say I was even quite nervous, so close to my dreamed goal, my destination. Will it be worth it?

The last one hour on the bus, again, highway, gas stations with Mc Donald, industry parks, cute little houses... parks... could have been Austria. Modern cars. And one LIAZ truck! The truck drivers were right, they are there!


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Then Valpo. I spend half an hour at the terminal finding about other connections, getting myself together. Trying to befriend a very suspicious little kitten, who'd runaway even after being givewn part of my Chinese roll.

Then stroll over whole downtown Valparaiso to reach the cerro - hill - where my housing is. The downtown did npot seem as magic... besides having this Hrabalian Liben like charm of a run down port town. And Trolley buses from 40's.

But, the cerros are amazing. Its like a giant Vrbice spread over many and many steep hills, the way the houses are located and accessed is amazing, and the run-down 19th century charms go on and on. Every step worth taking pictures. One feels like Mirek Dusin and the gang in Stinadla, except for the magnificent view of the Pacific port, with large and small crafts, and the views of the rest of the city every now and then.

Just exploring all of that will require like two days I think. So, its around noon, I have slept well, the breakfast is more than generous, and it will be the time to explore! More news later...

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