Valparaiso, Chile, "Valpo" is an enormous port, the busiest we have ever visited, and the nation's largest! We certainly got an education on loading container ships and port operations! We had to take a shuttle bus from our dock to the terminal, which took about 15 minutes to drive because of the activity and the crescent shape of the harbor.
The city is built on dozens of hillsides (45), and there are two distinct sections, connected by 16 ascensors (funicular railways) that climb the steep hills, some of which are so steep that they're more like elevators than funiculars. The lower section is a narrow strip along the coast which is more modern and orderly, and serves as the commercial center. It is the site of Latin America's oldest stock exchange, the continent's first volunteer fire department, Chile's first public library and the oldest Spanish language newspaper in continuous publication in the world. This is where the statue of General Arturo Prat stands in the center of Sotomayor Square, bordered by the naval headquarters building and a small fishing pier.
The upper sections are older and larger, are almost entirely residential, and each hilly neighborhood is like an individual city, with interesting narrow, twisted streets and cobblestoned paths winding through them. The drive to visit Pablo Neruda's ship-shaped home was terrifying (he was their Nobel Prize winning poet)! There is no room to turn around, and unless one of the opposing cars turns onto a sidewalk or into a side street, you are forced to back up the steep street until there is space to pass! It's a protected UNESCO World Heritage site.
The population of Valparaiso (Paradise Valley) area is 17 million, and its climate is actually desert between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountains. They do not have snow, but have 2,000 volcanoes and frequent earth tremors and earthquakes. Mining, food processing and fishing are the major industries, and the National Parliament meets here. The capital of Chile, however, is Santiago, about an hour north of Valparaiso, and the President is located there, separate from the parliament. We weren't able to visit this more modern city that generates 45% of the country's GDP. Living in Chile, the longest (3,000 miles) and narrowest country in the world, is like living on the edge of the world.
Chilean wines are rated the best in South America and are among the finest in the world. Wine growing began in the early 16th century when Cortez ordered that the Spanish colonists must plant 1,000 vines for every 100 dead Indians! The vines are planted facing north to south to get the best benefit of the sun. About one third of the grapes are used to distill the national spirit, Pisco, which is about 40% alcohol! They say that one Pisco Sour is nice, two are enough and three "do you in"!
We would have liked to have had another day to explore Santiago, but certainly enjoyed seeing the quaint neighborhoods of Valparaiso.
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