Valparaiso, Chile

"Located 70 miles, or about a two-hour drive, from the capital city of Santiago, Valparaiso is Chiles principal port. With a population of close to half a million, it is the commercial and administrative center for a vast region and the seat of a major university. A large part of the city is clustered along a crescent of hills in a maze of alleys, winding streets, connecting stairs and funicular railcars. The business center at the foot of the hills lies partially on reclaimed land. Ingenuity has turned a piece of coastline into one of the worlds most picturesque ports; it is especially striking when seen from the sea at dusk, with its semicircle of lit-up hills cascading down to the water.
Valparaiso has no clear date of founding. During the 17th and 18th centuries the port had only seasonal activity; for the remainder of the year it lay dormant. In the early 19th century, following the countrys independence from Spain, the ports of Chile and the Americas were opened to world trade. Due to Valparaisos convenient location along the shipping routes circling the tip of South America, the port experienced a tremendous boost. English, German and French immigrants brought foreign capital to finance development of copper, silver and nitrate mining. Valparaiso became the countrys leading commercial center and established the first banks and a stock exchange.

Just six miles out of Valparaiso lies Chiles main seaside resort, Viña del Mar, often dubbed "the garden city" because of its beautiful parks and gardens. Excellent beaches are lined by fine promenades with a range of hotels, restaurants and a casino.

Santiago, with over four million people, is the fifth largest city in South America. Standing in a wide plain 1,800 feet above sea level, Santiago boasts a beautiful setting. Snow-capped peaks of the Andes chain provide a dramatic backdrop. Tastefully laid out public gardens contribute to the beauty of the city. However, Santiago also suffers from horrendous traffic and a high level of pollution. The heart of Santiago is the Plaza de Armas, flanked by the cathedral, the archbishops palace, the National History Museum and fine arcaded buildings lined with shops. The two-mile-long Avenida OHiggins is the major thoroughfare, commonly known as the Alameda. There is a splendid view over the city from San Cristobal Hill, crowned by the statue of the Virgin Mary.

Valparaiso, Chile News

Argentina Announces $3 Billion Rail Network Connecting Chile (Nasdaq)
BUENOS AIRES -(Dow Jones)- Two Argentine companies will invest around $3 billion to build a railway network connecting Argentina and Chile, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez said in a speech late Wednesday.

Album: Calexico, Carried to Dust (City Slang) (Independent)
A return to form after the ill-considered country-agit-rock of last year's Garden Ruin, Calexico's sixth album finds them once again down by the borderline, slipping smoothly between languages and influences with the practised ease of the musically well-travelled.

USD Mathematics Professor Awarded Fulbright Scholarship To Teach, Conduct Research In Chile (Yankton Press & Dakotan)
VERMILLION â€” Jose Flores, a professor of mathematics at The University of South Dakota, is teaching graduate students in mathematical ecology at the Institute of Mathematics at Pontificia Universidad de Valparaiso in Chile as a result of a Fulbright Scholar grant. The project includes course instruction along with an opportunity to work on mathematical ecology research with Chilean collaborators.

Mercosur seeks common strategy for high food prices (People's Daily)
The Common Market of the South (Mercosur) Thursday discussed a common strategy to address surging world food prices at an agriculture meeting in Chile. Agriculture Ministers of Mercosur's members gathered in the resort of Cocon in the Region of Valparaiso in central Chile to join the 14th ordinary meeting of the Agriculture and Livestock Council of the South (CAS). Chilean Agriculture Minister ...

Friend says suspect in slaying of CU student to plead not guilty (Rocky Mountain News)
Diego Olmos Alcalde is scheduled to be arraigned next week in connection with the brutal 1997 rape and killing of University of Colorado student Susannah Chase.

New car, terrain for 9-time champ as 'Dakar' shifts to South America (ABS-CBNNEWS.com)
Nine-time Dakar rally champion Stephane Peterhansel of France will be driving a new car as the two-week race transfers to its new battle ground in South America.

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