Chile 2016

Friday28October

We take the bus to reach the famous city, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2003. Although it is located opposite Santiago from east to west, it only takes us 1h30 to get there! Yes, Chile is just a narrow strip that measures less than 200 km in some places!

In the middle of the morning, it's market time. Freshly arrived fish are on the stalls, ready to be packed directly into customers' baskets... Fruits and vegetables are not left out either...

Errazuriz Avenue, lined with palm trees, runs along the ocean. There is no beach here; the city is mainly a port.

Sotomayor Square and the blue building of the Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Navy (formerly called intendencia).

And in the square, people are protesting and demonstrating! Yes, there's still a strike throughout the country.

On the other side of the square, the monument to the heroes of the Battle of Iquique.

On the left, an example of the paintings that cover a good part of the city's walls. On the right, the city's other peculiarity, an "ascensore", the name given to the small funiculars that allow one to effortlessly climb the various hills on which the city was built.

The colorful houses of Valparaíso, the sunny touch of the city even when the sun is shy like today...

Strolling through these picturesque streets, one imagines being in a small town more touristy than anything else. And yet, the city is the second largest in the country! And its port is the first! And indeed, one realizes this better when facing the panoramic view of the city...

Zoom on an "ascensore".
Some are no longer in operation, and as for the others, alas, we won't have the pleasure of using them either because they are all "out of service" due to a general strike! Too bad...  

The city's first funicular was installed in 1883! The one in the photo on the right is called "Villaseca" and was inaugurated in 1908.

On the left, Saint Vincent de Paul Church inaugurated in 1912.

The weather is not on our side and even plunges the tops of the hills into mist...

The Matriz Church was first built in 1559, then rebuilt in 1837 after an earthquake.

Inside, a statue of the Frenchman Jean-Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars. We will see statues of him again in other churches. No idea of the origin of this notoriety in the country... 

Serrano Street.

The 60-meter ceramic-covered staircase that runs alongside the "Cordillera" elevator.

We are on a hill, so there's no shortage of stairs! And they don't escape street art! The one on Fisher Street alternates words and thoughts on colorful steps.  

Street art is ephemeral. This one will undoubtedly soon give way to another creation by another artist...

This granny is brand new, she still has many good days ahead of her!  

Templeman Street and its Pirate Hotel...  

The organ from 1837.

Colorization of the city walls by the city walls...  

One of the four cemeteries in the city.

"Usa la bici", use the bike! Yes, of course, when the opportunity arises!  

The Catholic Church San Luis Gonzaga on "Alegre" hill.

Galos Street.

Bismarck Square.

The view of the city from Bismarck Square.

The Santa Cruz Lutheran Church from 1897 on "Concepción" hill.

A quick visit to the cemetery where street art is absent...

The sloping city welcomes all architectures... and some seem very fragile...

The "Queen Victoria" elevator on "Alegre" hill.

The narrow, steep streets of Valparaíso between cats and dogs.

This one leads to a fortunately open gate, opening onto Ecuador Avenue.

The Alemania viewpoint.

Located on Bellavista hill, the residence of the poet and Nobel Prize in Literature Pablo Neruda (1904-1973). He inaugurated this house in 1961. He chose the name Sebastiana in honor of Sebastián Collao, the first owner who could not finish its construction.

If only one verse by Pablo Neruda is to be remembered here, it is this one: "If we walk all the stairs of Valparaiso, we will have gone around the world."  

San Sebastian Church.

The trolleybuses of Valparaíso. The oldest in the world still in operation... They were put into service starting in 1952. This one, number 832, was built in 1948, then renovated in 1986.

Alas, the cathedral cannot be visited... But we didn't know that, so we approached the side door where people seemed to be coming out... We asked if we could enter and an old man told us it wasn't possible but, "oh well, I'll give you the tour"!!! Cool, so the three of us wandered through the cathedral with explanations from our mysterious impromptu guide!  

The cathedral was built in 1910. It is extremely sober.

A small curiosity, this statue of Christ offered by Easter Island.

The Angel of Chile, the Archangel Saint Michael, and a Pietà.

And there you go, the day ends with a traditional chicken and fries before taking the bus back to the capital!