Valparaiso

We caught an early taxi to the bus station with an American girl that was working at the hostel. We have run into a lot of hostel workers that fund their trips by working at hostels along the way. She had given us some good suggestions while in Mendoza. We opted for bus instead of flying for 2 reasons. One the route takes you through the Andes and gives you amazing views. Two it was a lot cheaper. The drive lived up to the expectations. Once you pass through the border the bus drives down this crazy road that snakes back and forth down the mountain. Over 20 switchbacks. As per usual there are no guard rails so you are right on the edge.

We arrived in Valapairso and right from the get go we both loved the city. Valparaiso is a hillside city located on the coast of Chile. When they ran out of flat spots near the shore they built the city up into the hills. It used to be a really rich city that was a midway point for travellers on the way to California but opening of the Panama Canal led to its downfall. Roads snake and wind throughout the different parts of the city. You can easily get lost. Since it is on a hillside there is tons of walking up and down steep hills. What really sets this city apart is its colourful graffiti. The city has embraced street art and giant murals. There is a lot of graffiti but a lot of beautiful art as well.

During our stay we did 3 separate city tours. Each one took us to a similar part of the city but each time we explored different alleyways and routes so it didn’t feel like there was any overlap. One tour was specific to the graffiti which tried to explore the origins and highlight impressive murals. It has been interesting how all of the tours we have done in South America have tied in a political aspect where they try to give us some history on the most recent dictatorship.

Our stay was too short in Valparaiso but we had a flight the following night so unfortunately we had to leave and add it to our list of places to return to.Læs mere