Valparaiso – where wandering around aimlessly has a purpose.
It’s a funny place, Valparaiso. Not a spot in which one would care to live out his days; the thick morning fog, the busy port that cements the promenade with a bleak, grey waterfront, the raging street traffic that fills the space between bumpers with a thousand angry horns! But for the intrepid traveller, the creative minds and culture seekers it is a must-see, and indeed a “valley of paradise”. The coastal breeze carries the mouthwatering wafts that ricochet between rival empanada sellers. There’s enough incredible street art to fill up all of your SD cards, and the never-ending colours paste the hills rainbow-like in the summertime. There is a labyrinth of narrow streets, meaning that your “little” walks can easily turn into hours of alley-bound, staircase climbing treks!
A side note to Valparaiso would be that the street dogs here are as healthy and happy as our dear Elmo & Maisie are back home. They are fed, housed, stroked and spoken to. The city is as much theirs as it is the painted houses that they guard… but their shit is everywhere!
A lasting memory would be the childlike excitement that was felt when the Luchadors put on their masks, and climbed the ropes to stand atop the turnbuckles of the amateur wrestling ring thrown together in the centre of town. The rumours are true; the Luchadors reign supreme. Viva la Raza!
"Ladies and gentlemen this is proof, ANYTHING can happen in the World Wrestling Federation!"
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