Coastal Valparaiso

April 19th 2008

After hunting for a place to sell me a ticket down south to Ushuaia ("end of the world"), I realized it was Saturday and the city is DEAD.

I walked around trying to give the city another chance but I was just not feeling it. It seems souless. I finally found my way to the bus terminal and booked a 2 hour trip to the coastal city Valparaiso, dubbed as the cultural mecca of Chile.

I dropped my stuff off at the very comfortable hostal with puffy comforters and pillows. I then headed out to get dinner at 11PM.

I found a little Cafe that a 2-piece band looked like they were setting up to perform. I ordered a glass of wine and some pasta.

I ended up ordering another copa de vino tinto while enjoying some really fantastic Chilean soul music (maybe I was hungry for some life!). As the night went on, the place packed in a few more hungry stomaches and casual drinkers. I moved to the couch beside my table and enjoyed my third glass of wine while watching an older local couple sing and beat to the inspirational music.

Feeling tipsy, I wandered home feeling rejuvenated and had a drunk thought: Santiago sucks and is like a black hole that saps life out of you. It's riculously oxy-moronic that on top of Santa Lucea there is a plaque commemorating Charles Darwin, the explorer of life during his time.

Travel advice in Chile: get out of downtown Santiago and hit up some culture in Valparaiso.

My trip is now back on track.