Valparaiso/Vina Del Mar

On the coast of Chile, about an hour and a half from Santiago, are two beautiful cities named Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. In the summer time this place erupts into non stop parties and beautiful people lining the beaches.

I went to a barbecue at a sustainable living community located in the forests close to the coast. It was really cool to see how they have built houses out of mud with glass bottles for light entry and the various ways they are trying to lessen their impact on the environment through compost and rainwater collection. We met a guy who was so passionate about what he was doing that he invited us into his house and showed us around. It was really cool.

BBQ and Concert

Me trying to be artsy

After the bbq, we left just in time to see the sun set over the Pacific. It's a really spectacular spot. I don't think I've watched as many sunsets as I have on this journey. It makes me wonder what I was doing all the time the sun was setting in Toronto.

Valparaiso is an old port city. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site for it's colonial architecture and the elevators all over the place to help the residents of the city get up and down the massive hills. They have boats in the port willing to take you around for a tour if you would like...for a nominal fee of course.

boats in the port

walking down centuries old streets

out of order elevator

cool graffitti everywhere

tea house

Stairs beside the elevator...I'll take the elevator

Man in the plaza blowing bubbles

Old school street car