Travel in Chile: Valparaiso & the beaches

Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. Cousin cities and both worth knowing. 

Just 1.5 - 2 hours away from the polluted, crowded streets of Santiago, Chile and you can be laying on the beaches of Viña del Mar, soaking in the sun from November - early March. And drinking a Pisco Sour with a view of the ocean and incredible coastline. 

Just hop on a bus from Santiago for less than $10 round-trip and you'll get a nice South American tan. Avoid rush hour traffic from 5PM - 7PM or you'll be in the bus for an extra hour (or two). 

Where to Stay? 

Valparaiso. The streets and houses are colorful. There is art everywhere: drawings of the horizon, street art on abandoned buildings and paintings on hostel walls. It is where you want to each ceviche, congrio, sea bass, camarones, ostras, y reinata. People are friendly and a bit silly. Plus, the hostels and B&B options are less expensive than the glamorous Viña. Beware of weird Chileans that want to hug you or take your photo - with their camera and just of you. That's weird and maybe they are trying to pickpocket you. 

Linds, ready for oysters & ceviche? 

The whole city is designed around the cerros, or the mountaintops. The locals don't know street names or cross streets. They know mountaintops. Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion are the two main tourist hilltops. There are centuries-old ascensores that take you from sea-side up the hill. It's like San Fransisco hills but steeper so the walk up can get old after a few times. Lindsey and walked those streets to walk off the Pisco Sours, beers, and fish that we just kept consuming. And we may have gotten turned around in the winding staircases that go on and on like something from a Dr. Seuss book. 

Imagine that walk everyday

We met some rockin' Canadians, eh, at a fun little joint and one Pisco Sour led to many more shared beers, dances and a wine tour at Indomita. 

Want to get wild on the weekends? Go out to the bars and clubs on the main street, Errazuriz, and you'll find something to keep you dancing until 5AM. We went to Casa Negra one night and danced to American hip hop and reggae all night. The camera LOVED us that night - I think we were the only non-Chileans there! But, cheap beer in Chile is worse than Bud Lite. You've been warned. 

We loved the location, price and ambiance of our bed & breakfast, Casa Kultour. It's a chill place with big rooms, nice bathrooms and they organize tours for local vineyards, the cultural points of Valpo and have dance lessons. If they've got rooms available, I'll stay there every time. 

Valparaiso, Chile

Patio of our hostel

The history, culture and sun are waiting for you! 

Streets of Santiago

I walk everywhere. I did the math and I walk about 300 minutes a week. It's a lot, right?

 I walk to meet up with friends, to the La Vega for fruits and vegetables, to the metro or to the mall.

Walking the stairs in Valparaiso, Chile

You get it. I walk a LOT. About 15 - 18 miles in a week. So, what's it like to walk in a city of 6 million people? The better question would be, "How many times a day do you hear sweet nothings by men in the streets in a day?" Too many to count! 

"Que linda." "Eres muy guapa." "Que preciosa."  "Tu eres muy bonita."  "Linda. Bonita." "Eres una estrella." "Que guapa." 

linda = beautiful

preciosa = precious

bonita = beautiful 

guapa = pretty/beautiful 

Words aren't enough and some Chilean men believe noise will land them a sexy glance from their target. Whistling. Honking. Clucking - yes, like some sort of baby chicken noise.
Has it ever worked? Has a man ever gotten a flirty look back when he cackles at a woman walking down the street? Ever got a number?

The other day I was sweating. A lot. It was SO incredibly hot and my English classes are at lunch time -- my clients say it's their "coffee break."  A taxi driver stuck his head out the window like a dog with his nose out in the fresh air. Apparently sweating is sexy in Santiago. Who knew?

These two love to stick their head out the car window!!!

I honestly thought he was going to cause an accident. "Preciosa." "Linda." "Eres el sol de mi vida."

My roommate, Kelsea, laughs. And I laugh too. She put it well, "When I go back to the US, no one tells me that I'm beautiful and pretty in the street. We feel so gorgeous here. I can go to the fruit market in my pajamas and get attention." 

American Boys: This is your permission to tell Kelsea and me that we are beautiful when we are in the States.

That day, it was just too much. I was sweaty, hot and thirsty and walking to an English class. He almost caused an accident. It's absolutely hilarious. What did I do? I flipped the bird.

Twice that day! Can you believe it? I was so over being called gorgeous, beautiful and pretty that I flipped off two different men - both in cars.

Why is this hilarious? Because nothing actually will happen. These men whistle, whisper positive thoughts and are not shy when checking me out. And they keep walking to wherever they were headed before crossing paths with me. Maybe I'll smile, say gracias or shake my head in disdain. There isn't a fear - like in Chicago - of walking home and being assaulted or raped. Well, there is a growing fear of crime but actual crime stats are not growing.

My lovely and oh-so-great friend Lindsey was visiting me for 10 days and we went to the fish market. Think: Pike's Peak in Seattle but less commercialized and developed. The fish gutter told us we were the most beautiful girls, muy hermosas, and I finally said (in Spanish), "Sorry, you aren't the first one to tell us that today. But, thanks anyway."

His fellow fish gutters thought that was pretty funny. So did we.

Lindsey was in shock the whole time she was visiting me. The catcalls were more culture shock than the Chilean lack of fashion, the tasteless food or the very, very public displays of affection.

In the last 10 days, we were cackled at/whispered to/honked at:

- by a 10 year old boy driving shotgun with his dad
- by at least 5 cars in the streets of Santiago
- walking to the bus station in Pucon, in sweatpants
- sweaty, walking through downtown Santiago
- at the fish market, by the fish gutter
- by the Turiskit guy who said, "You make impressions on me."
- stared at by the candy-seller on the beach in Viña del Mar but we were guarded by a street dog that honestly guarded us by barking at the jerk and circling us. #lovestreetdogs

Chilean Wedding & Gender Equity

Little did I know that I would wake up the next day at 2PM….

My handsome Chilean date, Pablo! 

Dear future husband and wedding planner,

Chileans know how to throw a wedding and here is what I want:

• Bling-bling, hats and rapper video sunglasses for all to wear while dancing.
• Soup served at 3AM is brilliant. Gives an energy boost, revitalizes and replenishes some vitamins from all the drinking. 
• A torta table.
• Appetizers & cocktails outside with a stunning view

Chocolate, 3 Leches, Dulce de Leche and some panqueques too! 

The bride and groom were fabulous! Cote, the bride was stunning and her groom was as happy as could be! They lit up the dance floor well past 4AM.

Let's start with the dance party and work our way backward to the religious ceremony that wasn't all G-rated!

Party Time! Chilean wedding parties go until 5AM. I didn't see any Red Bull or power naps, or any other non-Chilean wedding guest (but there were blonde ladies…) Just Piscolas (Pisco and Coke) in one hand and the occasional picada kept the guests & newlyweds energized. Get this. Imagine yourself dancing to the latest JLo song with some Mardi Gras beads and a silly hat, and a waiter brings out a tray of mini burgers onto the dance floor. Protein boost to fuel 3 more hours of dancing? Genius! 

View of the dining area from the dance floor

Waiters come right into the dance floor, full of inebriated cousins, friends, uncles and aunts, with trays of snacks. Mini burgers around 2AM. French fries at 4AM. All night the Piscolas were flowing from the bar that was right on the dance floor.

Need to take a break from those high heels? Not me! I was smart and wore flats. When friends here told me a Chilean wedding goes until 5AM I knew there was no way in hell I would wear heels. Good thing Steve Madden sells a pretty pair of sparkly flats.

Back to snacking...Did you see that cake table? There were sweets galore - all night -  AND consommé at 3AM. A sweet lil thang cuts your cake for you, too. She thought I was crazy when I scooped up the raspberry chocolate cake crumbs instead of cutting a piece. I may have tried 3 different cakes...Good thing we danced for 4 hours!

Music. The dance floor was hopping all night! At first, the newlyweds and their parents dance a traditional, classic dance. And nobody pays attention. After that - it's open to us all! Plus - no slow songs. Thank you! A very interesting observation was made about the music: the DJ worked his way from typical, popular Chilean songs north to the Carribean: salsa, merengue and Puerto Rican booty-shaking tunes, and then even more north: Rihanna, Carly Jepsen (Call Me, Maybe!), The Killers, Ke$ha, and even some throwbacks with BackStreet Boys and New Kids on the Block. Apparently, as you travel north from Santiago, the better the music gets for dancing. I guess that means Shakira & Pitball are like the border-crossing from South America to the USA.  Don't worry, Gangham Style made an appearance!

Gorgeous decorations, a purple hew and the bridal table right in the middle of it all 

 The dinner was fantastic. The food was fabulous & the company great. I sat next to this beautiful couple, they were friends from Cote's work (she works with LanChile). We chatted about love, Santiago and traveling in the USA. They were super sweet and lots of fun (don't forget…this is all in Spanish…)
Oh and guess what? I was at a socially-progressive wedding. Often, Chilean weddings have a male and female dinner plate. Males get the meat and females get the fish….We all ate meat. 

Side note: this was the first year (last Sunday, October 28, 2012) that men and women could VOTE in the same place. Previously? there were separate voting locations for men and women. In 2011.