Today, the ship docked in San Antonio, Chile…. The sail
in was pretty brisk and very overcast.
It seems that the norm in this part of the world is for low lying clouds
come in off the sea in the morning with the sun popping out in the
afternoon. The port of San Antonio is the
busiest fishing port situated amongst the rolling hills known for wine
production and an easy commute to Valparaíso and Santiago. Our first stop was
Viña del Mar, a seaside resort town very near to Valparaiso. Viña del Mar is
one of Chile's most fashionable beach resorts. The town was founded in 1874 as
a weekend retreat and garden residence for the wealthy elite from Valparaíso
and Santiago. Viña del Mar is a mix of Victorian mansions, modern style
buildings, green parks and sandy beaches...unfortunately, there was a low cloud
ceiling and we could not appreciate the true beauty of the area. On our way to Valparaiso,
Juan Carlos our driver made a stop at the Caleta Portales Fish Market...this
was a real treat...not only did we see the fresh catches of the day but a group
of sea lions and hundreds of birds having lunch. Our next adventure took us to Valparaiso,
located 70 miles from Santiago, this port city is spread over 42 hills known
for its steep funiculars and colorful, clifftop homes and lovely vistas...Its
UNESCO-designated historic downtown offers charming colonial architecture,
great markets and stores. On our drive into downtown Valparaiso, we noticed
that street commerce (vendors) had become very popular. Our first stop was Sotomayor
Square...during the 19th century, an influx of European immigrants left their
mark on the city’s architecture and cultural institutions, many of which
congregate around downtown’s Plaza Sotomayor. The highlight of the day was
seeing the captivating street art...after our drive up the steep windy streets
of Valparaiso...Juan Carlos parked his car in the of Cerro Concepción district
and we started our decent on foot through the Cerro Concepción District and the
neighboring Cerro Alegre area taking the El Peral funicular back to Lower
Town...Every time you walked around another corner, you couldn’t wait to see
what was on the other side...the street art is used as a form of expression,
both politically and socially, and it really has come to define the city...There’s
no denying it though, the buildings are covered in some of most beautiful
street art that can be found in the world. We had a wonderful day! I certainly want to thank our guide Juan
Carlos Gonzalez from Tours By Locals for a great day…. I highly recommend his services to anyone
coming to this area….
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