[Paisleychick-lj] Viña del Mar and Valparaiso

[Beatrice M's blog]

[![][1]][2]   
[Valparaiso Mural][3]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

We spent Wednesday afternoon walking around a bit of Valparaiso. We walked downhill to the port and along Ave. Brasil - lined by hugs, tall palm trees. The houses are in various stages of disrepair, but many have been painted bright colors and there are small murals everywhere. This makes the run-down feeling much more quaint than depressing. They are really trying to bring this town back as it was devastated by the loss in its status as a major port city. The port is still active, but just nowhere near the level of before. Many people have asked my opinion of their town. They seem proud of the work they have done so far and eager to please the tourists, so want to learn how to improve.  
  


[![][5]][6]   
[Beach next to the Sheraton Miramar][7]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

The difference between Valparaiso and Viña del Mar is quite striking. The later is definitely a "resort" town with the fancy casino, the beach promenades and much nicer looking and better kept-up buildings. We just had an early dinner al La Dieta de Nos, an incredible restaurant for vegetarians as well as meat eaters. I had a stuffed tomato salad and pesto brown rice. Kragen had a delicious soy and vegetable loaf. Frank Sinatra played on the stereo and the sun started down the sky. The waiter was nice and didn’t laugh as us, even though we were eating at the strange hour of around 4 or 5.   
  


[![][8]][9]   
[Hotel Genross through the gate][10]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

We are staying at the Genross Hotel, which is a very charming place run by Brian and his Chilean wife Lya. The rooms are delicate and the common areas are immaculately decorated with polished wood and beautiful furniture. Different from the previous B&B and nice as well, but with a very different atmosphere. Breakfast is a beautifully presented meal of coffee, milk, bread, butter and jam. We are going to stay here until Friday when we return to Santiago and spend the weekend with Andrew Cooke and his _novia_ Paulina. I'm looking forward to meeting them and exploring more of Santiago. I was ill the previous weekend, so didn't leave the hostel much, which kind of sucked.  
  
There was a small earthquake on Wednesday night. Haven't felt one of those in a while. I’m glad it wasn't anything bigger.  


   [1]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/399233552_9a03f3c13a_m.jpg
   [2]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/399233552/ (Valparaiso Mural)
   [3]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/399233552/
   [4]: http://www.flickr.com/people/blmurch/
   [5]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/399262471_c6acf699c3_m.jpg
   [6]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/399262471/ (Beach next to the Sheraton Miramar)
   [7]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/399262471/
   [8]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/399249306_21d9510326_m.jpg
   [9]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/399249306/ (Hotel Genross through the gate)
   [10]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/399249306/

URL: http://paisleychick.livejournal.com/300812.html