Paradise just minutes from Poverty

The Casablanca Valley, located just 25 miles west of the port city of Valparaiso, is known for its scenic beauty and vineyards, while Valparaiso is known for its extreme poverty, with shanties clinging to the city's steep hillside. The Valparaíso Region, which includes the city, has a population of approximately 1.71 million inhabitants, with 8% of the population living in extreme poverty and 14% living in poverty. As they say "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Valparaiso harbors a diverse array of street art, encompassing murals, graffiti, and smaller artistic works on various surfaces. Some of the art is truly remarkable.

The city's elevated housing led to the creation of unique "ascensores" or funiculars, which have become a distinctive and historic mode of transportation, integral to the city's identity. These elevators were predominantly built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to tackle the challenges of urban development and accessibility in the city's steep hills. The final image depicted above shows a street performer juggling swords to make a living.

It was like traveling to another world as we crossed over the coastal mountains and into the valley of Casablanca. There we visited Viña Casas del Bosque, a prestigious winery. It was established in 1993 by the Cuneo family, third-generation Italian immigrants, and now has 235 hectares of vineyards on the estate.

During our visit, we tasted different varieties and learned about the unique production process, which includes the use of concrete barrels in addition to traditional oak barrels. Concrete barrels are porous and allow oxygen to enter the wine without imparting the oaky flavor of wooden barrels. The flavors provided by the former are more earthy, which allows the fruit to shine and produces a better mouthfeel. The winery offers a range of wines, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Riesling, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. Fortunately for us, they had a gift shop. After all, nine months at sea offers a lot of opportunity to relax and enjoy a nice glass of wine on the balcony of our cabin.