Argitaratu: 01.11.2018
The morning stage was only 16 km, which I covered quickly and cheaply with a private driver arranged through an internet service. Valparaíso is great, but bustling and a bit chaotic, and also noisy. Therefore, I want some sea, sun, beach, and good food. Viña del Mar, north of Valpo, is a high-rise city where there is a lot going on in the evenings (so says my driver Esteban). On the other hand, Concón is known for its good gastronomy and many seafood restaurants by the sea. The claim of being the capital is a bit far-fetched, but it is stated in the brochure handed to me at the hotel. The hotel is also not what it promises to be from its name and description: Hotel Plaza, but it is actually a kind of bungalow with an annex in a residential area. The owner, Rodolfo (I won't give his last name for data protection reasons), is a sprightly retiree who likes to listen to operas or gramophones - somehow it sounds like Caruso. Lots of trinkets and knick-knacks. He proudly shows me everything, including a breakfast room where margarine and plenty of eggs are always available, he says. Hopefully there will be good coffee tomorrow. So today I took a long walk along the coast, blue sea and many colorful flowers, along with pelicans, seagulls, and sea lions. The latter lie lazily on a rock and occasionally argue about something. The little ones have voices like lambs, the very big ones more like roaring deer. There seems to be an abundance of fish, which the pelicans also indicate, as well as the many seafood restaurants. So I had fish twice today. The first restaurant had a shrill host who greeted me barefoot and wore a hat with welding goggles. Hot disco rhythms were playing and he danced around on his wooden terrace, where children are only allowed in the company of adults (homemade model). There are indeed strict building regulations here, as Chile is at risk from earthquakes, but this rooftop terrace - well. In the second restaurant, I am greeted by a host who immediately points out 'no tarcheta' - no credit cards. He has a red face and is slightly overweight, which is not a bad sign for a host. I would be suspicious of a wiry host, as that would mean he doesn't like his own food. The fish, whatever it was, was very flavorful, as it was only fish or seafood. My omega-3 intake is now at an optimal level. The starter was a tomato-vegetable thing with fresh coriander. There is often also ceviche (raw, sour marinated fish or the like) - not bad either. However, I am cautious with seafood.