Chile walking highlights - part 2 :Valparaiso

This city rises up steeply from the main port area, and is a jumble of wealthy districts and ones which look as though they have been thrown together any old how. 
Some places feel safe and welcoming, others, not exactly threatening, but  in need of a little attention . . . we inadvertently ended up walking several miles along a "belt road" through some of these areas. Not a busy road, but winding along a bus route avoiding the steep ravines where the houses are distinctly ramshackle on the outside.  The photographs are mostly from perfectly pleasant areas - there are lots of them!

Lots of painted walls

La Sebastiana, Pablo Neruda's pad in Valparaíso.

This was very close to the modern Cultural Centre.

Chile walking highlights - Part 1 Santiago

1. Santiago - Cerro Santa Lucia

This was a five mintue walk from the apartment.

A small, steep, popular park with fine views across to the Andes.

Buildings reflect the views

There are geraniums on abundance and some fine scucculents

2. Santiago - Cerro San Cristóbal

A bigger hill than Santa Lucia, and a little further away. There's a road up - mainly for cyclists, and walking paths too.

A popular place on a hot spring Sunday

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The loudspeaker was saying about a thousand hail marys while we were there.

Scuplture by Luciano Kulczewski

An outpost of the Lick Observatory

Pollution haze over Santiago

Swimming pool not in use yet

We finished the walk with a visit to La Chascona, one of Pablo Neruda's houses.

Of course we explored the town further, visiting the big central market, the Parque Forestal which runs parallel to the river Mapocho, dropping in to the Gabriela Mistral Centre,site of a decent cafe, and the local Museo de Bellas Artes, where there was another pleasant cafe. Later we called into the Centro Cultural Palacio de la Moneda to see an exhibition on Beijing's Forbidden City. 

A month away

This time because we were off gadding - in Chile. Some walks in Santiago and Valparaíso,  a couple of short bike rides (along the sea front - so nice and flat), brilliant views of starry skies and the Milky Way from near San Pedro de Atacama, and some very strange desert scenery, animals, birds and plants.  Then we had a chance to practise Spanish, talk to some delightful people, write a few "poedoodles" , scribble a few sketches, take lots of photographs - what a wonderful trip.

We arrived back on September 15th, and I have started my local walking once more.