February 13 - Last Day in Valpo

Apparently you say Valpo if you don't want to say the full name of the city.

I'll start off with the last two mural shots.  I'm not showing you all of the photos I took, so don't bellyache.

And then, a couple more of mosaics.  These are seats for public use (mostly for breaks when climbing).

That's it for the artwork.  In the museum department we visited the Valpo house of Pablo Neruda (famous Chilean poet) which is now a museum.  With your admission you get a very good (English or Spanish) self guided audio tour.  Unfortunately, no photos aloowed.  Here is one of the outside of the house.  Apparently, Pablo was fascinated with things nautical (hence the shape of the house, but he admitted to not being much of a sailor.

In the Engineering department, finally I got a shot of the floating drydock that is in the harbour.  (You may think it's boring, but it fascinates me).

Final engineering shot - a photo of the car of one of the Funiculars (ascensores en espaniol).  The track must be inclined 60 degrees or more.  Lotsa creaks, groans, thumps and bumps as you go up, too.





We had lunch as went back to our hostel, where Laura decided to rest her back.  So, I decided to take the bus to Vina del Mar for a quick look around.  So, here's how to do it:  take bus #607 (the bus stop is the fire hydrant one block up) to the centre of VdM, wander back to the flower clock and catch bus 607 back.  Should take about 3 hours there and back.  The buses are 20 passenger city versions.

What they didn't tell you is that you get to see the first half of your life go before your eyes as the bus driver weaves, dipsies and doodles through the uphills, downhills and corners of Valpo.  Wheeee!  They are actually good drivers, but boy can they go.  No photos from the bus, all I can do is hang on and not slam into the passenger next to me.

Laura says this is a famous restaurant. 

Ian - you wanted wild life.  Well, here it is.  If you are really desperate, I could add a photo of the seagulls too, but when you get right down to it shzthawks are shzthawks the world over.

Or, maybe the wild life Ian was referring to is what happens at the Sheritan (in background) late at night.

Today was sea fog in the morning which only lifted but never cleared.  So, only the diehards are at the beach.  I guess if you have paid a bundle for a beach vacation you are darned well going down to the beach!.

And, for the record, I did find the Vina del Mar Flower Clock.

Now I'm waiting for the bus.  Suddenly, it seems that all the #607 buses have disappeared from the face of the earth.  

Eventually, one arrives and I watch the second half of my life go before my eyes oh the way back.  I don't recognize my stop and we fly right by, however the driver did slow down for me to get out a bit later.

For the accountants here's what my foray into Vina del Mar cost:
-Bus ride (40 minutes):           450 pesos
-Pay Bano on the beach:       300 pesos  (but it was nice and clean)
-Bus ride (45 minutes):           450 pesos
-Bag of chips:                         400 pesos

Total                                     1600 pesos  (about $3.23)

Tomorrow, we are off to Talca.  This is a bus ride back to Santiago and then pick up a bus going south.  We've made reservations at a hotel / hostel out of town.  I was very proud of my Spanish as I was sending e-mails back and forth.  However, I accidentally slipped in an English sentence, so the host figured me out and answered in flawless English.

Hey - we've only had one answer on our snap quiz from yesterday.  Julie's answer isn't very good, and besides she doesn't drink.  Let's get at 'er, folks.