Today we got good news from Nina saying that she felt well enough to come to Vina del Mar and Valparaiso with us. She had been told to stay in bed this week due to an stomach infection, but she pulled through and is joining us for a beach trip! Here is a picture of the hostel we are at:
It is called Hostel YoYo and more information about it is available here:
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/El-Yoyo/Valparaiso/3575
It was started by Americans, they have BBQs, an indoor bar, and its very surfer like.
Here is a snapshot of the area we are in:
To get to Valparaiso we took the train about 8 stops from our hostel to a bus station in Santiago. From there we paid $8 US to take a Greyhound/Peter Pan like bus ride here. It was 1.5 hours long. The Chilean president, Michelle Bachalette was here today since it is a national holiday and she gives an address. We missed the parade and la cueca (national dance of chile), but it sounded like a good time!
Right now we are settling into the Hostel (lots of Americans, amongst UK and Argentinian travellers as well), and then we will have a quiet night of drinking and eating together in our room. We got a private room (but a shared bathroom and shower) with a big bed and a small bed for the three of us. We booked three nights here. Valparaiso and Vina are both quiet summer vacation towns and much more relaxed than the city. They are both famous worldwide for their graffiti and the colorful houses that line the surrounding hills. Tomorrow we are going to Vina del Mar where we will go to the beach, enjoy the nightlife, and take tons of pictures to share with you!
Nos hablamos pronto :) (we will speak soon)
Besitos (kisses),
Julia, Nina y Jorge
What a crazy looking hostel. Valparaiso was really fun when we were there - a fashion show on the street a block from where we were staying. Did you get to Pablo Neruda's house, very awesome. Also, be sure to try the ascenseurs - 100 year old sort of outdoor escalator that is very scary but beats walking up the steep hills. Surely Nina will take you to the bookstore cafe and the breakfast all day place. MamaB
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