Entries this day: Valparaiso

Valparaiso

8:55am ART Friday 24 February 2006

Wow! The PB is next to Regal Princess again! We left about 5 or 6 hours after they left Ushuaia, but from the stacking of the ropes, it is apparent we arrived in Valparaiso *first*.

I imagine, because I (guess) they plan these things pretty carefully, their ship will leave first, given their ropes are hooked on top of ours on the pilings.

9:25am ART Friday 24 February 2006

On a train now with Rie and her Spanish class peeps, trying to speak a bit of Spanish. Getting out of the port, I was told I couldn't bring food out... I had made a little lunch box from food from Yacht Club, but they were like, "oh but now.."

Ooops.. I forgot this is a tight port like that. I hope PB doesn't get in trouble. I hope *I* don't get in trouble.

10:44am ART Friday 24 February 2006

Right now we are chillin' with Soledad, a woman who patiently answered all our questions about the area and was interested in learning a bit of Japanese.

She's telling us about cool restaurants to check out in the area.

11:47am ART Friday 24 February 2006

Despite Soledad's suggestion to walk along the northern coast of the city, we went to Wulff Castle, which has awesome wave action pouring between the main building and a tower thing. I could just sit and watch it for hours, like in Costa Rica that time back in the day.

The castle is free to visit, and sports artwork on the walls, and lovely views of the nearby beach.

The castle looks rather new, but is in an old location; I saw an abandoned staircase cut into some rocks; about 8 steps remain, but the rest have been taken by the sea.

2:30pm ART Friday 24 February 2006

We (me, Rie, Ryo, Mieko, Koko, and Toyo (who are all from the same Spanish class on PB)) are in a restaurant in Vina del Mar (perhaps (I haven't been in charge of navigation, even a little bit)), overlooking a beach with horses we may ride later.

6:41pm ART Friday 24 February 2006

Back in the port terminal, plugged in electrically but not internetally.

Pretty much had fun today, riding horses along the beach; mine (Simone, or something like that) was keen to stay out of the surf, even in the shallowest bits. Afterward, we took a few minutes to look for Koko who seemed to have disappeared, but she was fine, across the street where the rest of my group had started to look, and not along the beach, where a guy had told me she went.

The train line along the coast is modern and clean, with a decently short wait time. It doesn't have the hoity toitiness of Singapore, but seemed somehow friendlier. Perhaps it was because we talk to people to get tickets, instead of machines that can't make change of more than like a dollar.