Thainig Long o Valparaiso14 Apr 2010
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Plaza de Bernardo O Higgins - Libertador de Chile - Valparaiso, Chile
Plaza - Valparaiso, Chile
Plaza - Valparaiso, Chile
| I hooked up with a fellow gringo (how the southamericans universally refer to foreigners) Raimundo from Portland Oregon who I met in the hostel in order to go visit Valparaiso. We took the bus early morning and got to Valpo by 10.30am. This famous coastal town is about 120km northwest of Santiago and is Chile´s second biggest city. Visited Pablo Neruda´s second house La Sebastiana.. bit of a hike up the multicoloured streets. The bar (once again) took pride of place in the boat-like house and yet again great views over the harbour. He knew what he liked Pablo and he was certainly nothing but consistent when it came to his architecture! The murals along the way are referred to as the Open Sky Museum and make for great photo opportunities. As the day progressed the fog over the harbour lifted and we had a bright sunny day. Yet another funicular journey (this time on the city´s oldest and certainly most rickety I dare say)took us to the Cerro Artilleria. Had a fab leisurely lunch in a small restaurant overhanging (literally) the cable car which has been huffing and puffing its way up the hill since the late 1900s. Before sitting out on the dizzying terraza we noted the escape routes in case we were suddenly to find the ground trembling below us. As luck would have it our visit coincided with the visit of about 10 magnificent Tall Ships which had arrived in Valparaiso to celebrate the Chile Bicentenary (It´s 200 hundred years in Sept since Chile secured its liberation from Spain).. Lucky for us it is one of main events that has not been cancelled in the wake of the earthquake. Tháinig Long ó Valparaiso - Pádraig de Brún 1889-1960 Tháinig long ó Valparaiso, Scaoileadh téad a seol sa chuan, Chuir a hainm dom i gcuimhne Ríocht na Gréine, Tír na mBua. "Gluais,' ar sí, 'ar thuras fada, Liom ó scamall is ó cheo, Tá fé shleasaibh gorm Andes Cathair scáfar, glé mar sheod." Bhíos óg is ní imeoinnse, Am an dóchais, tus mo shaoil, Chreideas fós go raibh i ndán dom Iontaisí na ndán 's na scéal. Ghluais an long thar lintibh mara, Fad ó shin is a crann mar ór, Scríobh a scéal ar phár na hoíche, Ard i rian na réaltean mór. Fillfidh sí aris chugam áfach; Chífead cathair bhán fén sléibh, Le hais mara na síochána - Creidim fós beagnach, a Dhé. TRANSLATION.. first 2 verses only.. A ship from Valparaiso came, And in the bay her sails were furled. She brought the wonder of her name, And tidings from a sunnier world. ‘O you must travel far, if you Would sail away from gloom and wet, And see beneath the Andes blue, Our white umbrageous city set’. |
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