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I got up this morning to a nice big breakfast with yogourt, toast, cereal and coffee. When I was ready to take a shower, I had to light this propane machine that heated the water beforehand (how I miss taking hot showers with having to worry about anything!)
I left around 10am. my first stop was the museum La Sebastania (Pablo Neruda's house). On the way there, I met this girl named Patricia who was working in a kiosk that sold hand crafted souvenirs. She was really nice and we talked about my trip so far. Afterwards, I went to the museum which was one of the best museums that I have been to. It had a audio commentary on how Pablo Neruda lived. He was an amazing poet and ambassador to Chile. My favorite poem from him (translated to English):
Your breast is enough for my heart, and the wings for your freedom. What was sleeping above your soul will rise out of my mouth to heaven.
In you is the illusion of each day. You arrive like the dew to the cupped flowers. You underminethe horizon with your absence. Eternally in flight like the wave.
I have said that you sang in the wind like the pines and the masts. Like them you are tall and taciturn, and you are sad, all at once, like the voyage.
You gather things to you like an old road. You are peopled with echoes and nostalgic voices. I awoke and at times birds fled and migrated that had been sleeping in your soul.
He also has a Ode to French Fries and an Ode to things which is really cool. His house contained many quirky things, but it was fascinating! I sent about 90 minutes there just trying to get to know this amazing person! After the museum, I was a little hungry so I went to this little shop and they had salteñas! However, when I bought one, I quickly realized that salteñas in Chile are nothing like salteñas in Bolivia...they are called the same, but are two different meals.
I had lunch in this really cheap restaurant, and then decided to go to the Navel and Martime museum. Here, I spent at least 2 hours learning about the history of Chile and the numerous wars it was in. I also got to learn that many British generals helped Chile in their Indepedence and the War of the Pacific (against the Peru-Bolivia confederation).
Afterwards, I followed a walking tour that my travel book suggested. Because Valparaiso is built on a mountain, it has many "elevators" that you can take for 300 pesos. They are really cool. Valparaiso is also filled with romantic walkways and alleys filled with wall art. It has a charm to it, that just makes you fall in love quickly with the city...
The only thing that I did not like was the fact that there are a lot of stray dogs that s*** anywhere on the floor. I think I stepped in s*** a least 5 times! I walked back to the hostel (an hour walk). I think, in all, I walked for 3-4 hours! I got back to the hostel at 5pm, and had to go on the internet to continue searching for plane tickets back home.
After 4 hours of searching, I finally found an intinerary from Sao Paolo to Montreal for 640$ tax included! I was really hungry by this time (but did not want to pay another 20 USD for supper, so I did the economical thing and went to the grocery store and for 10 USD, bought a gourmet meal, with desert, coffee, and stuff to make 5 sandwiches tomorrow.
I came back to the hostel and had supper while watching a movie with the American girls. It was nice to relax now that I found a way back home! We were going to go out tonight, but everyone decided to stay in. I did not mind because I was planning on going out on the weekend in Santiago.
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