University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders in Chile: Day 2
05/04/2026 | General, Women's Soccer, Academic Services, Spider Performance
Hey Spiders!!
Day 2 in Chile was a blast! To start us off, we had some breakfast in the hotel. There were sugary coated croissants that were amazing, that most of us paired with some fruit and eggs for a more of a simple breakfast. After breakfast, we took a scenic one-hour drive to Valparaiso. Our guide, Victor, shared fascinating local insights, including why certain roads close on Sundays for sports, church, or community events. Passing through the coastal range, we drove through a long tunnel that he humorously warned us to plug our noses for! He also pointed out the impressive headquarters of the Chilean Navy, the nation's largest force, along with monuments honoring their war heroes. Â
Once we got to Valparaiso, two dancers performed a cueca dance for us! Then,we were able to see all of the street art and murals scattered around the streets.  Our tour guides had told us that they try to limit the graffiti in certain parts of Chile, so Valparaiso has murals and spots dedicated just for that. But, Dr. Nielson and I came across a mural of the streets of Chile where the murals actually had graffiti embedded into it. It was very interesting because they said murals take the place of graffiti, but here they were combined! We really spending the morning wandering through this beautiful coastal town and connecting the symbolism from the artist's work while exploring connections between public expression and current events. We then grabbed some amazing macaroons from a little shop nearby!Â
Next, we explored a bit more until it was time to go to Pablo Neruda's house for a tour! Pablo Neruda was a Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet-diplomat acclaimed for his passionate love poems, surrealist imagery, and political advocacy. We took a self-guided audio tour, which was perfect for wandering around the five levels of his home. Neruda's house was so fun, filled with random toys and games. He clearly valued the simple pleasures:  good company, detailed drinkware, and just beautiful items throughout his house. It was so cool to see all of his auction bought glass murals all around the place. From the upper floors, you could overlook what seemed like the entire city. After the tour, we headed over to a restaurant called Los Compadres where we had lunch on the beach. From steak and salmon to empanadas, our lunch was amazing! We followed it up with a refreshing (and cold!) run into the ocean, just so we could officially say we swam in Chile! It is Fall here in Chile, and as a result the water is quite cool. Fortunately, the weather has been beautiful and we could not pass up an opportunity to swim at Playa Portales.Â
After the beach, we headed over to a professional soccer match between the Santiago Wanderers and Deportes Temuco! Many were amused by the fans who sang, chanted, and played drums for the entirety of the game. At times, they were just as entertaining as the match. The energy here was incredible and I was so excited to be a part of it! Although the game ended in a tie, it was so fun to watch and we all had a blast! At the end of the game, our guides took us to a local farm for dinner. It was here that we witnessed a self-sustainable way of living. There was only fresh food as everything was handmade and grown or produced directly on the property. We tried new fruits that were pulled directly off the tree branch, saw chickens laying eggs, all while watching the chef pick lettuce directly from the garden for a salad. After a tour and learning all about the farms' production directly from the owner, we were served an amazing pork rib and mashed potatoes for dinner with bread fresh from the oven followed by some delicious baked cheese dessert to end the day! This experience was incredible and we were all thankful for the many new things we were able to learn and see today.Â
Go Spiders!
Veronica RrapiÂ
Women's Soccer
