After 2.5 days and 3 nights poking around Valparaiso and Vina del Mar we are bussing it to La Serena for some more beach time with less people. The beaches in Vina del Mar were packed. Lots to keep your eyes occupied but more of a scene than we prefer, and the water should warm a bit as we head north. Valparaiso, the port town was our favorite of the 2 cities side by side. Much older and a unique layout of streets, walks and funiculars used to manuver the hills. Public art, commissioned and unwelcomed everywhere, along with the colorful buildings make it worth the steep climbs exploring the neighborhoods. We stayed in a hostel in Cero Concepcion, just above the port and mostly hung around the old section of town. There is still evidence of the large earthquake that hit this area a year ago, vacant buildings, closed businesses and only about half of the funiculars in operation.
It's nice to be back on the Pacific, tasty seafood, cool breezes and beautiful sunsets.
After 6 hours on the bus we were surprised at the size of La Serena, not the quiet town on the ocean we had hoped for. There was no seperation from the neighboring city Coquimbo and the beach scene was just as crowded as Vina. Oh well, maybe our next coastal town as we head north, there are other things to see here so we will limit the beach to one day of our 2.5 here. We are now traveling with a small beach umbrella on the buses, trying to fit in with the locals on summer vacation. After picking a spot and setting up the umbrella we picked up a set of Maui paddles and ball (local favorite) from one of the many vendors walking the beach. It's like the lot at a Dead show except much more sand and less dreads, everything for sale - clothing, sunscreen, snacks, kites, buckets, boogie boards. Just lay on your blanket and wait for it. Blankets, umbrella, paddle balls.... I think all we are missing is a cooler full of cervesas!
We aren't just beach bums though and try to hit the museums when they are near by. Chile seems much more respective to its indigenous peoples than Argentina and it has been nice to visit museums in Santiago and Vina celebrating the Mapuche stronghold of central,southern Chile that succesfully resisted invasion by the Incans from the North and were thorns in the side of Spain during the colonial years only to be slowly smothered by population increases and economic policies of the New Republic. The Fonk Museum in Vina and the Archilogico Museo in La Serena in addition to mainland history each had exhibits on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), the giant Moai figures and the history of those peoples living over a thousand miles from Chile.
As we head north in search of the perfect beach I am sure there will be plenty more history as well.
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