Cerro Alegre in Valparaíso

Just a Short Stroll Uphill

I had arrived in Valparaíso in late afternoon. By the time I got the Metro figured out, and rode to the end of the line at Puerto, the central port area, and got uphill to where I was staying, it was fully dark.

Valparaíso is built across dozens of cerros or hills, and there's just a narrow strip of level land along the waterfront. In the Puerto district, the base of the hill is no more than a hundred meters from the waterline.

I had a bed reserved at the Acuarela Hostel at Templeman 862. "Just a short walk from the Metro" as it appears on the map. Short, yes. But steep. It's almost entirely uphill, climbing Cerro Alegro.

Many of the streets in Valparaíso twist and turn. Templeman runs in a straight line, which means that it's quite steep in places. So steep, in fact, that it turns into a staircase.

The next morning, after breakfast at the hostel, I walked down to the Metro and walked back up again, taking pictures along the way. You get plenty of exercise when you visit Valparaíso.

Here I go up Urriola. I'm one block from the Metro and already a third of the way through the very narrow business district .

I leave the business district for shorter buildings with cafés, bars, shops, and apartments. I assume that almost none of the buildings have elevators. If you can make it to the front door, six flights of stairs would be nothing.

Here's Ñamburger, a place I got lunch a couple of times.

With Chilean vino tinto, of course.

Chilean electrical cables do not conform to the neatness standards found in Japan. But they get the job done.

Urriola curves around to the left as I climb.

And it curves and climbs some more.

If you're impatient, stairways provide steeper shortcuts.

I'm approaching the point where Urriola crosses Templeman. It's up ahead, with the red awnings.

I have just started up Templeman, and turned to look back at its intersection with Urriola.

This section of Templeman is too steep for cars. You have a choice of walking on sloping cobblestones or steps.

The neighborhood has built two dog houses for the local stray dogs.

Chilean people love dogs. Many have pet dogs. And, they take care of the strays. They set out water and food, and take care of them; I didn't see any stray dogs that didn't look quite healthy.

The "WE ARE NOT HIPPIES WE ARE HAPPIES" sign is a local landmark.

I have turned to look back down the hill.

Back to climbing.

I'm getting closer. I'm back on a section with cars.

I've made it! This is the Acuarela Hostel.

And here I've turned to look back down Templeman toward the harbor.

The walk from the Puerto Metro station to the Acuarela Hostel involves a climb of 115 to 120 meters elevation.

Above is the rooftop view during the day.