BELIEVE IT OR NOT... WE WORK FOR THE CITY -- ERASING GRAFFITIS.
We are a company created by Professional Tour Guide/ Sommelier/Graff Artist/ Local Tattooed Street Thug* Al Ramirez, founder of Al Ramirez Wine Tours / Valparaiso Wine Tours, who arrived back to Valpo from NYC in '06.
VSA tours was co-founded by Jekse and Cines, a couple of local graffiti artists who are doing some great things lately, helping Valparaiso become one of South America's most painted town... the guys can't stop painting! they go by "La UKD Crew"; they been painting graffiti and tagging South America since they can remember. Why? ask them when you meet them!
Our guides are "Perf" Amboy Chris, Seba, Diego "Pes", all experts in local graffiti and street art. They're in charge of making sure you have a great experience.
Al Ramirez AKA "MR. Al RAMIREZ" at Work!
He also paints (not great, but don't tell him that).
He likes to walk around like he's the boss because he "created the Idea", "The first ever Street Art Tour Guide in Chile", and "everyone copies him"... but no one here is trying to hear it.
If he gives you a tour, act like you liked it (nod and chuckle, while looking away)... then come back and take a real tour with the other guides.
A comedian once said "this world we live in is unbelieveable! I went in to rob a liquor store and when I came out someone had stolen my car!"
That car thief could very well be Jake1 (see the pic/evidence above).
He's the type of person who would boil a Frappucino/Iced Coffee just to rebel against the system.
We've seen him go into a vegan restaurant, and ask for a lamb chop. Come on, Joaquin. This needs to stop.
This is El Seba or Sebastian. Just look at the picture and the bio will speak for itself.
He is the one who gets yelled at the most at the office, and asks waaaay too many questions. We dislike him. Very much.
He's the type of person who will be telling a story, such as, "So, I told the stupid police officer not to dare talk to me like that", and the police officer will be standing behind him without him knowing it. Then he'll spend the night in jail, and come out the next morning only to pee in the street and get thrown back in within minutes.
Eddie is a comic book nerd, and a lover of Japanese culture. He is also a graff writer who goes under the name Rone, which comes from "Ronin" -- we looked up the word and it means Wanderer... and that's exactly where his mind is, wandering away from this planet. Don't be surprised if he starts talking about R2 D2 on the tour. Nerd.
"UnKolorDistinto" as they are known around the globe, are a couple that paint together (all day, every day).
- No, they are not siamese twins.
- If you sit and listen to one of their mixtapes, you'll most likely fall asleep.
- They work as workshop tour instructors here and there.
El Pollo is our Hype Man. He's in charge of putting our flyers in your hotel or hostel or B&B, etc.
El Pollo is a specialist.
At the tender age of 36 (He looks young because he eats tons of garlic), El Pollo sold his entire school raffle tickets, and he won all of the prizes!
We'll keep him around for a long time.
Unknown Real Name AKA "Mr. Molly & Sally"
Mr. M&S is a criminal... a thug who mugged one of our guides, and now works for us (Yes, he mugged a job from someone).
He doesn't speak english, but he understands it from his travels through Ritoque, where everyone says "Sorry, Hermano" instead of "Disculpa, Bro" or "Esto es super cool" instad of "oh que piola la wax"... so when we tried to talk smack about him he understood us, and mugged us all.
Anyway, now he's our guide in Spanish. Does the tours on Saturday, and when he feels like it on Sunday. He always shows up late or last minute.
THANK YOU. You all make this possible.