Chile _{02 —}
Pto. Montt
& Valdivia

PHOTO JOURNAL

^{... After wandering aimlessly around Valparaíso we ventured down south. First to Concepcíon then Valdivia and finally down to Puerto Montt – gateway to Patagonia.}

Mercado

^{Both Concepcíon and Valdivia are situated along the lush Pacific coast, thriving off the unreal amount of seafood that makes its way into the markets daily. While most of it was unfamiliar to our Americanized palette, we dove right in. Eel, barnacles, squid and coral are just a few of the gems we got our hands on. The dishes prepared at a mother-daughter owned eatery (no bigger than my living room) were incredibly simple yet amazing!}

“Serrano street (below) was once THE wealthiest street in all Latin America”

From 1848–1858

^{European merchants setup a colorful and exotic marketplace along these streets to capitalize on the return voyagers and their newly found gold/wealth. This meteoric rise put Valpo on the map among the wealthiest in the world.}
^{...today however, we were advised not stick around here after dark.}

Culture Capital

^{Once the Panama Canal opened, returning ships opted for the much quicker and more economic route bypassing South America all together. Practically overnight, merchants evacuated the city along with all its lifeforce. It's taken a while but Valpo is slowly beginning to find itself all over again, artists have slowly migrated back to the city transforming it into "Chile's Cultural Capital". There's such a beautiful balance to the chaos that’s hard to describe. Streets, alleyways and staircases weave rampantly through the hills creating an urban maze. Giant murals and artwork spread throughout the city begin to tell the story of Valpo's beautifully broken soul... I think that's what I fell in love with the most. We’ll be back!}

PHOTO JOURNAL

... After wandering aimlessly around Valparaíso we ventured down south. First to Concepcíon then Valdivia and finally down to Puerto Montt – gateway to Patagonia.

© TONIO ALUCEMA – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

^{... After wandering aimlessly around Valparaíso we ventured down south. First to Concepcíon then Valdivia and finally down to Puerto Montt – gateway to Patagonia.}