South America 2013

Day 2

Santiago

Friday, 23 August 2013

Today we travelled by bus for approximately 2 hours across the Coastal Mountain Range to Valparaiso. This is one of Santiago's most important seaports. The views were spectacular. The city was declared a World Heritage Site in 2003. It is built upon dozens of steep hillsides overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Valparaíso boasts a labyrinth of streets and cobblestone alleyways.

We rode a funicular to look out across the port. A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other. 300 pesos each way. That's about 60 cents each way.

We then went to visit Pablo Neruda's house. The views from this house were spectacular. The house is built over 4 levels. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside.

We then travelled a short distance to Vina Del Mar for lunch at Fellini's and a short walk. Very different to Valparaiso. This was a modern town rather than the traditional Valparaiso. We saw an original Easter Island statue located outside the Fonck Museum.

	Funicular [Map]		Funicular [Map]
	Funicular [Map]		Valparaiso [Map]
	Valparaiso [Map]		Valparaiso [Map]
	Valparaiso - Pablo Neruda's house [Map]		Vina Del Mar [Map]
	Vina Del Mar [Map]		Vina Del Mar [Map]
	Vina Del Mar - Easter Island statue [Map]		Vina Del Mar - Nobel Prize winner [Map]
	Vina Del Mar [Map]		Vina Del Mar [Map]

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