pondělí 7. prosince 2009

Monday: Vale a Valpo

Well, all things come to an end... and so did my stay in Valparaiso.

Quizas mejor así... I still have things to explore there. But, I've got my souvenirs, so the connection shall not perish.

I am now in Santiago again... I've just had a "delicious" lunch - a hot dog - the most typical street snack here and one of the few affordables. They put avocado on it whioch is not appreciated, but I've asked it without.

And I've bought a ticket to Arica. 27000 - that is like 54USD, compared to 35000 directly from Valpo, even with connection for 2500 I've still saved 10USD - can be two nights in hostel in Bolivia. I've bought it with a small company and the deal includes all meals... I'm curious:) - I packed some apples and cookies, just in case. Small companies are not a problem in Chile, as both roads and buses have a very good standard.

And since my bus leaves in 40 minutes, I have time that can't be spent better then by crashing in an internet café and posting some reflections... better passtime than nosepicking.


--- some reflections about Chile ---

from all the countries I've visited, Chile is strikingly different. It has much more of a conection to Europe. It always seems to be connected to presidents, they had some with french and german names - and there you go, the country feels like some european country (on contrary Peru, with it's Fujimori, has a clear Asian influence - virtually all the busetas in Lima are Japanese or Corean! and the city's atmosphere evokes busy Asian metropoles as I imagine them most of what I've seen...).
One of the first things that strikes is the soundscape. From Colombia till Chile you are constantly exposed to blasting local music... champeta, salsa, cumbia, reggaeton, name it, got it... for unsuspecting foreigner that can bring about a small cultural shock. But cross the border to Chile and boom: you are in Euro-soundscape: I have heard few songs in spanish: radios play european and american music. And have good taste! Radio Activa in Santiago plays 90's dancemusic, even some good forgotten gigs and by no means just commerce. Radio Equis, which was on in our hostel, could double as good standard independent european radio... something like Prague's Radio 1 in its beginnings. Indie rock from the eighties on prevails, including uncommercial thiongs like The Clash, "there she goes" by the LAS - a big '91 hit plays at least two times a day... Also there is affinity for groups like The Cure or The Police and many others. To illustrate that... a 14 years old kid asked me if I could translate a song from English... I expected some rap that I would hardly understand or some local artist trying to rhyme in English. But, surprisingly, after few first reefs I recognized it as "Roxanne" by The Police - the same stuff I digged at 16... that surprised me..
Other thing you notice is the "white" racial mix here. So far I had seen like 3 or 4 black people, and I suspect at least half of that were tourists! Its an opposite of the Carribean. Even when we visited the school of music and its concert - we saw them performing some heavily tribal music... 20 drummers and a singer ... african style, you know. AND NOT ONE SINGLE MUSICIAN OF AFRICAN DESCENT! and I swear it would sound much better if they had some, cause we've seen a concert like this in Cartagena and blacks just know how to do it and have absolutely no restraints in neither singing no rhythmic... where as this assembly couldn't help but sound like a slightly unsure and backheld white intellectual kids, you know...


---
Now a reflection about Valparaiso... Why is it such a great city for me?
Well obviously when we speak about Prague, we would say that it's magic dwell's near the river, in the old, picturesque, narrow streets of Old Town and Lesser Town, perhaps Kampa, Lesser Town and New World areas with their geographical specifics being the most romantic part for most people.

Clearly, the flat, modern, broad avenue crossed areas may be good to live in, but they "don't have it" and aren't by far so exciting.

Now how much time may we spend covering these areas?
In Valparaiso, I have spent roaming like 12 hours in very appealing places, with romantic houses, surprising views, dramatic architecture etc., and I haven't been able to cover all, maybe a third part! That's because "most" of the city is spread over those 40+ hills or ridges, that run from the mountain range to the Pacific, being again divided by valleys and canyons. The biggest building activity belongs to the era of 19th century and then the big reconstruction of the city after the 1906 earthquake. That means that great most of this area is covered by architecture in between 100 and 70 years old, and largely conserved in original state - obviously if we judge lifespan of these buildings, quite a few are arriving to the end of it just about now, but there wasn't any massive reconstruction or assanation yet. And won't be, at least for the most central parts, as they were proclaimed the UNESCO patrimonial site.

Then, we have a contrast in "the plan", the narrow strip between the coastline and the foot of the hills... This is a cramped business area with up to 5 storeys high old impressive buildings, mostly banks and the like, quite bombastic often, and then near to the port, in the worn streets there are these small slightly dingy taverns with old mariners... a whole dark and dingy area - but one can always raise above it to the full sunlight and fresh air of the cerros by an ascensor...

so much for it, gotta go.

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