oday, 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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