Friday, February 27, 2015

Valpraiso, Chile










Valpraiso is a magical little city North of Santiago Chile.  I came here with the intention of staying one week and I ended up getting vortexed in for two weeks.  I volunteered at the Mitico Hostel and had a great time.  The city is so colorful and so vibrant with the best street art I have ever seen.  A very bohemian city with lots of hippies.


The street dogs here were very impressive.  They were very tame and nice.  This famous street dog named Beto has been romanticized in the neighborhood.  Little kids run up to him with their parents yelling ¨Beto I love you¨.  He is a very lazy dog that lies in front of the hostel all day long.  Sometimes he gets up to bark at other dogs that encroach on his territory.
Beto even has a mural painted of him and a two full page spread about him in the newspaper.
Beautiful demonstration of the street art in front of an old French Car.
This kid seriously looks a lot like Justin Beiber... but way cooler.  Dustin (or as I call him J-Biebs).  If you are looking to buy subwoofers or lemon meringue pie while in Valpraiso get in touch with him.
My travel sister Lea from France and me ona  beautiful cero overlooking the harbour... yes thats right Valpo has a harbour.
Valpo its a clean city.
Beto making friends with people in the plaza.
If you want to rent bikes in Valpraiso and go for a ride along the pier rent for free from University of Catholic Valpraiso.
At the right time of day you can even see Sea lions.
Up top of the escalator in Cero Blanco.  Here there was a street art performance last year and many beautiful murals.
Dog sleeps on coach with tattered blanket in front of Graffitti in Cero Blanco.


The port is a marvel.  Copper is a big export of Chile and China is buying a lot.

Japanese friends and I made the best suishi ever one night with salmon, shrimp, avocado, and mango.  Apparently in Japan you dont put mango in suishi but she was down.  Suishi is very famous in Valpraiso.  There are many restaurants selling it.  I think it has to do with the trade with Japan and China.
The beach Las Dockas near Laguna Verde.  Its about an hour drive to get here but so worth it.  The most beautiful beach with free camping.  Only problem is the water is cold and there are lots of jelly fish.


Beautiful flowers in bloom.
My French Canadian brother.  One of the only Canadians I met in Chile.  Not many Canadians seem to be travelling to South America.  There were many in Peru but here the number one tourists were French.

Damn... we make these streets look good.  Two friends from Argentina.
Beatiful character home here in Valpraiso.  The spanish first came here in 1536 so you can imagine the colonial architecture here is to die for.
Bohemian man on bicycle rides by on a Sunny Sunday.

A couple of Videos:



 
Every Thursday in Plaza Descansar in Valpraiso there is African Dance.
 
So many good local singers in the streets and other tourists coming through.

Drinking Pisco Sours is one of the most traditional things to do in Chile.  Also in Peru too.  Here is a video I made of how to make a Pisco Sour.  Yes you need to use an egg, but just the White!  Fill the bottle with ice, then juice of three limons.  6 shots of pisco.  egg White, and sugar.  Shake until all the ice is gone and then pour into a cup.  MMMM delicious.  Makes about 3 small cups.

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