Chile Again

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (Sadly it didn’t happen), I would have spent several days visiting Chile on my 3-year cruise. I was there before, in 2017. I was surprised by the landscape I saw. It reminded me of Provence, in France. The weather would have been to my liking too. Most of the time during our proposed stay it would have been in the high 60’s or low 70’s, with a light wind.

The first city where we would have landed was Valparaiso. Our timing would have been lucky, as there have been terrible wildfires in the area since. Much of the nearby forest was devastated, and homes were destroyed in Valparaiso. This wouldn’t have been the first occasion when timing was fortuitous for me while traveling. One year touring with students in France, we visited a police station in Paris, as one of my student’s fathers was a deputy sheriff in California. A week after we spent time there, it was bombed.

Valparaiso is another port city, of course, but it’s also known for its steep funiculars and colorful clifftop homes. I would have visited both. I love the funicular just outside of Sacre Coeur in Paris, and in Salzburg, Austria. I have ridden both several times. Love them.

Because of their history of European immigrants, the architecture and cultural institutions are reminiscent of Europe. It’s known as the “Jewel of the Pacific”. It’s home to the Chilean legislative Congress and headquarters of their navy. There are plenty of historic maritime buildings. I would have been pleased that our itinerary put us there for two days, because I enjoy all things maritime.

I would have spent some of my time in the UNESCO historic downtown area. I love artistic, bohemian culture. As I’ve mentioned before, charming, colorful, colonial architecture is my favorite kind. The views there, and from the top of Cerro Concepcion would have kept me entertained. I would have capped off my tour with a visit to the home of the writer, Pablo Neruda. Two of my favorite travel memories were visiting the home of Victor Hugo in Paris, and Claude Monet in Giverny. Adding another historical house tour to my list would have been a thrill.

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