Our next stop on this amazing adventure was San Antonio, Chile. I promised Dan I wouldn’t drag him out at every port to a long boring bus drive full of crabby old people who were rude and felt entitled!! Ha Ha! But I confess I am a planner and suffer from FOMO ( fear of missing out). I like to read and do my homework about new ports and places and have a bit of a sense about what the highlights are. The Cruise Critic site is really a wealth of information. If you don’t know about it message me and I can get you all hooked up at no charge. You can basically find your roll call for your ship and then sign up. You can ask most any question and get fairly accurate information. So after seeing this tour and watching some you tube I signed us up and our friends Andy and Linda came along too. Here was our schedule :
1. Pick up at the cruise terminal in San Antonio in the morning (between 8- 8:30 a.m.).
2. Direct drive to Valparaiso with one stop at the famous church Lo Vasquez.
3. Sightseeing in Valparaiso as a combination of easy walks, driving & the famous cable cars.
4. Drive to the sister city Viña del Mar. You will see here all the highlights like the flower clock,
the botanical garden Quinta Vergara, the Easter Island statue and the waterfront.
We can stop for a short lunch break (not included in the tour price).
5. On the way back we will visit at least one vineyard in the famous CASABLANCA valley.
6. The drop off will be at San Antonio cruise port.
We exclusively use modern vehicles with air-conditioning. Depending on the group size, we will choose a vehicle that leaves some space. You can feel free to invite around 12 - 14 persons to the tour.
The price for the service is $120 USD, (Mary's tour price) including the cost for public transport in Valparaiso and a glass of wine p.p. at the vineyard.
Travel to Valparaíso, well known for its impressive architecture and for its mention in Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Today, you will see the old, hilly part of Valparaíso as well as the impressive downtown section.
Set out on a drive up the hillside to Los Cerros, the upper town. Spread along the narrow streets of its 42 hills is an eclectic array of fine mansions, tattered houses and shacks. Stop at the promenade Paseo 21 de Mayo to take in superb views over the city and bay.
Your coach will then descend to El Plan, the lower part of town adjacent to the port area. Pass the Naval Headquarters building that dominates Plaza Sotomayor, as well as the impressive Monument to the Heroes of Iquique. Crossing the historical business center, watch for the majestic buildings belonging to now-defunct banks. Your guide will point out the El Mercurio building, which houses the oldest operational newspaper in Chile, along with the Stock Exchange, Public Library and the cathedral at Plaza Victoria.
Climbing into the hills by way of Alemania Avenue, you will see the city from another point of view. Experience a ride on two of the amazing ascensores, or funiculars -- quite unique in style.
Head to La Sebastiana -- one of the museum houses of Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda. You'll appreciate its astonishing construction and the enormous variety of objects found here.
At Cerro Alegre, enjoy an à-la-carte lunch at a local restaurant before descending to El Plan and returning to the ship in San Antonio.)
Well it didn’t exactly go as planned which as seasoned travelers know you just go with it!! Today was a holiday for the town so several places were closed. Our two guides were phenomenal and I can’t say enough wonderful things about them. They took lemons and made lemonade out of them for us. They were both German and spoke several languages. Their English was perfect and knowledge over the top. One lives close to the fishing village, the younger guide and the other in the nicer section of Tuen in a high rise condo on the beach.
No vineries were open today so that put a kink in their plans but do t worry, we were well taken care of!! The port used to be a rough industrial port where the first labor unions were established and became problematic. Currently these buildings can’t be restored because they are owned by the workers who have long gone left and many can’t be found. There was a Military coupe in 1973.
Initially the Royal family owned the land and it got passed down to their cousins and families. They continued the government and typical families were losing power. Employment included huge copper and paper industries. Diplomats took the industries and the sea ports . Still today they have control.
Driving to the Casablanca valley was much like the Napa Valley. The morning was cloudy and foggy from the sea then it became sunny later. The wineries here have a greater tendency for white wine due to the soil and climate. Chile is the world champion for different climate zones. They are
14 zones in the world and Chile has 12! Here in Valparaiso it’s not as humid as in other locations.
Wine production started in the mid 80’s but water has been a problem for Chile. Sone time ago they planted Eucalyptus trees which have taken over and of course suck large amounts of water from the area.
While we were in the tour van we saw burrowing owls and a 61 Sykorsky!!! We wondered if there was a fire close by or if there was another project for the chopper.
The 8th of December every year there is a pilgrimage to the immaculate conception church where over 1 million people come by foot, motorcycle, bikes and car. For more than a day the main hiway is blocked with people coming to pay homage. This is a strong Catholic country and transition.
This area was a famous fishing community but the Panama Canal ruined this town. When ships could cut short their route to the east or west they no longer came here and everything came to a halt.
The main town of Valparaiso is all reclaimed land. In 1818 all countries came and brought their own immigrants and their own fire department and police etc. Surprisingly it still remains this way!! Those countries that established police stations and fire stations still function and have their districts. They said that at the height of prosperity
rich women walked around with a penguin on a leash not a dog!!! Valparaiso then was like Wall Street.
There are over 45 hills in the city and the poorest live in highest parts contrary to other towns where the wealthiest live at the top. Part of the reason was that it took so much time and energy to walk up the hills and they were rough paths and rocky.
Colorful small fishing crafts dot the beach line
These are huge piles of seaweed they harvest and sell to Japan for cosmetics and animal food .
What a huge conference of birds having the time of their life!
The port is commercial but several vendors were set up to sell their wares.
Monument to the Heroes of Iquique
Naval Headquarters building that dominates Plaza Sotomayor
Even garage doors that open up to little cafes are painted and decorated.
The entrance to the cable car lift
Not very long of a lift but very steep
Artistic skill and uniqueness is everywhere.
We dropped in here to use restrooms and get a coffee or snack
They were ready for Halloween too!
Their walls were decorated with these beautiful woven flat discs
The quaint tables on the deck overlooking the harbor
Old buildings must be preserved. You can not tear them down. To refurbish them is terribly expensive and also to buy them. It’s very difficult to find skilled laborers and to turn a place like this into a restaurant could take years!!
It’s difficult to sometimes distinguish graffiti from graphic artistry but sometimes you have both
I noticed the cat in the corner!!! This old building looked Austrian style
More cats along the walk which we climb up higher and higher. And beautiful gardens too
Don’t know this flower but was captivated by it
And some of my favorite Bougainvilles!!
Unusual colors, styles, architecture. Even a ca it’s in there!!
Sone artists even decorate their homes or home owners hire them to make it unusual for them. Someone loves the monarchs!
Not the best photo but it is a cemetery above ground. If you were Catholic you were buried in one area which was taken care of not. If not you went to the less manicured cemetery.
A beautiful artists rendition of the town…
Look at this set of steps and all the painting that has taken place!! Hence the lift and also the reason poor people live at the top of the hill!
More color, graffiti and art
A very cute place to have a beer, pizza or bruschetta
The Flower Clock!!
This is where one of our guides lives on the second floor right along the beach. If you Google him his website is The German Pirate and he is a full time tour guide and excellent. He ended up taking us to his private residence for champagne and unlimited wine and appetizers. He also arranged for an amazing, entertaining and fabulous puppet show!!! We couldn’t have had a better tour.
The beach by his condo
A few of us went here for a cold local beer and snacks. Delicious
My large mug!
One of the puppet characters
All choreographed to music
His website that you could see his talent. He comes from a puppeteer family and is constantly working and making a living. It was serendipitous that our guide met him a few years ago and has used him for part of his tour
And we saw large groups of pelicans and other large sea birds
Dan shares his cash with the frog but then who gets it??!! Ha ha
“Never let your memories be greater than your dreams”.
No comments:
Post a Comment