Valparaiso, Chile

Anyone that has read any of Isabel Allende´s books would feel giddy with anticipation at the thought of finally reaching Valparaiso, the old port city situated north of Santiago in Chile. Valparaiso is built upon dozens of steep hillsides overlooking the Pacific Ocean, boasts a labyrinth of streets and cobblestone alleyways and is a protected as a Unesco World Heritage Site. If that was not enough it also boasts one of the few open houses of the late Pablo Neruda, the poet, political activist and the first Latin American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.



Despite this picture perfect description of culture and overall appeal, grottiness and petty crime definitely plague its streets. I had been warned by two friends who had been the victim of petty theft (goodbye camera) that I should be extremely careful. LuckilyAlthough it is an intriguing and beautiful city is also has a darker side. One cannot ignore the nothing happened to me but an Aussie couple had the adventure of their life when a local woman came screaming out to them and hushed them into her house only to call the police. It later transpired that they were being followed by 3 men prowling for their next prey. Instead of being robbed they were kindly escorted in the police car to their hostel.

Apart from that it was very nice indeed :)