Valparaiso and Vina del Mar

Most of we took an optional tour to Valpariaso By bus which cost 85 USD. It is just over one hour away and the drive took us across the coastal mountains where there were a number of sheltered valleys using irrigation to farm wine grapes and fruit trees. There is a great contrast between the brown steep hills and the flat green valleys. We stopped at a lovely winery making organic wine using chickens and llamas to help fertilize the grapes. We had a wine tasting costing 11000 pesos or say 2.20 Us dollars. Wine very special especially one that has just won a gold medal for their carmenure?? Check spelling for this one which is Chile's 'own wine'.Valpairiso is a beauTiful ciTy with such a long history starting with Spainish settlers in 1534 and being one place that was attacked by Francis Drake who apparently blew up their first church. It was wealthy with the export of nitrate but when the Panama Canal opened and the price of nitrate fell the city declined. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and there is work on cobbling streets and renovating old and beautiful houses once owned by rich merchants. The styles are so varied but there is an obvious reference to Germany and many streets with English names reflecting'the influence of large immigration streams from both countries. The most endearing thing is the use of bright colours on the houses and the art work and graffiti around the supporting walls. We looked at a funicular which was called the Victoria and later in the new Gold Coast like Vina del Mar city the horse amd coaches taking tourists along the waterfront were also called Victorias. Lovely lunch in turn of the century building up in the hills and overlooking the bay and the naval base.