Day 39, Valparaiso Artist Studios (San Antonio/Santiago)

DAY 39 – Valparaiso Artist Studios

Today we ventured to Valparaiso on a HAL tour to visit several Artist Studios.  Later, Jesse Kazemek and his wife Colleen, were on the Mainstage with “A Tribute to the Beatles”. 

SAN ANTONIO

We arrived in San Antonio around 7 AM and moored alongside a wharf filled with hundreds of containers heading for ships going to sea, or for trucks heading into Chile. 

San Antonio is a large city that is the gateway to Santiago.  HAL used to call at Valparaiso, a larger city about 50 miles up the coast, but recently more ships are calling at San Antonio instead. 

Since this is a working port, we took a shuttle bus to the passenger terminal which was only couple of hundred yards away.  The shuttle buses were large, 40 passenger motor coaches running frequently throughout the day. 

CRUISE TERMINAL

Our tour left at 9 AM and after the short shuttle ride to the terminal, we passed through X ray machines inspecting our bags for food.  We had been given a customs declaration form that we are required to carry with us during all our Chilean ports.  But no one has asked to see it so far.  We will turn it in as we leave our last Chilean port, Easter Island. 

Inside the terminal is a large waiting area and space for long security lines if necessary. 

We didn’t check for WiFi, but based on the number of people staring at their phones I assume there must be something available.  More often than not, terminal WiFi is only good for checking email, occasionally it’s better, but I would never rely on having it for something important. 

Outside the terminal there is a tourist information booth selling tours and offering advice.  

The tour buses are lined up in this area, which is inside another port gate.  If you want to walk into San Antonio, continue walking for another couple hundred yards until you reach a larger gate which is the main entrance to the port.  Once leaving the port, you can walk to the left down the seawall where you will find a variety of Artisan/Swap Meet style shops which ultimately leads to a modern, but small, shopping center and casino.  There are a few restaurants and food vendors along the way as well.  From here you can continue out along the main streets of San Antonio.  The city is not very touristy which is why most everyone takes tours, stays on the Seawall, or goes to Valparaiso.  There wasn’t a shuttle bus from the port to anywhere else nearby since the city is nearby. 

HAL EXCURSIONS

The ship offered a variety of tours into Santiago, vineyards in the area or places in the more touristy Valparaiso.  We always look for tours where we have a chance to interact with local people for an extended period of time.  Today we chose the following Holland America Excursion: 

Valparaiso Porteno Artist Studio  

Departs:  9:00 AM Approximately, 6½ Hours, Price $179.95 

Join a select group of a dozen guests for an intriguing and eclectic journey down the narrow streets of Valparaíso.  For centuries, artists of all kinds have been inspired by the city’s memorable architecture, colorful houses and unusual buildings perched upon the 42 hills surrounding the bay.  Hundreds of poets, painters, musicians, and sculptors are drawn to this curious city and have made Valparaíso their muse, bringing a wealth of culture and attention to this sun-soaked spot.  Today you will meet three local artists who have opened the doors to their private homes or studios for this intimate experience.  See their work and enjoy the passion they impart as they explain the different stages involved, providing valuable background narrative.  During each of the three 45-minute visits, feel free to engage in direct conversation with the artists and experience the porteño ambience that motivates their work.  Each home or studio is selected for its exceptional location or structure, and as a reflection of the artists’ personality and spirit.  You’ll come away with a sense of Valparaíso as seen through the eyes of an artist, and perhaps even feel inspired yourself.  Unwind and reflect over lunch on the terrace of a local restaurant, with an enchanting view of the bay.  Return to San Antonio and the ship.  Notes:  The guide will interpret for the artist if language is a barrier”. 

There were 10 of us on this tour, including Carol, the watercolor instructor as the escort from the ship. 

We would be going to Valparaiso in a 20-passenger mini-bus.  The drive would take about 90 minutes over modern, high speed divided highways.  This part of Chile reminds me of the California coast near Santa Barbara, with scattered trees here and there over rolling hills with lots of open space. 

VALPARAISO

As we entered Valparaiso we spotted this interesting sculpture called:  “Monumento al Cobre” or “Copper Monument” which was built in recognition of copper as one of Chile’s major exports.  Chile is the largest producer of copper in the world. 

Throughout the city, we noticed that many of the buildings were covered with graffiti from protesters marching against various government policies and taxes.  Our guide explained some of the issues that the Chileans were protesting, but we didn’t spend too much time discussing this topic. 

GONZALO ILABACA

Our first stop was at the home/studio of Gonzalo Ilabaca, from Concepcion, Chile.  Situated on a hill in Valpariso, we walked up a staircase from the street to reach his large home. 

The walls were covered with his oil paintings and we were encouraged to take pictures or video as we moved through the house.  He understood some English and was able to answer in English occasionally, but most of the time he spoke to us using our guide as an interpreter.  He explained the motivation behind much of his art and how he enjoyed working with oils which were the same medium used for hundreds of years. 

After we visited 3 different rooms inside, we went out to a garage where he had a Fiat that he had painted in a colorful scheme. 

Our final stop was a room which had paintings for sale.  The price of one larger piece was quoted at $700 USD, but since he didn’t take credit cards – no sale.  

STARBUCKS

On the way to the second artist we paused for a break at Plaza Sotimeyer, home to Chile’s naval headquarters and a Starbucks with a free restroom.  As in the USA, most Starbucks internationally have restrooms, usually free, but occasionally on the second floor or a little out of the way. 

JORGE MARTINEZ & HERNA FREIBERG

Our second stop was an art gallery, with a studio workshop occupying a few rooms.  Unlike our first stop, which was the artist’s home, this location was open to the public.  There were a few people on another HAL tour leaving as we arrived.  Once we were inside, they locked the entrance door so our group would have exclusive access during our visit. 

Jorge Martinez and Herna Freiberg, husband and wife, were the artists here.  They did primarily lithographs and etchings.  Jorge was not here today, but Herna gave us a tour of the studio and explained how they create their art.  After the tour we were able to browse the studio and look at some of the pieces that were available for sale. 

ALVARO MIRANDA

Our final stop was in the small home and studio of Alvaro Miranda which was right around the corner.  We skipped the bus and walked about a block downhill to his home. 

Alvaro is professor at the University of Valparaíso and is also an engraver, painter, sculptor and inventor.  As we toured his apartment and studio, he showed us numerous inventions and electro-mechanical sculptures that moved, played music and in one case had eyes that would follow you around the room.  He didn’t have any art available for sale. 

HOTEL BRIGHTON – LUNCH

Our tour included lunch, which was served on the patio of the Hotel Brighton, overlooking Valparaiso Harbor.  The fixed menu featured Blanquillo, a very nice and flaky white fish along with wine or soft drinks.  Beer was available at an extra charge. 

Soon after we were served, we were serenaded by a local musician who played a few tunes on his acoustic guitar.  He was pretty good and a nice addition to our tour. 

Our waitress, Francesca, was excellent and we enjoyed her wonderful service. 

We left at 3 PM, arriving back at the cruise terminal at 4:29 PM.  All aboard was 4:30 PM.  We were back on the ship at 4:45 PM. 

A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES

On the Mainstage this evening was “A Tribute to the Beatles” starring Jesse and Coleen Kazemek.  They are wonderful performers and put on a fantastic show, one of the best we have seen on cruise ships anywhere.  Jesse starts the show with a amazing medley of a dozen Beatles hits and then transitions to playing a few songs almost all the way through.  

His wife, Coleen, joins Jesse for “Let it Be” and her wonderful voice and energy are inspirational.  

After the show, they stood by the Mainstage exit on Deck 4 greeting guests and posing for photographs.  They were the first guest entertainers to do this the entire cruise.  On previous cruises, virtually every guest entertainer would hold this informal receiving line, but it now seems to be rare. 

I asked some of my sources if there was any guidance from HAL about greeting guests after the show and learned that this is entirely up to the entertainers — HAL doesn’t encourage or discourage the practice. 

Colleen and Jesse and are very nice people off stage and are easy to talk to when you see them around the ship. 

• Coleen Kazemek
• Jesse Kazemek