Riots

Being four dumn gringos (yes Anandha, you are a gringo) there was things we did not know we need to prepare for when we went to Valparaiso on the coast of Chile. One, we had no clue that the congress building is in Valparaiso and not Santiago. It was moved there by a dictator in the 1980s. Second, we did not know that the president was going to address the congress that weekend. Protesters gather each year during the address and hold annual riots.

Not knowing these two key points, we go to Valparaiso for the long weekend. On Monday, we left the hostel to get reservations at the bus station. The bus station happens to be across the street from the national congress building. Police blocked our path to the bus station. The police did not tell us that the bus station was closed or that there was an area for us to avoid. In fact, the police pointed us into the area where the protesters had gathered. We turned the corner and found ourselves in between protesters and four bus loads of riot police. When I heard the police chanting on one bus to prepare for the upcoming battle, I chose not to take any up close photos.

Finding nearly every business in the area closed, we ducked into a crummy, dirty restaurant. We chocked down some cookies and watched the president give her speech. Protesters interrupted her speech twice inside the congress building. After her speech, the news showed footage of the riot that broke out in the spot we had been. We missed it by 15 minutes.

I learned a few lessons. First, Chile's congress building is in Valparaiso. Second, the police of Chile do not give the best directions. Last, tear gas makes me sneeze.