Valparaiso

Valparaiso is a town of about 285,000. But you would not think it was that large during the National Independence holidays. I do not know where the locals traveled too, or perhaps they were there the whole time. But there is a peacefulness in this port city located 2 hours west of Santiago, hugging the shores of the Pacific Ocean. You can see the local industries working together – a mix of bohemia, shipping, seafood, tourism, and a hilly landscape that feels like a combination of San Francisco and/or Rio de Janiero. The flatlands seem to consist of a grind mentality – a bit dreary, city/town hustle, more crowded, mini-shops and stores on top of each other. But then you hit local plaza areas in these flatlands such as Plaza Victoria or Plaza Bolivar, and the hustle turns to a sense of peace in a New York minute with little kids riding their bikes as parents watch. Or a beautiful mural depicting the Valparaiso hills captivates the mind and you sort of zone out for a moment while everything else moves around you.

But Valparaiso is all about the steep hills and roads, the delicious seafood, and most notably the extensive array of artwork that one sees all over the town. The artwork in this city shows the beautiful side of unplanned chaos in a sense. Throughout all parts of town - on people’s garages, on the walls outside of people’s homes, along the commercial districts, and outside local restaurants – you will spot a beautiful painting or a large decadent mural. You will spot gem stones inside the concrete that makes up the sidewalk stairwells. Then there are the colors and variations of the buildings – we can call it pastel heaven with an array of residence types. While you might find a typical American subdivision with an array of homes that look the exact same in both size and color, you will quickly notice a very attractive yellow home – perhaps 1200 square feet or so – next to what appears to be a shanty-like residence that is in need of major repair. Then you will spot a few more modestly-sized but well-kept homes with beautiful gardens next to a small row of older, drafty looking apartments that need some attention. Then comes a 12-story condo that looks like it was built in the 1980s perhaps. It is unplanned chaos, but it makes sense because it somehow blends together to make this town incredibly unique. In addition, since this is the hometown of the great poet Pablo Neruda, (with a museum dedicated to him located in Valparaiso named La Sebastiana) what you’ll notice are bits of poems from a host of authors displayed on many homes along the streets in the Bellavista neighborhood. They may be about love lost, love found, moving through a difficult time, experiencing happiness – all the realistic and everyday emotions that we go through. It is a beautiful touch and adds to the charm of the town.

In addition, Valparaiso is a very mild climate similar to the Central Coast of California. It is currently early spring (think mid-late March in the Northern Hemisphere) with 61 degree temperatures and winds blowing 5-15 mph. It reminds me of Santa Cruz or San Francisco where you just breathe in the crisp air and take it all in. At night it will drop into the 40s, but it is never so uncomfortable that you want to run inside.

What really made the experience that much more enjoyable were the meals we had at the local dining establishments – notably Café Vinilo and La Concepcion. Patty and I had two meals at Café Vinilo and both times we absolutely loved it. The interesting thing was that it had a Haight Street feel with the Bohemian vibe inside – lots of art work, locals sipping coffee and wine at a moderate-sized communal table – but with a quiet calm. And most importantly, the array of food we ate – from the tomato salad to the skewered meats to the grilled salmon to the two hot chocolates after our second meal – was absolutely top notch. Perhaps it was one of those “when in Rome” moments when you think everything is better because you are traveling, but I loved that nobody was rushing you out and that you could just relax and take your time. If you wanted to stay an extra five or ten minutes, no big deal. It was really delightful and the wait staff was very kind and sharp. And while Café Vinilo was like the local café that you could go to once or twice per week, La Concepcion was more like the place you go once every fiscal quarter perhaps for a special occasion or just a nice night out. Between delicious ceviche, delightful white-fish stuffed inside filo dough to my vegetable lasagna (no pasta, all veggies, maybe the best tomatoes and tomato-based sauce I’ve had in years), we had no complaints. And they served a locally-brewed Pale Ale beer that came in one of the most awesome yellow and brown bottles. “Cerveza del Puerte” or “Beer of the Port”. Safe to say, it was phenomenally frothy and tasty. With a view of the water while the ships hung out in the ocean bay, we felt lucky to have been told about this place from the staff at the Hotel Sutherland – our home during our two-day stay in Valparaiso.


And lastly, the good ‘ol Hotel Sutherland. If you get a chance to visit Valparaiso, stay with these guys. I doubt you’ll be disappointed. The service was excellent, their kindness was top shelf, and their knowledge was impeccable. And they served a really tasty breakfast in the morning with some of the smoothest coffee I’ve tasted. Throw in the fact that the nightly price was not outrageous and Patty and I felt quite fortunate that we were able to find this place and book it. Thus after two nights of solid sleep, 8 miles of walking (or so), some good meals, and great times, we are heading off to Santa Cruz, Chile in the heart of the Chilean wine country. Another adventure awaits and off we go.