In the spirit of exploring and actually getting to know the city, I opted to spend time with a Chilean friend who knew a lot more than I. Cristian and I decided on a walking tour of Valpo, and a good decision it was.
We began by hiking up cerro Barón to Paseo Diego Portales, which has a splendid view of the ocean, Casa Central, the plan, and the cerros in the background. We headed next to ascensor Polanco, where I recounted en route my encounter with flaite in La Serena. I really should work on my past tenses so I don't sound so stupid when I tell that story. Anyway, el Polanco. This is the only vertical ascensor in the city. You must first enter cerro polanco through a long stone tunnel. Cristian and I discussed the tremor of a few days prior and decided that this was not the place to be during one of those. This ascensor car is tiny, and there is only one. The other ascensores work by sending two cars at a time, one ascending and one descending. With a strong jolt, we breached the top of the hill for another fabulous view. There is an elevated walkway to exist the ascensor, and there is also a slide near the bottom. I couldn't resist taking a couple of runs up what was essentially a shallow-gradient climbing wall and down a very rough track. Cristian recounted some time spent here as a child, when he lived in this neighborhood. I marveled at the haphazard houses and mural graffiti and inclined streets of the place.
túnel ascensor Polanco
We wandered out of this neighborhood and down to Avinida Argentina, onto Avinida Colón, in a sector of Valpo's plan where I had never been. There was construction here on an old building, where they were pushing debris from the roof onto tarps hanging above the street. How safe I'm sure that was. Up up up into cerro mariposa, past the defunct but still really awesome ascensor, onto Avenida Alemania. This street connects to the top of the lower cerros and the bottom of the higher ones (did I get that right?) I quite enjoyed this area, especially mirador Camogli. This is one of Valpo's most fantastic views. The overlook is kind of situate in the middle; the city extends in all directions around you, to the ocean, to the right and left, and in back of you, up into the high hills. High hills like woah! I honestly have no idea how any vehicle except something with chains on it instead of wheels can make it up there but they do, micros and colectivos and cars can and do drive up there. It is seriously ridiculous, in an amazing and fascinating way. I can't wait to explore the high hills too.
We moved on along Avidida Argentina for some time, enjoying the vista of the city in twilight, amazingly beautiful. Then cerro alegre, filled with interesting houses and of course graffiti. Graffiti after graffiti, everywhere you turned. And not gross graffiti, though there was that too, but murals, beautiful. And graffiti of things you would not expect to encounter at all; paper airplanes, spaghetti eaten with a colossal fork, all kinds of neat things. The city is full of surprises. We entered into cerro concepción, past the lutheran church, onto Paseo Atkinson. By this time it was nightfall, and I had my first good night view of Valpo from a cerro. Amazing, I can't use the word enough. Paseo Gervasoni and Paseo Yugoeslavo too, views of the port, of the plan, the hills. Then El Peral! What luck I missed it the day before, because my first time riding this ascensor was sweet, a nighttime ascensor ride!! The station at the top reflected in the glass of the car window, which created a really neat effect with the city light in the background. Based on this experience, this may be my favorite ascensor and ascensor ride.
ascensor El Peral
Finally, we searched out some lanchas, not to be confused with lanzas. I thought Cristian at first said 'lanzas,' which is a purse-snatcher, a hit-and-run flaite, and I thought hmm, how does he know where they are? and why do we want to go there; I actually don't want to go there... nope, he said 'lanchas,' which are the small boats in the port along the Muelle Prat, a scenic and (at least at the time) a lanza-free place. Boats, night, lights, water, pelicans, need I say more? Cristian is taking pictures of the city for when he goes abroad to Spain next semester.
I was hungry. I am always hungry. We went to the food court above Riplay, pronounced like 're-play,' which for some reason makes it really hard for me to say because I know it is spelled differently. I don't know why this bothers me; perhaps because I am a visual learner. Cheese empanadas. He said 9, and I was like man, I don't say this often, but I may not be able to eat 9 empanadas. But they were tiny empanadas. Some people like french fries as a fast food side dish; I enjoy the cheese empanada option, and of course a toast with coca cola (the cheers! or salud! kind of toast, not the bread.) Cristian could live of of cheese empanadas haha, awesome. Seriously a great day, some 6 hours of exploring Valpo in good company. Couldn't as for a better Saturday evening.
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