Panama plays a role in the history of Valparaiso, Chile as it did with all the port cities we have visited. Like other ports we visited on this trip Valparaiso was badly hurt when the Panama Canal opened and the mass of sea traffic came to a screeching halt.

Valparaiso is one of Chile’s most important cultural centers and a major seaport. It is home to a significant portion of the Chilean Navy, major commercial shipping and is protected as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Valparaiso was called Little San Francisco and attracted many European immigrants who sailing around Cape Horn stayed and made this city a wonderful site to explore.

Our plans did not include a stop in Valparaiso but several people we befriended on the cruise suggested a day there and join them touring and we are so happy they did. We met some wonderful people and we have invited them to visit Boquete; hopefully they will.

I have hundreds of photos and none can convey the city. It is one of the most unusual places we have ever been. Think San Francisco with almost everything in the hills around a harbor. Add the fact it is far older and although damaged by an earthquake in 1906 not destroyed.
This is a view from one of the many hills back toward the port. You can see that the port is once again very busy as Chile exports more and more agricultural goods, salmon, copper and wine; wonderful wine.

The Naval District Headquarters occupies this splendid edifice.

This statue to 19th century naval heroes in on a square between the port and the Naval headquarters. The town bristles with history.

Next on our agenda were fruits of the sea for lunch and we discovered a small district of seafood restaurants for the masses, not the tourists. Albacora we discovered is Sword Fish, not Albacore Tuna. Confrio is an eel.

And this is a definite fish. They were in the same district were todays clear eyed catch was being sold for lunch prepared. Chile has magnificent Sea Food. [Read more...]