>> male announcer: WELCOME TO TRAVELSCOPE WITH JOSEPH ROSENDO, WHERE EACH WEEK, YOU JOIN US AS WE ACCEPT THE WORLD'S INVITATION TO VISIT.

>> Rosendo: TODAY ON TRAVELSCOPE, I TRAVEL FROM SANTIAGO INTO THE MOUNTAINS AND DOWN TO THE SEA TO DISCOVER THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLEASURES OF CHILE.

>> announcer: TRAVELSCOPE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES.

DK CITY AND COUNTRY GUIDES FEATURE EVOCATIVE PHOTOS, HOTEL AND DINING CHOICES, GUIDED WALKS, AND TRAVEL ITINERARIES.

DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES: THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU.

>> Rosendo: CHILEANS SAY THAT WHEN GOD FINISHED CREATING THE WORLD, HE TOOK ALL THE REMAINING CHOICE PIECES AND PUT THEM RIGHT HERE IN CHILE.

JOIN US AS WE SAMPLE SOME OF THOSE ON TRAVELSCOPE'S CHILEAN ADVENTURE.

CLINGING TO THE WEST COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA, CHILE IS ABOUT 2,600 MILES LONG, 100 MILES WIDE, AND CONTAINS A DIVERSITY OF CLIMATES, LANDSCAPES, AND ATTRACTIONS.

MY JOURNEY BEGINS IN THE CAPITAL, SANTIAGO.

WE'RE IN FRONT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE HERE IN SANTIAGO.

ON SEPTEMBER THE 11TH, 1973, SALVADOR ALLENDE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ONLY POPULARLY ELECTED MARXIST GOVERNMENT IN THE WORLD, WAS OVERTHROWN IN A COUP LED BY AUGUSTO PINOCHET.

WELL, IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 17 YEARS SINCE DEMOCRACY HAS RETURNED TO CHILE, AND IT SEEMS FITTING TO ME THAT THE STATUE OF ALLENDE IS PLACED IN FRONT OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, JUSTICE HAS PREVAILED HERE IN CHILE.

SOME OF HIS LAST WORDS: "I BELIEVE IN CHILE, AND ITS DESTINY HAS BEEN REALIZED."

>> ♪ DE NOCHE ♪ ♪ CUANDO ME ACUESTO ♪ ♪ A DIOS LE PIDO OLVIDARTE ♪ ♪ Y AL AMANECER DESPIERTO ♪ >> Rosendo: WALKING DOWN THIS BEAUTIFUL PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE, TREE-LINED, REMINDS ME A LOT OF LAS RAMBLAS IN BARCELONA.

IN FACT, THERE ARE MANY SPOTS IN SPAIN LIKE THIS.

BUT THE TRUTH IS, WE'RE MORE SIMILAR THAN WE ARE DIFFERENT, AND THIS KIND OF ENVIRONMENT YOU'LL FIND IN MANY PLACES BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE TO BE OUTSIDE; THEY LIKE TO SOCIALIZE; THEY LOVE TO BE IN COMMON AREA.

WE ARE MORE ALIKE THAN WE ARE DIFFERENT.

♪ ♪ ¿ESTA ESQUINA ES SU LUGAR?

>> SI, 30 AÑOS.

>> ¿30 AÑOS?

HE'S BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS.

NOW, THAT'S TRADITION.

OKAY?

GRACIAS.

ADIOS.

BARLEY WITH DRIED PEACHES.

AAH, OH, I SEE THE PEACHES IN THERE.

>> DURAZNOS NATURALES SECO AL SOL.

>> Rosendo: SECO.

>> DESHIDRATADO.

>> Rosendo: SO IT'S DRIED PEACHES THAT HAVE BEEN RECONSTITUTED IN PEACH JUICE, AND THEN, YOU SEE, THESE LITTLE THINGS ARE BARLEY, SERVED VERY COLD.

MM, QUE BUENO.

GRACIAS.

>> BUENO, ¿NO?

>> MUY BUENO, MUY BUENO.

>> ES TODO NATURAL, >> TODO NATURAL, GRACIAS.

ALL OF IT'S NATURAL.

SI, SI, MUCHO.

HE SAID HE WAS HAPPY THAT I LIKE CHILE, AND I SAID, "SI, SI, MUCHO."

WHEREVER I TRAVEL IN THE WORLD, SOONER OR LATER, YOU'LL FIND ME AT THE LOCAL MARKET.

IN SANTIAGO, THAT WOULD BE THE LA VEGA MARKET IN THE CITY'S CENTRO HISTORICO.

THIS IS THE VEGA MARKET, WHICH IS THE LARGEST MARKET HERE IN SANTIAGO.

IT'S WHERE PEOPLE COME FOR EVERYTHING, FROM THEIR VEGETABLES, THEIR FRUITS, THEIR FISH, THEIR MEATS, SOME OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD GOODS: EVERYTHING YOU WANT, EVERYTHING YOU NEED, AND IT'S BEEN HERE FOR CENTURIES.

♪ ♪ SINCE 1935, HE'S BEEN HERE.

QUE ES?

>> PEPINO.

>> Rosendo: PEPINO.

THE ONLY THING BETTER THAN VISITING A LOCAL MARKET: VISITING TWO.

A MUST STOP IN SANTIAGO IS THE MERCADO CENTRAL, WHICH IS NOTED FOR ITS GREAT FISH MARKET AND ITS BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE.

IT WAS PREFABRICATED IN GREAT BRITAIN IN 1868 AND BROUGHT HERE AND SET UP AND HAS BEEN SERVING THE COMMUNITY EVER SINCE.

AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO JUST WANDER AROUND AND SEE WHAT'S HERE.

HALIBUT?

>> LENGUADO.

>> Rosendo: LENGUADO.

>> EL LENGUADO ES UN PESCADO FINO.

>> Rosendo: FINO, SI, SI.

>> ¿QUIERE LENGUADO?

>> Rosendo: THEY HAVE SOME FRESH FISH JUST ARRIVED.

LOOK AT THIS.

>> THAT'S A CONGRIO DORADO.

>> Rosendo: DORADO?

>> CONGER EEL, DORADO.

>> Rosendo: OKAY.

>> Rosendo: SI.

>> DORADO, COLORADO, Y NEGRO.

[speaking Spanish] >> Rosendo: MM-HMM.

I THINK IT--IT'S LIKE SEA URCHIN.

SHE SAYS I'M GOING TO DIE.

I ATE--SHE SAID SHE MADE ME EAT IT RAW.

NO, NO, NO.

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL WAY TO START THE MORNING.

BESIDES ITS FAMOUS FISH STALLS, EL MERCADO CENTRAL OFFERS FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND A FEW UNEXPECTED DELICACIES.

YOU CAN GET GRILLED COCA LEAVES HERE.

>> YES, THIS IS FROM PERU.

IT'S A STIMULANT FOR THE ALTITUDE.

>> Rosendo: WHAT DOES IT DO FOR YOU?

>> WHEN YOU ARE DEPRESSED, CHEER YOU UP.

>> Rosendo: OH, REALLY?

SO IT IS A STIMULANT.

>> A STIMULANT.

>> Rosendo: GOOD FOR HEADACHES, GOOD FOR IF YOU'RE RUNDOWN A BIT, AND ALSO IN HIGH ALTITUDE, IT'S GOOD, BECAUSE I'VE USED IT WHEN I WAS IN PERU.

>> I ALSO LIKE YOU TRY THE ROCOTO.

IT'S THE HOTTEST PEPPER OF THE WORLD, IN MY OPINION.

>> THE HOTTEST PEPPER OF THE WORLD?

NOW, I'VE HAD PEPPERS IN MEXICO; I'VE HAD PEPPERS IN THAILAND AND TAIWAN, BUT THIS IS HOTTER.

>> THIS IS HOTTER.

>> Rosendo: ALL RIGHT.

WELL, YOU COME TO THE MARKET, YOU HAVE TO TRY THE FOOD.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO.

WHEN IN SANTIAGO, EAT THE CHILES THE SANTIAGANS EAT.

LOOK AT THAT.

JUST BITE, BITE INTO IT?

JUST BITE INTO IT LIKE THAT?

>> YEAH.

COME ON.

>> Rosendo: ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT THAT HOT.

>> BUT TRY THE INSIDE.

>> Rosendo: OH, TRY THE SEEDS.

>> THE SEEDS.

>> Rosendo: AHA, I SEE.

HE'S SETTING ME UP HERE.

THE OUTSIDE IS QUITE SWEET.

>> IT'S WORKING THERE.

>> Rosendo: I DIDN'T EVEN EAT A SEED.

I JUST TASTED A LITTLE OF THE JUICE OF THE SEEDS.

OHO, THAT IS VERY HOT.

OH, YOU'RE LOVING IT.

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE IN PAIN.

AH.

OH, MY GOD; OH, MY GOD.

THIS IS EXTREMELY HOT PEPPER.

>> AND THE NAME IS ROCOTO, R-O-C-O-T-O.

>> Rosendo: 95% OF CHILE'S POPULATION IS MESTIZO, A MIX HERITAGE.

THE FLAVORS OF MANY CULTURES INFLUENCE THE CUISINE AT MESTIZO, SANTIAGO'S HOT DINING SPOT.

NOW, THE RESTAURANT IS CALLED MESTIZO, WHICH IS A MIXTURE OF EVERYTHING.

>> MIXTURE OF BLOOD, MIXTURE OF TRADITIONS, MIXTURE OF CULTURES.

I THINK THAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN SANTIAGO.

>> Rosendo: CHILEANS LIVE TO COMER Y BEBER, TO EAT AND DRINK, AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO JOIN THEM.

SINCE 1975, THERE'S BEEN A SUBWAY HERE IN SANTIAGO.

THERE ARE NOW FIVE LINES, AND THEY'RE EXCELLENT FOR GETTING AROUND TOWN AND EVEN OUT OF TOWN.

THEY'LL TAKE YOU OUT TO THE WINE COUNTRY, FOR INSTANCE.

THE SUBWAY'S BECOME VERY POPULAR IN SANTIAGO, AS YOU CAN TELL.

AFTER MY SEAFOOD AND PEPPER ADVENTURES, I'M LOOKING FOR A CHILEAN PRODUCT I KNOW BETTER, WINE.

THE BIODYNAMIC ANTIYAL WINERY IN THE MAIPO VALLEY IS WORKING TO STEP UP THE REPUTATION OF CHILEAN WINES.

I SEE YOU HAVE SOME ALMOND TREES HERE.

WAS THIS LAND ONCE AN ALMOND ORCHARD?

>> YES, WE KEEP THE ALMONDS IN THE ROOTS AND ALSO, LIKE, BREAKS TO CUT THE MONOCULTURE AND TO INCREASE BIODIVERSITY IN THE FIELDS.

>> Rosendo: HOW HAS IT HAPPENED THAT CHILE HAS NOT HAD ANY MAJOR DISEASES?

IS IT BECAUSE OF THESE KIND OF PRACTICES?

>> WE HAVE BEEN LIKE A GEOGRAPHICAL ISLAND.

WE HAVE THE ANDES MOUNTAINS IN THE EAST, THE PACIFIC OCEAN, YOU KNOW, AT THE WEST.

IN THE NORTH, WE HAVE THE DESERT, THE ATACAMA DESERT, AND IN THE SOUTH, WE HAVE THE ANTARCTICA.

SO WE HAVE BEEN, LIKE, A LITTLE BIT ISOLATED.

>> Rosendo: NOW, AVIDAL, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CARMENERE GRAPE HAS BEEN CALLED THE LOST GRAPE OF BORDEAUX.

>> IT WAS WIDELY PLANTED IN BORDEAUX BEFORE PHYLLOXERA DESTROYED BORDEAUX VINEYARDS IN 1850, AND WE BROUGHT IT FROM THERE BEFORE PHYLLOXERA DESTROYED IT, SO WE HAVE PLANTED HERE SINCE 1850.

BUT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT VARIETY IT WAS, WE BROUGHT SOME AMPELOGRAPHISTS FROM BORDEAUX AND MONTPELIER TO IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES, AND WE WERE SHOCKED; WHEN WE SHOWED THEM OUR BEST MERLOT BLOCKS, THEY TOLD US IT WASN'T MERLOT; IT WAS CARMENERE.

NOWADAYS WE ARE VERY PROUD OF CARMENERE.

IT'S A VARIETY THAT GAVE US AN IDENTITY.

YOU CANNOT FIND ANYONE ELSE.

SO IT'S LIKE AN EMBLEMATIC VARIETY FOR US.

>> Rosendo: NOW, TO TAKE A GRAPE, ONE OF THESE CARMENERE GRAPES AND PUT IT IN MY MOUTH, HOW WOULD I DISTINGUISH IT FROM A CABERNET SAUVIGNON GRAPE OR A MERLOT GRAPE?

>> CARMENERE IS A LESS TANNIC VARIETY.

IT'S NOT TOO ASTRINGENT.

IT HAS A LOT OF VOLUME, FRUIT EXPRESSION, BUT ALSO SPICINESS.

>> Rosendo: WHAT DOES A GOOD CARMENERE TASTE LIKE IN A GLASS?

>> OH, IT TASTES LIKE A LOT OF BERRY TASTE, EARTHINESS, A LITTLE SPICINESS.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WINE.

>> Rosendo: MAYBE WE SHOULD GO AND TASTE A LITTLE BIT OF IT.

>> TASTE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.

SO HERE WE HAVE OUR BARREL AGING CELLAR, WHERE IT'S AGING OUR ANTIYAL AND KUYEN 2007.

NOW IT'S IN BARREL.

>> Rosendo: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU DO THIS?

>> OH, IT'S CLEAN, FRUITY, COMPLEX, SOFT TANNINS.

>> Rosendo: ALL THE GOOD TASTES.

>> YEAH.

>> Rosendo: MM, VERY NICE NOSE.

OH, THAT HAS A LOT OF BALANCE AND A LOT OF--THIS WINE YOU COULD PUT AWAY FOR A LITTLE BIT AND HAVE IT SMOOTH.

>> YES, IT'S A WINE TO AGE.

>> Rosendo: HOW ARE THE CHILEAN WINES WITH FOOD?

>> CHILEAN WINES HAVE BEEN MOVING TO UPPER QUALITY.

USED TO BE KNOWN LIKE A VARIETAL OR GOOD VALUE WINES, BUT THE MOVEMENT OF CHILEAN WINES IS PRODUCING WINES FROM THE PLACE WITH MORE QUALITY, WITH MORE TERARE EXPRESSION, TO GO IN THE RESERVE AND PREMIUM SEGMENT IN TERMS OF QUALITY.

>> Rosendo: MERCI.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> Rosendo: FROM THE VINEYARDS AND SANTIAGO, IT'S LESS THAN 50 MILES TO EL CANON DEL MAIPO, THE MAIPO CANYON, AND EL MORADO NATIONAL PARK.

THE ROAD CLIMBS QUICKLY INTO THE ANDES, OFFERING STUNNING MOUNTAIN VIEWS.

AND ALONG THE WAY, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTAKE OF A CHILEAN CULINARY STAPLE, THE EMPAÑADA.

>> THE PINO.

>> Rosendo: PINO, THEY HAVE THE PINO EMPAÑADAS, WHICH IS MADE WITH ONIONS, MEAT, OLIVES, AND HUEVOS, TAMBIEN?

>> SI.

>> Rosendo: QUE BUENO.

QUE BUENO.

>> Rosendo: CHILE'S SEASONS ARE OPPOSITE OURS, SO DUE TO WEATHER, THE PARK IS CLOSED FROM MAY TO SEPTEMBER.

IT'S POSSIBLE TO CLIMB THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS TO MORE THAN 16,000 FEET, YET MOST VISITORS SETTLE FOR A HIKE TO EL MORADO LAGOON AND SAN FRANCISCO GLACIER.

BRIAN PEARSON OF SANTIAGO ADVENTURES HAS BROUGHT ME HERE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ANDES.

AND WHERE ARE YOU TAKING US ON YOUR ADVENTURE TODAY?

>> WELL, JOSEPH, WE'RE JUST TWO HOURS OF SANTIAGO HERE IN THE EL MORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT OF CHILE, AND WE'LL BE HIKING HERE FROM 8,000 FEET UP TO 9,000 FEET AT THE BASE OF THE EL MORADO PEAK, WHICH IS 16,000 FEET.

>> Rosendo: NOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO THE TOP TODAY.

>> NO, WE WON'T BE SCALING THE MOUNTAIN TODAY.

THAT'S FOR TOMORROW.

>> Rosendo: WE'RE JUST GOING ON A GENTLE WALK THAT MOST EVERYBODY COULD DO.

>> GRADUAL HIKE FOR TWO HOURS.

YOU'LL REALLY ENJOY IT.

>> Rosendo: LET'S GO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> Rosendo: NOW, BRIAN, WE'RE AT 8,000 FEET.

DO PEOPLE FEEL THE ALTITUDE?

BECAUSE I CAN FEEL IT.

>> YOU MIGHT FEEL A LITTLE LIGHT-HEADEDNESS.

BUT TAKE YOUR TIME.

WE'LL BE DRINKING LOTS OF WATER ALONG THE WAY, OF COURSE.

BUT AT THIS ALTITUDE, THERE'S NO REAL DANGER.

>> Rosendo: OKAY, AND IF PEOPLE ARE IN MODERATE SHAPE, THEY CAN DO THIS?

>> ABSOLUTELY; YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT TREKKER OR CLIMBER TO COME UP HERE, JUST IN GOOD SHAPE.

WE'RE ABOUT 2/3 OF THE WAY TO THE TOP NOW, SO WE'VE COME UP ABOUT 700 FEET.

>> Rosendo: THIS IS A NICE, STEEP 700 FEET.

>> IT'S A GOOD ONE, HUH?

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

>> Rosendo: I'M FEELING GOOD.

IT'S JUST, I'M GOING A LITTLE SLOWER.

HERE'S A COUPLE OF GUYS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO BE CAMPING OUT.

>> THEY'VE GOT A FEW MORE SANDWICHES THAN WE DO, HUH?

>> Rosendo: YEAH, FEW MORE SANDWICHES, A FEW MORE POUNDS TOO.

>> I THINK THEY'RE GONNA CAMP FOR A FEW NIGHTS UP HERE AND REALLY RELAX AND ENJOY THEIR SURROUNDINGS.

>> Rosendo: A FAVORITE CHILEAN EXPRESSION IS: VALE LA PENA, "IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT."

IT FITS ALMOST ANY OCCASION OR SITUATION, INCLUDING MY EASY HIKE INTO THE ANDES.

VALE LA PENA.

IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT.

VALE PENA MUCHO.

LOOK AT THAT: 1,000-YEAR-OLD ICE.

>> TASTE GOOD?

>> Rosendo: I CAN SAY I TASTED SOME 1,000-YEAR-OLD ICE.

THIS WILL BE GOOD TO PUT ON MY ACHING LEGS LATER TO COOL THEM DOWN.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I'LL BE TAKING A DIP IN THIS WATER.

>> I THINK IT'S A LITTLE CHILLY, JOSEPH.

>> Rosendo: I THINK IT'S A LITTLE CHILLY.

AH, A LITTLE CHILE.

>> A LITTLE CHILLY IN CHILE.

>> Rosendo: WHILE OUR STAY WAS SHORT, WE MET A GROUP OF CHILEAN CLIMBERS PLANNING TO BRAVE THE 10-DEGREE OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES FOR A CRACK AT THE GLACIAL ICE AND SURROUNDING HILLS.

BEFORE I LEFT, THEY TAUGHT ME HOW TO CORRECTLY PRONOUNCE THEIR COUNTRY'S NAME.

>> CHEE... LAY.

CHEE, CHEE, CHEE, LAY, LAY, LAY.

VIVA CHEE-LAY.

>> Rosendo: FROM THE ICE AND ROCKY PEAKS OF THE EL MORADO NATIONAL PARK, WE TRAVEL 70 MILES WEST OF SANTIAGO TO THE HISTORIC FISHING VILLAGE OF VALPARAISO.

VALPARAISO IS A CITY OF HILLS, 32 DIFFERENT HILLS, AND ON EACH HILL, A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD.

TO REACH THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS FROM THE LITTLE FLAT LAND BELOW, THERE WERE 30 FUNICULARS.

15 STILL REMAIN.

VALPARAISO IS ALSO THE RAINBOW CITY.

HOUSES COME IN MANY BRIGHT COLORS, AND THEY'RE ALSO BUILT OF MANY DIFFERENT MATERIALS.

SOME OF THE OLDEST ONES ARE BUILT FROM THE REMAINS OF THE SHIPS THAT USED TO HARBOR HERE WHEN VALPARAISO WAS THE PORT OF THE PACIFIC.

WELL, THAT TITLE MAY HAVE VANISHED WITH THE BUILDING OF THE PANAMA CANAL, BUT VALPARAISO STILL REMAINS ONE OF CHILE'S, IF NOT SOUTH AMERICA'S, MOST UNIQUE AND SPECIAL CITIES.

THE CERRO ALEGRE, OR THE HAPPY MOUNTAIN, IS ONE OF THE NICER NEIGHBORHOODS HERE IN TOWN, AND THERE'S ARTWORK LIKE THIS ALL THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AS YOU CAN SEE.

THIS IS THE KIND OF GRAFFITI THAT WE NEED WHERE I'M FROM, LOS ANGELES, GRAFFITI THAT HAS POETRY ON IT.

IT SAYS: "UNDER THE ASPHALT, THERE ARE FLOWERS THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN BORN," ALONGSIDE THE BEAUTIFULLY, COLORFULLY PAINTED HOMES, TILE ON THE SIDEWALKS.

IT'S LIKE LIVING IN AN ART COLONY.

CONSIDERED CHILE'S CULTURAL CAPITAL, VALPARAISO MAY BE A CITY OF ART, BUT IT BEGAN AS A VILLAGE OF FISHERMEN, A TRADITION THAT STRUGGLES TO CONTINUE TODAY.

WHOLE NIGHT LONG, HE'S BEEN FISHING.

>> Rosendo: BASICALLY, WHAT HE'S TELLING ME THAT LESS AND LESS FISH EACH YEAR BECAUSE OF THE-- HIS FEELING IS THE BIG COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN, PEOPLE LIKE HIMSELF AND GENERATIONS THAT HAVE FISHED HERE ARE ABLE TO MAKE LESS OF A LIVING.

LESS AND LESS FISH.

HE FEELS THAT THIS GENERATION OF FISHERMEN WILL BE THE LAST FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND THERE WILL ONLY BE COMMERCIAL FISHING, BECAUSE HE'S GOT TO PAY HIS WORKERS; HE'S GOT TO BUY HIS MOTORS; HE'S GOT TO PAY THE PEOPLE WHO TRANSPORT THE FISH.

SO LIFE IS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER HERE FOR HIM AND THE FISHERMEN HERE IN VALPARAISO.

GRACIAS, GRACIAS.

MUCHAS GRACIAS.

NOW I KNOW WHY THEY CALLED IT THE SAN FRANCISCO OF LATIN AMERICA.

EVEN HAS ITS OWN CABLE CARS.

THERE WERE ORIGINALLY 32 ASCENDORS, OR FUNICULARS, COMBINATION CABLE CAR-TRAIN- ELEVATOR THAT BROUGHT THE RESIDENTS FROM THE LOWER PART OF TOWN UP INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

NOW THERE'S 15 THAT OPERATE, AND SOMETIMES NOT ALL OF THOSE 15 OPERATE, AS IN THIS CASE.

SO I'M GONNA BE HIKING UP THESE STEPS, AND YOU CAN COME ALONG, IF YOU LIKE.

AH, I WAS LUCKY.

THIS ONE'S ONLY 160 STEPS.

SOME OF THEM ARE LONGER.

GREAT VIEWS, THOUGH.

VALE LA PENA.

IT'S WORTH IT.

ALTHOUGH ASCENDERE MEANS "TO ASCEND" IN SPANISH, FORTUNATELY FOR ME, THE ASCENDORS GO DOWN AS WELL.

NO STAY IN VALPARAISO IS COMPLETE WITHOUT SAMPLING ITS VIBRANT AND ECLECTIC NIGHTLIFE.

AS THEIR POSTER PROCLAIMS, AT EL CINZANO, THE BEST DRINKS AND THE BEST KITCHEN IS THEIR TRADITION.

WE'RE AT CINZANO, WHICH IS A LOCAL RESTAURANT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE 1869, RESTAURANT AND A PLACE WHERE THEY PLAY WONDERFUL TANGO MUSIC.

AND THEY HAVE, OBVIOUSLY, OLD TANGO SINGERS COMING IN AND ENTERTAINING THE CROWD.

WONDERFUL FOOD HERE AS WELL.

IT'S ONE OF THE JOYS OF BEING IN THIS CITY OF RAINBOW-COLORED BUILDINGS AND HILLSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS... OH, AND VERY GOOD SANGRIA.

♪ ♪ >> [singing in Spanish] ♪ ♪ >> [singing in Spanish] ♪ ♪ >> Rosendo: THE TANGO CANTOS SPEAK OF LIFE AS A MIXTURE OF SADNESS AND JOY.

THE SONGS MAY BE ARGENTINE, BUT THE SENTIMENT IS VERY CHILEAN.

>> [singing in Spanish] ♪ ♪ >> Rosendo: JOIN ME NEXT TIME AS I HEAD NORTH FOR MORE CHILEAN CULTURAL ADVENTURES.

>> announcer: TRAVELSCOPE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES.

DK CITY AND COUNTRY GUIDES FEATURE EVOCATIVE PHOTOS, HOTEL AND DINING CHOICES, GUIDED WALKS, AND TRAVEL ITINERARIES.

DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES: THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU.

TO ORDER A DVD OF TODAY'S SHOW OR ANY OF JOSEPH'S TRAVELSCOPE ADVENTURES, VISIT: OR CALL: VISIT US AT TRAVELSCOPE.NET TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TRAVELSCOPE AND TO JOIN JOSEPH'S WORLDWIDE ADVENTURES ON HIS BLOG.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US: OR EMAIL US AT: >> Rosendo: JOIN ME NEXT TIME ON TRAVELSCOPE WHEN I JOURNEY TO THE DRIEST PLACE ON EARTH, THE ATACAMA DESERT, WHEN I CONTINUE MY CHILEAN ADVENTURE.

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