Lessons in Valpariso

So we have been in Valpo Chile for close to 5 days now, almost a full week in Chile! I am in love with this town. Its completely gorgeous, kind of looks like Richie Valenz is going to jump out at any time. It is on the coast, a harbour town like Newcastle but full of bohemians. We got off the bus at the bus station and as soon as you get off the bus, there are people everywhere trying to get you to go with them to hostels, taxis etc. We met the lovely Chris from Chicago, a fluent spanish speaker who took us on the bus to a hostel run by a family, Eduardo and his mum. The house is in the old part of town and is really cool. As soon as we got here we formed a little gang with some other great travellers. Together we have been doing everything together, walking around town, getting some food, going out at night. Eduardo has taken us to some great little local bars, a salsa club, and last night we went to see Chris play a gig at a funky student type bar called El Pajarito (The Little Bird). So we have been lucky to see the other side of town as well as the touristy stuff...

One of the downfalls of being a tourist is that there are so many theifs and today we met our first...

The hostel has been packed to the brim with people and this morning I opened the door for a few girls who came to check in. There was a guy with them asking about accom but everyone was busy with other guests. He was a Chileno guy, very well dressed and polite. Problem was when I went to take a shower he locked himslef in our room and grabbed Jodies camera from her bag. The boys chased himout but didnt catch him. We have become so comfy in the hostel, which is the family home of Eduardo and his mum, we have been very relaxed about our stuff and not locking the door. Nothing else happened or was taken but it was pretty fucked for Jodie to lose her camera. So then the police came over and took us to the police station where Chris translated our statement so Jodie could get a police report. He is our hero!!! The police were very nice and even dropped us home. I felt so bad because I let this little fucker into the house but he was a true con man. It was a good learning experience for me and we are both fine. They say you can basically kiss your camera goodbye in South America and it seems this is true because Barry (the lovely Irishman) had his passport, mobile and wallet on the bed but they took his piece of shit broken camera instead!!!!

Anyway it was good to have this experience straight up because now our senses are more acute and we are more aware of this kind of stuff. I am not freaked out about it because it seems its just a part of life here as everyone is so poor. They look at us and see dollar signs simple as that...

We leave for Bariloche Argentina on Saturday where we are studying Spanish for a week. I am really excited about this but I am already sad to leave Chile!!


Favourite Chilean beer: Escudo
Favourite Chilean food: Seafood empanada
Favourite Football team: ColoColo
Favourite saying: Si claro (yeah right)
Favourite way to travel: Escolar, a wooden box type thing that pulls you up the hill, a bit like a really dodgy version of the Scenic Railway
Favourite Chilean met so far: Titi, the housekeeper at the hostel who scared the thief off by shrieking in him in spanish then called Chris and Eduardo to go and get him. Then we managed to communicate with her that one camera had been stolen and how it all happened.