Graffiti & Mugging

Valparaiso is a beautiful port town 2 hours northwest of Santiago. It's famous fr its 40-something hills and colorful architecture, often decorated by professional graffiti artists (at least I think they were professional).






But it will forever be remembered as the first place (and hopefully the last) that I got mugged by knife point.

So let's backtrack. Valparaiso is a kind of city that wanderers dream of. Every street, alleyway, every hourse, they are a marvel - no wonder it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. So a Swedish guy I met at the hostel and I, this is exactly what we were doing. But unfortunately, he was carrying his large expensive-looking camera around his neck, and 3 young hoodlums with tiny knives (still, knife is a knife) came to mug us. My first instinct was to run, so I did. And I knew that I could outrun most people. But my friend froze up and had his camera snatched away from him. And then, just like that, the hoodlums were gone.

It definitely made me realize that South America is more dangerous than other countries, and I need to be more vigilant. And now, I only carry around a few bucks with me when I go out. No camera, no iPod, no debit card.

BUT, I really don't want this to deter anybody from coming to South America or Valparaiso as it is still a beautiful place.

- Ryoji