Sunday, January 25
Yesterday, after a long journey, I arrived in Valparaiso around eight o’clock in the evening. The area around the hostel is full of homeless people, but it feels safe enough with many couples walking around. At the hostel restaurant, I find out I am too late for the shrimp empanadas; out of necessity, dinner becomes potato slices. The next morning, I miss breakfast because I relaxed for too long, but with a quick coffee, I take a collectivo to the city center.
I walk along the Muelle Prat harbor and take the steep Ascensor Concepción funicular railway up. At the top, I enjoy charming streets and beautifully painted facades, highlighted by the art deco building of the Museo Palacio Baburizza. Once back at the hostel, the receptionist fixes my Wi-Fi issues. Unfortunately, rain ruins the plans for sandboarding; the board won’t slide on a wet surface. I close out Sunday with a great seafood risotto nearby.
Monday, after checking out, I take the train to Viña del Mar, a beautiful city full of green avenues. I walk past the Teatro Municipal and the Museo Fonck, easily recognizable by the authentic Easter Island statue right outside the door. Around noon, I pick up my backpack in Valparaiso and board the bus to Santiago. The route takes us past vast vineyards.
In the Santiago subway, my ticket refuses to work. Fortunately, a friendly commuter helps me through the turnstiles with their card. I check into Hotel Montecarlo Santiago and immediately climb the adjacent Cerro Santa Lucia for an amazing view of the city and the mountains. After a long city walk of 23,000 steps, I end the day at a Peruvian restaurant with seafood rice.
The next morning, I drop off my laundry first and then take the funicular up San Cristóbal Hill to see the impressive statue of Christ. I take the cable car across the park for great panoramic views. Aan around lunchtime, my laundry is neatly ready.
In the afternoon, I join a city bike tour with a group of eight. The cycling pace is slow, but the guide—a communist artist—gives a fascinating talk about recent history. Afterwards, I grab a beer with a Dutch couple and Beth from London. The day ends with a cozy dinner at a local eatery.
Wednesday, the alarm goes off brutally early at 3:00 AM. An Uber takes me to the Santiago airport for my flight to Sao Paulo. After a smooth luggage transfer, I fly out to stop number two: Belem in Brazil and from there to Paramaribo in Surinam.
