Valparaiso

French taxes paid, I decided to spend my last free day before classes next week to take a day trip to Valparaiso. Jose had told us that Valpo (his home town) is only an hour by bus to the coast and very easy to connect from the metro.

Today was one of those bright blue days that made you squint and made me very happy I went for some fresh air to the coast. Walking the old city's hills through archways, steps and alleyways was reinvigorating. The cobbled streets on the historic hill have a village feel as you climb and look back straight on to the pacific.

Colorful street art made for another photo collection of stencil and spray - Full Album

It seemed the hill has suffered a little from the recent earthquake (although it's hard to tell what is newly crumbled). The city is busy surveying the hill to make sure restorations are made before UNESCO come back to check up on World Heritage status.

The climate felt quite delicious — the atmosphere so dry, and the heavens so clear and blue with the sun shining brightly, that all nature seemed sparkling with life. The town is built at the very foot of a range of hills, about 1600 feet high, and rather steep. From its position, it consists of one long, straggling street, which runs parallel to the beach, and wherever a ravine comes down, the houses are piled up on each side of it. Charles Darwin - The Voyage of the Beagle – July 23rd

Now I just needed to find the perfect spot to rest for some lunch. The only lead I had to go on was from a painter in a Bellavista gallery who said he would not miss the Cafe Turri – an icon. I needed to retrace my steps back up the hill. When I found the cable car to help with this, a gentleman explained that I couldn't board because the maximum limit of 7 people had been reached. We waited for the next one. After the man advised me on how to take his favorite photo looking down to the port, since this was his daily commute. I assumed he may then know a place for lunch and well it turned out he actually owned the Cafe Turri, just steps from the cable car station at the top. The man modestly explained the tradition it is to Valpo, so how could I resist. The terrace was indeed perfect. I had never tried a glass of carmaniere with steak before. From afar, you could see the beaches on the other side of the bay, and even a surfaced submarine. I was well taken care of as the owner had promised.

It was the perfect sunny place to deplete all the rest of your afternoon. I wrote a few postcards and read in the paper about the tall ships that had come to port of the weekend. They are the pride of the Argentine and Chilean fleet, and were making a bicentenary tour circling the South American continent. I felt a little guilty enjoying this day so much when the brightness dimmed approaching the smog covered city back on the bus.

Valpo stray dog in the late afternoon sun on the way back to Santiago.