Nostalgia of Valparaíso

Valparaíso is Enchanting. The old buildings, multi-colored houses, and every-day people seem to engulf you, bring you to another world. Valpo has a feel that no other city has. It's different. It's a city from the past. Everyone feels it and everyone has a different reaction.



Generally, tourists become infatuated with the city, getting lost in the hundreds of "secret" passageways, climbing stairs that lead somewhere knew and exciting, listening to locals talk about their every-day lives.

Many locals of Viña will tell you that Valpo is a great place to visit, but not to live. They will tell you that it's dirty and for the lower class. They'll probably mention the "maricones" (gay people), the "putas" (whores) and the "pobres" (poor people).

As much as I love Valpo, once in a while I get this sense of nostalgia. The city mourns over something that is not, never was.

If you have never been to Valparaíso, it is hard to understand this feeling. The best way to understand it from afar is by watching the two clips below. The first one is "Valparaíso" and is considered the official song of the city, sung by Gitano Rodriguez, recorded almost thirty years ago.The lyrics are translated in English in the clip.



Now watch this video from Chinoy, a new artist from Valpo.



After thirty years, Valparaíso has the same feeling. Poverty, sadness, nostalgia.

Why come to Valpo if it's poor, depressing, stuck in the past? Because it's different. It's a city unlike any other. Santiago, New York have the same kind of city energy - people rushing to work in business suits listening to their MP3 players. Valparaíso has a different energy - the faces are worn, but they're real - the roofs of the houses are just a little bit faded, the Turri clock is more than just a little off - it's frozen in time.