Fiestas Patrias and other adventures in "Paradise"

  Valparaiso, Chile
Sunday, September 21, 2008

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Independence Day:
Celebrating the freedom
To roast a whole sheep

This town is crazy man, loco

  Last week was Fiestas Patrias here in Chile, an almost week long celebration of September 18, 1810 when Chile declared independence from Spain (it's like our July 4th). We arrived in Valparaiso (aka Valpo) directly from the Andes late Sunday night and made our way to the Hostel Nuevamente, which is more like a boarding house and is run by two very sweet geography students. Valpo is on the coast, built on about 15 large cerros (hills) and crammed with brightly colored houses built almost on top of each other - and in some cases literally on top of each other.

Everything you need to make your own kite

Its famous for its ascensores (elevators, which are really more like vertical trolley cars) and for featuring one of (poet and national hero) Pablo Neruda's three Chilean homes, La Sebastiana. It is also a hotbed of kite flying, perhaps because of steady sea breezes, and the streets are full of vendors selling make your own kite (or volantin) kits consisting of a giant spool, thread, 2 sticks and a square of thin paper.




To be honest, we spent a lot of time resting in our hostel here in Valpo, but did make it out on some excursions.

Neruda's home in Valpo, "La Sebastiana"

This included taking the elevator up the Torre Polanco tower (it starts underground deep in the belly of the hill) for a sunset view of this wide, wild city. We also climbed high up Cerro Bellavista to visit Neruda's home, which is a crazy little 4 story house designed by Neruda himself. It feels kind of like the inside of a ship, with nooks and crannies, a stairway to nowhere, brightly colored walls, ship portal windows and an amazing view of the sea. Neruda captured the essence this city well in his poem "Ode to Valparaiso," calling it "crazy, with disheveled hair uncombed, never having time to get dressed."

Feel the music! Bailamos!

We also made it out to nearby Quilpue, where Patrick lives with his host family, to see one of Chile's most important and celebrated bands Los Jaivas. A 70's folklore/rock band, they played super long flutes along with their electric guitars, wore flowy shirts and featured a hot lady drummer! Patrick describes them as having a Jethro Tull sound. Eli thinks they had a Dave Matthews vibe, if Dave Matthews was in his 50s with flowing grey locks and had been exiled from his home country for 15 years during times of political unrest. I just thought they rocked!

Fiestas Patrias! Bailamos!

Once again owing to Patrick, our insider to all things Chile, we got to celebrate Fiestas Patrias in the traditional fashion, with a huge family barbeque at his host family's house, complete with games, tons of grilled meat, copious amounts of red wine, hours and hours of dancing, and an entire spit-roasted cordero (sheep or lamb), which Patrick himself bought from one of his students. Muchisimas Gracias to Norman, Charo, and the entire Ardouin family for letting us join in. The photos hardly do justice to the amount of pure enjoyment we experienced! The party continued on Friday with lots of great conversation (good for our Spanish skills!) and lamb stew. A truly unique experience.

Now we're off to southern Chile to see the volcanoes of the Lake District. Thanks to all who made our stay in and around Santiago so awesome.  Viva la Independencia!

An artist in repose

Ascensor Espiritu Santo

Jerome enjoys the view from Hostel Nuevamente

Eli's new dog buddy

Waiting patiently for the light to change

The wacky bar at La Sebastiana

Our new friends at the concert!

Quite the impressive lamb on a spit...

Tango demonstration!

Patrick and Charo cut a rug