Valparaiso

This morning I walked up the hill to the Valpo cemetery. And it occured to me that I have even taken walls for granted. There are gorgeous houses here, like Seaside, that planned community in Florida where The Truman Show was filmed. And then, in total contrast, people also live in shacks upon shacks, without walls, windows. I thought of my apartment in NYC. I've been embarrassed to take people there. It's just a bed in a room. But no more. I have 4 walls. Two windows. And heat in the winter. That's more than a lot of people in the world.

I also rode up Ascencion Concepcion into Cerro Concepcion today. Valpo has outdoor elevators that take you up into the hills & their neighborhoods. The ascenciones are wooden boxes, pulled up a diagonal on a levee. Kind of scary, climbing up a hill in a rickety, old box. It's a short trip but saves quite a bit of time and huffing and puffing. I felt kind of bad. Like they're only for the elderly or infirm. Or lazy. Think I'll stick to pounding the pavement. But a fun experience. Yep, I'm a tourist.

The city is also full of culture. Art and paintings cover buildings, doors, city streets. I'm just getting started but am happy to be here. Pablo Neruda, a famous chiléan poet and Nobel Peace Prize winner, also has a house here I hope to visit.