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I have blogged before about people’s views, and in fact have thought of doing a series on nothing more than the views from my friend’s houses. I love seeing the city (any city) from above, and I believe that what you see on a daily basis affects how you feel. When I see these grand sweeping views (or closed in, buildings-look-like-dominoes views) from my friends’ windows and balconies and rooftop gardens, I wonder sometimes (just for a minute, don’t worry), what it would be like to live there. Would it change my mood, my day, my sleep, to know that all that was lying outside my window?

I recently spent the weekend in Valparaíso for a crazy, sick, twisted, bike race that anyone who loves a downhill cyclist would cry to look at. More on that later. In order to get there for the morning wakeup, I spent the night before at a friend’s house, up on Cerro Polanco, one of the hills of Valparaíso which still has a functioning elevator (in fact, it is truly an elevator, you must walk a few hundred feet into the cerro before getting in what looks like a tiny performance space for a garage band). Cerro Polanco doesn’t hold much interest for the average tourist, with the exception of my friend’s house, and in general, I wouldn’t suggest wandering around the untouristed cerros for no reason other than whipping out your fancy camera. Because in the end, you may not be the person walking off the cerro with your fancy camera. But I digress.

Up on Cerro Polanco, in addition to the great nibbles and a house that almost defies description and which I think will be frigid-beyond-cold-chilblain-cold in winter, I had a chance to peep at and take pictures of this view:

No need (and impossible) to shoot around the electrical lines that slash through the city.

Natural light fades and electric lights twinkle on in the view from Cerro Polanco.

My clear winner for the yellows and blues. And a small ode to my camera and really high ISO settings.

Cover your windows everyone. I’m coming for your view next.
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Edited to add a link to the insane downhill bike competition photo essay on MatadorSports.