I’m back from Santiago, Valparaiso, and Vina del Mar! All of the people in Chile were welcoming and friendly; despite our lack of Spanish skills (my friend knew some), we were able to navigate all three cities. I saw the historic buildings of Santiago, explored the hills of Valparaiso, and walked along the coastal area of Vina del Mar! While in Santiago, I found multiple buildings that were there during Gage’s time. I made sure to film and take pictures of each one so that I can include them in the documentary. In order to get to Santiago, my friend and I took a 9 ½ hour flight from Atlanta. I couldn’t help but think about how long it would have taken Gage by boat to make his way to Santiago. In thinking about Gage’s mode of transportation, I’m definitely thankful for my “short” flight!
Valparaiso is a gorgeous city! At some point and time, there was an ordinance that passed which stated that the outside of buildings in Valparaiso could no longer be changed; therefore, the city almost appears frozen in time. The houses are so immensely colorful, the roads are frequently made of cobblestone, and the hills are steep. In terms of the hills, think about San Francisco—only a lot more extreme! Valparaiso was one of the two cites between which Gage drove, the other being Santiago.
My last stop was Vina del Mar. Vina del Mar has a spectacularly beautiful coastline with the mountains and the hilltops of Valparaiso in the background. I’m glad we visited Vina del Mar at the end of our trip because once you’re there you want to do very little besides enjoy the sights and relax throughout the day. Vina del Mar is only minutes away from Valparaiso but has a completely different feel. It’s less historic and more of a beach resort. It was crowded our first two days there because it was a holiday and so many people drove from Santiago to vacation there.
Chile frequently experiences earthquakes—one of the worst occuring within the past year. There were multiple times throughout my stay that people referenced the earthquake in terms of its destruction, and I saw its effects first hand. For example: a church that had just been renovated before the earthquake, once again, needs to be repaired. Unfortunately, the people are not sure when this renovation is going to happen because there is no money available. At one of the wineries I visited, the company lost millions of dollars in production due to the collapse of one of its underground storage facilities. Our last night there, my friend and I were awakened early in the morning due to an earthquake. There were actually multiple earthquakes that happened throughout that night, (their epicenters far away from Vina del Mar), and we had trouble sleeping!
I feel incredibly blessed that I was able to visit Chile and the cities where Phineas Gage once lived. I now look forward to beginning the process of putting together my documentary!
