Saturday 11 March. Valparaíso is a colourful coastal city. It’s build on several hills and has many small steep streets and stairs. The viewpoints on the hills show the colourful city. Enough opportunities to take some pictures. A special building is Palacio Museo Balburizza. A wonderful Art Deco building. Bit strange the name of the architects is prominent on the building. Inside beautiful woodwork and paintings. Next to the building a viewpoint on the harbour. Ascensor El Persal, a funicular, takes me for 100 pesos down to sea level. At the square the building of Armada de Chile is nice, the old trolley bus is the main attraction here. At the harbour big boats and some small fishing boats. Most amazing is the wildlife. On the nose of a big ship lays a seal in the sun. Unreal, but it moves, so it is real. Back to the hostel and have diner.
I stay in an old building without any sound insulation what so ever. Still after 23 h it’s quiet. The beds are quite good and I can actually sleep till 7:30 h.
Sunday. More walking. Find new alleys and stairs, more views and the famous Ascensor Artillería. Here the Museum Comandancia en Jefe de la Armada de Chile is open to visit. It’s about the role of the navy for the independence of Chile. Nice touch is the exhibition is also for blind people. Bit strange though, some objects specially for blind are not to be touched… Next door a great view. More streets and views and in the afternoon I take the metro to the beach. It’s too hot in the sun, but in the shade it’s nice to read a book. Big alarm and then huge clouds of thick smoke above Viña del Mar. Again forest fires. I planned to go there tomorrow. Have to see. I have to walk up, because there is no electricity in town. Big climb. Than the power is on again. Charge the phone, use the computer and have a shower.
Monday. According the news the schools stay closed today, because of the fires. It’s cloudy and not too warm. Time to go to sunny and hot Santiago for my last days in Chile.
