Valpariaso

Trip observations: Lots of stray dogs in Santiago and Valparaiso   - none have been threatening but some obviously diseased. Various people from poor to business persons have told me to put my camera around my neck and not just carry it in my hand. I find it hard to believe cameras are a major theft item. I thought maybe holding it in my hand marked me as a tourist but so would wearing it around my neck.

Dec. 20: We came to Valpariaso today. Our guide is Adrian who picked us up at the airport when we arrived. He knows in depth Chilean history. He also loves Valpariaso. We arrived at our hotel, Casa Higuera after a few bouts of being lost. Valpariaso is an incredible hilly city with aa mishmash of narrow roads (mostly cobblestone). The hotel is a boutique hotel with lovely grounds, chilly pool and nice hot spa which I enjoyed. Adrian took us on a two hour hike through the area of the hotel, consisting of going up, then going down, then horizontal, and repeat. Through lots of alleys and small streets. The City has encouraged “graffiti murals” on houses and other buildings - some can be quite beautiful. For lunch we stopped at La Providencia and had an amazing meal. Ostrich carpacchio, a ceviche, king crab ravioli and a conger eel dish, with a bottle of  chardonnay from a local winery.

12/21 2 cruise ships in the harbor which we could see from our balcony; visited Pablo Neruda's house at the top of a Valpariaso hill - a whimsical, magical place with an incredible view of the harbor and would be a great place to entertain;

toured Vin del Mar, a seaside town; wind so strong that flags were straight; ate at seaside restaurant pink clams and chowder and fish call renata; on the way back to Santiago we stopped for a  tour of a Chilean winery and a sip of the grape - our tour guide was a young woman from Wisconsin who has interned at the vineyards for two summers - she wants to begin her own vineyards in Wisconsin (has planted some grapes that were developed by Univ. of Minnesota) and are like frontenac; ate dinner at Happenings, a steak house Dennis' friend recommended

12/22 left Santiago at 0730 on a 6 hr bus ride thru the Andes; beautiful scenery with snow capped mountains, winding roads, waterfalls, and alot of water; arrived in Mendoza, wine country for malbecs;