Vina del Mer and Valparaiso

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Today we travelled to the Casablanca Valley west of Santiago to sample some Chilean wine at the Emiliana Winery, one of Chile's iconic wineries where the vines are grown organically. Very pleasant on the palate. From there we travelled further west to the seaside resort town of Vina del Mer, the Surfers Paradise of Chile, with the steep hillsides covered with holiday units. A walk on the beach and a toe in the Pacific Ocean, ended lunch in a delightful restaurant on the water front and our first taste of a Pisco Sour, a traditional aperitif. The rest of the afternoon was spent in Valparaiso the main port for Chile's sea trade, Naval Headquarters and seat of Parliament. Also it is the home of the famous Chilean poet and Diplomat Pueblo Neruda, whose house like many was built into the hillside with expansive views of Valparaiso and the ocean. The day concluded with a sunset drive along the coast before heading inland back to Santiago. With a 4.00 am start next morning there was no time to sample the night clubs of Santiago!!!

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