For a while there we were above the fog as we wandered over towards ocean-facing Playa Ancha, but then, as we got closer to the beach the fog pressed in and the air got decidedly colder. I have to be honest here. Chilean infrastructure and general upkeep of things, particularly in Valparaíso, are bad. The…

Today we encountered the famous Humboldt current, an ocean system that runs up the coast of Chile from the cold Antarctic waters of southern Patagonia, with deep sea nutrients and some of the richest fishing grounds on the planet. Here in Valparaíso it regularly produces super chilled pea-souper fogs, like this morning, with thick tendrils…

Sunrise here is quite spectacular though we can’t quite make out the Andes this morning with the early morning haze. But I’m sure Aconcagua will make an appearance sometime today once the winds kick in. I still can’t get my head around the fact that here we are on the Pacific coast looking east across…

Our wander over to La Sebastiana took us first down to El Plan and a stroll over to Plaza Sotomayor, then a vertical hike up in the creaky Ascensor El Peral to Cerro Alegre for 100 pesos each. Then up and up into the hills along vividly painted streets and houses piled on top of…

Pablo Neruda had three houses in Chile: La Chascona in Santiago, a place down the coast at Isla Negra and La Sebastiana in Valparaíso. In finding a house here he asked of his friends – “It can’t be located too high or too low. It should be solitary but not in excess. With neighbours but…

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday was decidedly chilly with a cold wind running off the snow-capped Andes, whilst today is gloriously sunny and spring-like here in Valparaiso. That’s probably Aconcagua in the far snowy distance, the highest mountain in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres at 6,960 metres!

After yesterday’s fog and rain cleared we had a surprise addition to the view from our balcony. Out across the bay towards Viña del Mar can be seen the Andes, magnificently covered in snow – though too far away to get a good shot, but rest-assured a glorious sight and bathed in Spring sunshine. But…

Second attempt at picking up my newly repaired MacBook Pro (yes, the saga continues) but the Mac Online store over in Viña del Mar is closed due to the ‘Day of the Glories of the Army’ – it’s now been largely closed since last Friday due to the Fiestas Patrias. Hoping tomorrow, Thursday, isn’t yet…

Terremoto is a traditional ‘earthquake’ cocktail served in a 1-LITRE glass (yep that’s right) consumed over the Fiestas Patrias holidays, which may account for the late risers sleeping off their hangovers this morning. Take lashings of pineapple ice-cream then pour in and fill to the brim with a bottle of Pipeño white wine… then to…

Don’t expect anything to happen anywhere here until well into the afternoon or evening. Chilenos like to sleep in late, very late – just as well, as from what we can tell they don’t get in until 4 or 5am during these holidays. Don’t be fooled by the heavy rain and thick swirling fog enveloping…