Feb 15

 Feb 15

We docked at Valparaiso, Chile, about one hour from Santiago, the Capital city of Chile.  Valparaiso, a city of over 1 million residents, known locally as Valpo is an idyllic setting for a city.  The steep mountains rise from the port to form a giant amphitheater, reminded me of Honolulu, allowing almost the whole city to have a home with a breathtaking view of the harbor and the Pacific Ocean.  The colonial homes create a tapestry of color with its narrow streets winding up the hillsides, creating a bohemian heart. 

Several funicular cars efficiently take passengers up the steep slopes, ten at a time.  The city has also suffered from major earthquakes, on the San Andreas fault.  The city lost much of its income when the Panama Canal opened, and the bulk of the ships no longer passed by.

We chose a tour of Valpo, rather than the trek to the Mega City.  Once again, we needed to take a shuttle bus to the entrance of the port, weaving through the stacks of containers.  Our guide took us up the mountain, part way to a scenic overlook to get a feel for the city, which was breathtaking.

 

Next, we took the century old funicular rail car to an even higher plateau and enjoyed the views and were treated to a glass of red wine and Chile pie based on the English pasty, containing ground beef and potatoes, which was delicious.

    

We traveled back down the Funicular and from there we went to the home of the late Nobel prize for literature in 1971, Poblo Neruda, even higher on the hillside.  The quirky five story, home, nestled into the mountain with bay views from every room.  The home is decorated with nautical furniture and nicknacks and plenty of antique, stained glass windows.

A very pleasant sunny day in the high 60’s

  

    

 

 

Feb 16

Coquimbo, Chile.  Another port mooring, but this time we could safely walk the short distance to the buses.  With a population of 250,000, it is another lovely-looking city, this time with an English flavor from its original settlers.  The tour guide explained that the city always has sea fog in the morning, but promised it would clear up later, which it did.  The city is well-kept and has plenty of public activities to encourage teenagers to get out and get fit.  We saw lots of outdoor fitness equipment, swimming events, surfing, water polo, boating, jogging trails, and 15 miles of sandy beaches. 

    

 

In 2018, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 struck the area, followed by a tsunami that carried all the harbor boats onto land.   A statue sits atop the distant hill, commemorating Sir Francis Drake, the pirate believed to have buried treasure nearby, though it remains undiscovered.   In my English history classes, I learned that Sir Francis Drake was an explorer who operated under the Queen's orders, seizing unlawful treasures on her behalf.   This is why he is a SIR.

We traveled the Pan American Highway to a nearby bay scenic overlook,

 

then back on the highway to bordering La Serena, a similar charming town with a lighthouse on the long beach.  We were told that its only purpose was to attract tourists.   It worked.  Population 280,000, but that doubles in the summer months.  We appreciated the vibrant murals and loved seeing homes painted in cheerful colors, brightening up the entire area.  

  

Summer temperatures average 79 degrees F, and winter temperatures average 62 degrees F.  The water temperature is chilly at 60 degrees F and is not safe for swimming due to currents and the water temperature.

Our next stop was a scenic overlook of the Equi Valley for photos, then down to the city center market for free time and shopping. 

   

Chile is known for its exceptionally clear atmosphere, and it boasts several world-class observatories, including the nearby Collawar Observatory.   Astronomers must book time one year in advance to use the equipment.  The sign said, “the clearest and purest skies in the world where the stars feel within reach”.  We returned to the ship, enjoying the views without fog and the warm sunshine.   We could now see the giant cross on the hill.  Cruz del Tercer Milenio is a 262 ft tall, 131 ft wide, cross located at the top of El Vigía hill.  We could see the cross from our ship's patio dining room and enjoy the FRESH air.

Feb 17  Seaday

Feb 18

This is our last day in Chile, at the port city of Iquique at the very tip of Chile.  We had booked today's excursion several months ago and did not read ahead to see where we were going.  What a surprise.  We headed out early on a long day.  Our bus took us up the nearby mountain for about 30 minutes on a private motorway [toll road] that was exceptionally smooth and well-kept, and we were told there was no speed limit because it was private.  At this point, we were at the top of the mountain, and the landscape suddenly changed to desert, where we continued driving for another hour into the Atacama Desert.  

The desert was just like the Sahara Desert, pure sand with no plants or living creatures.  This place has zero rainfall year-round, no humidity, and almost no wind.  Nothing can survive here; it's rather scary.  We finally turned off the highway and drove a few minutes into a parking lot at an elevation of about 3,500 ft.  Before we exited the bus, the guide warned about the fierce sun's UV rays, which are unfiltered and can burn our skin in minutes.  Also, to consume plenty of water before exiting.  When we exited the bus, the guide pointed out the mountains' hieroglyphs, actually Geoglyphs, cut into the mountainsides.  These are known as the famous ‘Nazca Lines’.  They looked very alien-like.  [The photos don’t do them justice]

       

At a recent talk on the ship, we saw pictures of these Geoglyphs, and here we are seeing them live.  The guide told us there are thousands of prehistoric geoglyphs, created between 1000 and 1400 AD by cultures such as the Tiwanaku and the Inca. The most famous is the 119-meter-long Atacama Giant (Gigante de Atacama) on Cerro Unitas, the largest prehistoric anthropomorphic figure in the world.  We spent about 45 minutes out in the sun, marveling at the images and hearing the stories.

We continued our journey to the abandoned ghost town of Humberstone, constructed by the English to mine for Nitrates, needed for fertilizer and gunpowder.  The guide asked if there were any English in the group, and I raised my hand.  The guide then said we would need to modify the story a little because of me.

    

  

   

In the early 1900’s, natives were lured to this place and forced to work under terrible conditions.  Escape was impossible due to the desert location.  Payment was in tokens that could only be spent in the town.  At its peak, it had a population of 426 inhabitants.  We toured the UNESCO town and its well-preserved buildings for 50 scorching minutes.  When the Nitrates ran out, the town was abandoned.  Since that time, lithium has been discovered and extracted using advanced technology and improved labor practices.

On the way back, we stopped at a rest stop and were provided boxed lunches, rather primitive but luxurious for the desert.  We then traveled back to the ship, about a 75-minute drive on the nice air-conditioned bus.  This was a wonderful experience for us.

Merry took these pictures of flying fish traveling alongside our modern Ocean Liner.

 

At night, we had a time change, going back one hour in preparation for our arrival in Peru.

 

Feb 19 Seaday  

Our overall impression of Chile.  It is the most unusual country, very long and slim, ranging from snow-capped mountains and penguin-cold in the south [even in the summer] to endless sterile deserts in the north.  Most of the northern and southern parts of the country are sparsely populated.

We had 6 stops, each one completely different in climate, geography, and people, and we loved each and every one.  It's a peaceful country that rarely seeks the spotlight, yet is delightful to visit.   A jewel in every way.

At night, we had a second time change, one hour back, which appears to bring us in line with New York time.

 

Feb 20

Today, we start a new country, Peru.  The tour of the day was to The Ballestas Islands, often called the "Peruvian Galápagos," which are a group of rocky, protected islands near Paracas, Peru, famous for massive populations of sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and guano birds. Accessible only by motorboat, tours depart from the El Chaco jetty. Visitors cannot land on the islands but can observe the diverse wildlife up close. 

The ship docked at Portuario, an industrial port, and we took a bus around the bay for 20 minutes to Paracas, a small city.  The whole area is a sterile desert, right up to the water’s edge, but out of nowhere, a fantastic group of hotels makes a striking contrast.  There were a number of these hotels, and we went through one to get to our boat.  This side of the hotel was striking, filled with water slides, other types of play equipment, and a complete show side of the play area.  

  

We transferred to a speedboat carrying the busload of guests, part of a fleet of buses from our ship.  After about 10 minutes by water, we stopped, and our guide drew our attention to the sand dune mountain with yet another Nazca geoglyph, called ‘Chandlier’, taking up most of the mountain.  Quite stunning.

We then proceeded another 20 minutes at high speed into the Pacific, passing through a fog bank that did not phase the captain.  When we arrived at the Ballestas Islands, our breath was taken away by the birds and mammals on and around the islands.  The geology of the numerous islands was just as impressive as the view itself.   We finally got to see live, wild Humboldt Penguins, and we were not disappointed, though confused to see penguins so close to a desert environment.  The guide explained that the water temperature is very cold, below 50 degrees. 

            

           

Our expert captain was able to maneuver the boat very close to the shore, the rock faces, and into caves and through arches.  The experience was out of this world and will never be forgotten.  I will let a few of the many, many photos speak for themselves.

After an hour taking it all in, it was time to make the 30-minute high-speed journey back to the starting point, passing by our ship enroute.

Feb 21

Lima, Peru.  Today is the end of another segment and the start of another.  Many guests left, and new friends are waiting to be met.  

While the transfer was happening, we took a tour of Lima, Peru’s capital city.  Though its colonial center is preserved, it's a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. It's home to the Museo Larco collection of pre-Columbian art and to the Museo de la Nación, which traces the history of Peru’s ancient civilizations. The Plaza de Armas and the 16th-century cathedral are the heart of old Lima Centro.  The city has a very hot climate and was 80 degrees when we visited, with 85% humidity.  Our guide told us it has only rained twice in the last ten years.  The Rimic River runs through downtown, bringing water from the high Andies.

Our tour took us on a one-hour drive through traffic-clogged city streets to San Marcos University.   It is a public research university.  In the Americas, it is the first officially established and the oldest continuously operating university, dating back to 1548.  It was severely damaged in the 1748 earthquake that measured 8.2, but it has been restored and is constantly being preserved.

   

photos

The city has a lot of French architecture, many of which have been restored to the original external look, while others wait for the planner to approve restoration work.

The next stop was St Francis Monastery, with about 25 monks in residence.  It too has restoration work in progress.

  

Next, we visited a mansion that is a private residence that has been in the family for 18 generations.  Our group of 25 was treated to a lavish lunch in the grand dining room, served by the home's staff.  A wonderful meal.

    

The last stop was the Basílica and Convent of San Francisco (Saint Francis Monastery), which is a renowned 17th-century religious complex famous for its Spanish Baroque architecture, extensive library, and underground catacombs. Located in the Historic Centre of Lima near the Plaza Mayor, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  We were not permitted to take photos here.

We took the same route back to the ship, which was even busier than the route out.  We ran across our good friends Kevin and Margaret, who just boarded.  We plan to have dinner tomorrow.