Steps, graffiti, big sandwiches, massage

The photos here are all of Santiago. I'll post Valparaiso in a separate post.

What to do after all that beautiful zen oneness with nature? Well of course, go to the most chaotic two cities in Chile, Santiago and Valparaiso! They are quite different cities but they do have at least three things in common, parts of each city have good dollops of chaos, parts have people really struggling to make ends meet and it shows, and both have amazing graffiti everywhere!

I do like me a funky, big city vibe, warts and all, so I really enjoyed both cities, although I'm not sure I'd live in either one. Maybe Valparaíso since at least it's by the water and close to some decent beaches, supposedly. Also the weather is a bit nicer, not as hot as Santiago is in the summer, much like most big cities with tons of concrete.

The grafitti in both, though, is off the charts. Lots of it, very high quality, and in Valparaiso especially, much of it is quite political. Valparaíso has a rich tradition of social activism, often serving as a backdrop for protests and movements advocating for social justice and political reform, and the city has been a focal point for various social movements, including labour rights, environmental activism, and educational reforms.

Valparaiso definitely reminded me of Lisbon with it's many narrow, winding roads, laneways, and stairways that lead up, up and up. In fact, the city is so hilly that it once had 30 funiculars, which they call ascensores (elevator) - although technically only one is truly an elevator - to ferry people up and down the the steep, closely packed hills. Many are no longer in use but there are still 16 left and we rode a couple of them. It's an arty, funky, edgy city.

Like all really big cities, Santiago has many distinct neighbourhoods that can suit any and all tastes but it was the the architecture and grafitti that really stood out for me. That and the locals being really concerned that someone was going to steal our cell phones at any moment. We were warned a few times to be carefull when we were looking at our phones on the street, checking Google Maps for where something was, or what was around us to see, where to eat, etc. Although pretty much everyone we saw walking around had their phones out, talking, scrolling, texting, looking, whatever. Maybe we looked too touristy and easy marks? Who knows, but we took it in good spirit, thinking that they were looking out for us.

Santiago also has lots of green space - parks and hills and such - which we hiked around. We spent a very tough part of one day at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights. "The Santiago Museum of Memory and Human Rights isn’t just another building on the city’s bustling cultural circuit; it is, quite literally, a testament etched in concrete and emotion, dedicated to commemorating the victims of human rights violations committed by the Chilean state between 1973 and 1990. It’s a place designed to prevent these atrocities from ever happening again, a solemn promise to future generations that memory, truth, and justice are the cornerstones of a dignified society. For anyone looking to truly grasp the complex fabric of modern Chile, this museum isn’t merely recommended; it’s essential, a vital pilgrimage that delves deep into the darkest chapters of the nation’s history, shedding light on the strength and resilience of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable cruelty." I didn't live through any of this and it was extremely hard to walk around and see the pictures and read the stories. I can't imagine how difficult it is for someone who lived it.

So apart from that, we enjoyed some decent food, but not outstanding. They do like their sandwiches big over here though...damn! I also tried their version of streetmeat which was cheap and not too bad - reminded me a bit of the steamie hotdog experience in Montreal. We hit a couple of bars and also stumbled into the most fantastical placed Ocean Pacific's Buque Insignia that was massive and had so many parts to it, it just kept going and going. Crazy place.

I went to see a kinesiologist/massage therapist that was recommended to me by Felipe, a good friend of Gisela's whom we'll meet soon and he did some great work on my neck and shoulder which had been bothering me for quite a while now. Travelling around with a backpack takes its toll yo!

Next is Pucon and a serious hike, then meeting Felipe and off we alll go to the Island of Chiloe. Then it's La Carretera Autral and Patagonia baby!Read more