As part of my December 2003 journey to Santiago de Chile, I took a day trip with Mr. Roberto Illanes to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. These two cities are next to each other but cannot be more different. Valparaiso is very colourful and has stunning Spanish colonial architecture clinging to the steep streets. It has a working class feel to it. In fact, Valparaiso is a UNESCO world heritage site. Vina del Mar is a resort and has a ritzy feel to it. The coastline in the region is just beautiful and reminded me of the stretch of the ... (more)