 |
| Shelly listens to our Valparaiso tourguide |
We came to this coastal Chilean city because we heard what a unique place it is on the planet . . . survivor of earthquakes and fires and sailors on shore leave. A port city built on hills with a passion for art, love, wine, and food. We found all that and more. Artists in this town are busy! They are constantly at work on giant, intriguing murals that are creative, thoughtful, whimsical, and laugh out loud funny. Admiring them, you somehow don't notice that you are winded from climbing dozens of staircases and steep roads! We love public art, and want to see more of it wherever we go. Enjoy these streetside treasures.
 |
Translation: the heart is a weapon
the same size as your fist |
 |
Salvadore Allende, Chile's democratically
elected socialist President, still on the wall from the 1980s |
 |
Beautiful tile-covered columns near
Pablo Neruda's house |
 |
| Even the car repair shops have murals! |
 |
| Colorful home with an ocean theme |
 |
The high school wall next door to
Museo La Sebastiana,
Pablo Neruda's home |
 |
One person's garage door is
another person's canvas! |
 |
Even tall apartment buildings
downtown get into the mural act |
 |
| Artists at work in the Open Air Art Museum |
 |
| New works coming |
 |
| Just up the block from our apartment |
 |
| Piano staircase |
 |
| Elvis gets worked into a vegetarian protest mural |
 |
Everyone is fair game: McDonalds gets skewered for
junk food and killing cows |
As New Mexicans, the "state question" is "red or green?" In Chile itself, the question is red or white . . . Chile's wine growing region has grown up in just the last two decades - - - the Casablanca wine region is between Santiago and Valparaiso, so it made for a perfect stop on our way back to the airport. A great tour, tasty tastings, and a wonderful lunch put the capstone on a very relaxing and wonderful vacation. 
