SAjourney: Valparaiso, Chile

Chile's former capital and second largest city, Valparaiso (also known as Valpo) is a beautiful tangle of buildings stacked onto winding mountainside roads, sitting on top of a filthy bustling port. It almost feels like two different cities; up in the hills it is calm and picturesque, down on sea level it is busy and grimy. Getting around on the hills can be a little tough since there is rarely a straight route between two points. Sometimes the fastest way to get to another point up in the hills can be to go down to sea level, traverse to near where you want to go, and head back up. If you don't feel like walking, you can always take an "elevator," which as well as being a silly tourist attraction is also a frequently used form of public transportation. Yes, they are as rickety as they look:

It can be nice to wander around the hillsides, going from lookout point to lookout point.

I took a boat tour around the port, which was strangely enchanting in a filthy way. Numerous grime covered sea lions, pelicans, and other wildlife were easily spotted throughout the ride.

There were lots of military vessels, including a submarine:

I had booked a room in a hostel over the internet for my first night in Valparaiso. It turned out that what I had booked, even though called a hostel, was a room in a student apartment. This was good, hanging out with two Chilean and French students, all speaking Spanish. Since they actually lived there, the place had a nice lived in feel.

My second night I made the somewhat peculiar decision to stay in the home of an old lady I would realize was a cat lady and a hoarder. I just couldn't resist the cheap room with an incredible view looking over the Valparaiso port and into Vina del Mar.