Introduction to Valparaíso, Chile

I spent two months in Chile during the summer of 2005. Chile is a Spanish speaking country on the Pacific coast of South America. Click here for a map. I spent most of time in central Chile in a temperate climate. Because it is in the southern hemisphere, it was winter during June & July.

I flew into the capital of Santiago and then rode in a small mini-bus across the mountains to the western coast. It was a foggy day when I arrived and my first view was beautiful but surreal.

After several weeks of rain, the sun began to shine on Valparaí­so when I went to the port for the first time. This city was one of the most important ports in the world before the Panama Canal was built. Now it is mostly used for the needs of Chile and other South American countries, especially Bolivia because it is a landlocked neighbor to Chile. The boats and city make for a beautiful landscape.

However, boats are not the only activity in the harbor. Birds and sea lions are plentiful. This one seemed to wave at us!

I plan to post several entries about my experiences in Chile so keep checking back!