Valparaiso
We docked here in 2015 on our trip on the Explorer from Ecuador to Ushuaia.It was a changeover day and we visited 2 wineries with one other couple
Since time immemorial Valparaiso has inspired writers, poets, musicians and artists alike. If the city is still a little rough around the edges, this only adds to its bohemian ambience; the architecture, style, street art, nightlife, and live music scenes of Valparaiso are some of the best in the world. Add colourful clifftop homes to the mix and you'll soon see why Valparaiso is many people's favourite Chilean city. The city was founded in 1536 by Spanish conquistador Juan de Saavedra, who named the city after his birthplace. Many of the colonial buildings he implemented are still standing today, despite the rain, wind, fire and several earthquakes (one of which almost levelled the city in 1906). Quirky architecture also abounds; poetry lovers and amateur architects will no doubt want to make the 45 km trip south to Chilean poet laureate (and Nobel Prize winner) Pablo Neruda’s ship-shaped house and museum for a taste of the extraordinary. The city and region are also extremely well known for their love of good food and wine. The vineyards of the nearby Casablanca Valley - first planted in the early 1980s - have earned worldwide recognition in a relatively short space of time. However, Chile’s viticulture history does date back much farther than that. De Saavedra brought grape vines on his voyage to South America in order to make his own wine and this led to a new grape brandy being created, Pisco. Today give any Chilean a Pisco and wherever they are in the world, they will be home.
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March 18th.
A 4 plus hour tour to 2 vineyards ; Casas del Bosque in Casablanca and Vina del Mar. The coach guide, Christian, was good but the guide at the 1st vineyard was Awful; spoke far too quickly and every 10th word was Guys! . The guide at the 2nd stop was fine but his sparkling wines were rubbish: David succeeded in getting him to open a decent bottle of champagne . Christian told us lots about Chile on the drive back to the ship.
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Lunch was served up on deck and then the new punters boarded, making us 94 for the upcoming 25 day leg to Tahiti: of these 39 were from the US; 16 from the UK; 10 from Poland: 9 from Australia; 5 from Ireland, plus a few assorted others. We then har the introduction of the new Expedition leader, Marieke, from Holland. Roger, Julie, Carolina and Paola had disembatked ; in their place we had Demetrius, a historian from Russia; Dot, another historian from Australia; Anthony art and Lea was now on board as a marine biologist and snorkel master
A day at sea. A lecture by Damon on modern life in Chile. Lunch, a siesta. A talk by Mila on Archaeology in Chile, tea, Recap and Briefing and then the Captain Pavlin Koev¨s Welcome. Between times I read Yesterday´s Chilfren and Marooned, the story of Alaxander Selkirk. . A roughish day with 3 m of swell and it was cold eating in Hot Rocks for dinner
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on to Robinson Crusoe Island