We arrived in the port of Valparaiso, Chile this morning. We woke up early and had breakfast in the Lido Café where we sat with a wonderful couple who we met earlier in the cruise. They are on the first segment of the World Cruise and will be disembarking tomorrow. We then went over to the Fitness Center where we saw two passengers who, like us, work out on a regular basis. One is the wife of the computer university teacher who will be on for the full world cruise and the other passenger is someone who is on the first segment of the world cruise who we have enjoyed many wonderful conversations with over the course of the cruise.
After our workout we disembarked the ship to visit Valparaiso. We remember from our first time here in January of 2005 that we would first be taken by a short shuttle but over to the main terminal area. This is done for everyone’s safety, as there are many containers throughout the pier. When we arrived at the terminal we had to get on a fairly long line as there were passengers from three other ships, including the Queen Mary 2, at the port. They had us put our bags on the floor (we had a back-pack) and there were dogs that checked for food or other prohibited items. While they warn passenger’s not to take food ashore this was the first port that they actually checked for food and sure enough someone in line had food in their bag. After going through the security checkpoint we boarded the complimentary bus provided by Crystal, which took us to Vina del Mar.
Vina del Mar is located about twenty minutes from Valparaiso and was settled in the 1870s. It is a very nice residential area and is also a resort, which is very busy during the summer months. It has become one of Chile’s premier seaside areas and is often referred to as Chile’s Riviera. The summer home of the President of Chile is located in this town. We took a short walk around the area and walked around some beautiful gardens. We had wonderful weather with temperatures in the 70’s.
After returning to the ship we took care of a few items and then went for lunch in the main dining room restaurant. In the afternoon we did some washes in the laundry room and also took a nice long walk on the promenade deck.
This evening we attended the first of three shore side events that will be held during the course of the cruise for the full World Cruise passenger’s. We were driven by bus to The Matetic Vineyard in Rosario Valley, Chile. On the way we passed many vineyards and it reminded us of Napa Valley.
This vineyard began in 1999 and is known for its Chardonnay and Cabernet wines. When we arrived were greeted by the Crystal Staff dressed in costume and were given wine and various appetizers which included brochettes, shrimp, Chilean pasties, quiche and chef’s ceviche. We were then entertained by a Chinchinero which is an urban street performer who played a large drum while dancing. There was also an organ grinder. Afterwards we were escorted to a large tented area with tables and chairs where we were served dinner. The dinner included grilled chicken, barbecued lamb, salmon, and corvina fish. We also had purple cabbage, potatoes au crème, Chilean salad, and deserts, which included fruit and cheesecake. Following the dinner we were entertained by a variety of male and female dancers along with singers and a band. The evening concluded with a light show and acrobatics.
We also received two beautiful gifts. The women received a "Chal" which is a garment that the ladies have worn in Chile since the times of the colony. The Chal that we received was handmade with sheep wool and was made with four different colors, all made of natural dyes. The men received a Poncho. The ponchos are handmade with a mix of Alpaca and Sheep wool and the color that we received was grey. Poncho's have also been part of Chile's culture dating back to the colony days and remainvery popular in Southern Chile to this day.
It was a wonderful and magical evening and one that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
Tomorrow morning will be disembarkation day for those passenger’s whose cruise is ending and in the early afternoon those passenger’s who will be joining the ship for the second segment of the cruise will be embarking the ship.
Keith & Anne Marie
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