Valparaiso

So we leave Pucon: after 10 nights it was like leaving home!! But we weren't alone as James and Tim were also going Valpo so we decided to not only get the bus with them but be room mates with them too.. Better the devil you know then the devil you dont as they say.

First morning James gets us walking around the city... it was like a free city tour, but very fast pace so youd had to keep up to make sure we had time to take some pics !!
Becs, Tim and James..

Valparaíso is a World Heritage Site built upon dozens of steep hillsides overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Its streets are like mazes, with cobblestone alleyways and rich, colourful buildings most covered in clever graffiti.....
James took us to a lift and at the top some wonderful views of the city..

As we wandered the labyrinth of streets we came accross..

Colourful houses..

Distinctive art works...

And graffiti everywhere...

A hostel over the road from ours..

That afternoon we lost James and Tim as they were meeting James Parents... just as we thuught we had time for a rest and some time alone - we bumped into some other guys we met on the Navimag and Pucon .. so ended up going together with them to the drum festival...

The drum festival was crazy. It went on all weekend but today was the main day. There must have been around 40 different groups of drummers, drumming and dancing along the seafront for about 5 hours.... their energy was electric...

In the hot sun we decided a beer whilst watching the festival was well overdue... so we climbed up the hillside to an off liscence, got some beers and continued enjoying the festivities from the top...

Terry and Mike enjoying a beer..

After all that dancing and to much beer on an empty stomach we joined the guys for dinner, washed down by a few tradional pisco sours.

Next day we went down to the docks, for a little boat ride around the habour and navy vessels....

Its quite obvious that the town is great for seafood..... and the sea lions were only too aware of this!!

And strolled around the markets and different parts of the town.
One strange street we saw some burned dolls and old shoes tied over the electricity cable.... eary...

After 2 nights in Valpo we caught a bus to our final destination in South America - Santiago......