Valparaiso and Home

Ascensor ArtilleriaMural Art

From sunset at Puerto Montt, it's two nights and a full day at sea heading north with the current to Valparaiso. At dawn on the second day we are at rest on the dock and, after one last lovely breakfast, we disembark. It's Easter Sunday and the weather holds.

A taxi ride to our prearranged lodging, Casa 199, and we are off to explore the city. Many businesses are closed, so we walk down the hill to buy water and to have lunch. Henry is convinced the area is not safe, Beth thinks we're being followed, and we climb the hill again. Our immediate area, next to the Ascensor Artilleria, has arts and crafts booths along a promenade, and a couple of eateries. When we walk beyond, we see old beautiful mansions in need of repair, much more modest housing and businesses in between, and a beautiful old church. We stop by a bakery and sample some empanadas. While we are walking back, three policemen on motorcycles follow us, then warn us to keep our cameras out of sight and to guard our bags. Our room has a view at Casa 199. Our seafood dinner close by is delightful. Arrangements are made for an all day walking tour the next day with Michael.

Breakfast includes fresh orange juice on the patio. We see men and women riding the old funicular down to the buses and to work. Michael meets us with several other tour participants and we begin our tour through the neighborhoods we walked the day before, and then beyond. He convinces us that a knowledgeable guide can offer much insight and history to what we see. And, we experience much more than we would have on our own--lunch at the German volunteer fire department, the old stock exchange, and buildings, businesses, houses, and people. We encounter his friend, a church caretaker, who plays us an impromptu tune on his horn right there in the street. Mural artworks painted on building walls were the most fun.

The following morning Henry and I depart for the Santiago airport, having missed seeing Pablo Neruda's famous house. That is left for Beth and Allen, as well as all the other places they will see as they continue north, and we fly home.