We arrived into Vaparaiso after probably the most frustrating border crossing to date as we made our way from Mendoza. Three and a half hours in queue's, having all our luggage scanned and waiting for the people on our bus who were pulled out randomly for bag searches. They seemed to pull out all the women over 60, you never can trust grannies, ideal drug dealer candidates I reckon. The actual drive over the Andes from one wine region to another was spectacular though.

Valparaiso is probably the quirkiest I have ever been to. A World Heritage site its colourful houses line the steep hillsides looking down on a very busy port that gives the air a constant fish smell. Full of street art, pastel colours and a diverse mix of architecture it is Chile's bohemian capital and a place to go crazy with a camera, there are so many things to capture. The only slight downside is that it has the dog mess problem, we thought we had finished with that after Buenos Aires but alas not. Fortunately we are now expert dodgers of the stuff, so didn't have too many problems.

To help reach the steeper neighbourhoods the city has around 15 ascensores (funiculars) of different sizes dotted around and add another facet to the place. I don't think it would be to everyone's liking, but if you are into the uber trendy art cafe scene, graffiti walls and the like you will love the place.

Bella Vista is one of the most absorbing areas, it has what is described as open-air art ditted around it, essentially these are a series of murals painted onto walls around the area. Maps are provided for you to go on a treasure hunt to find them all. We spent a surprisingly interesting couple of hours walking around "La Sebastiana", Pablo Neruda's house, the Chilean poet and Nobel Prize Winner for Literature. I say 'surprising' as we didn't really know what to expect. I would describe it by saying that if Valparaiso was a house, this would be it. Every room is a different colour and an eclectic mix of furniture, antiques and decor, along with outstanding views of the city below. It even built the place with a kind of heliport on the roof to transport him to the stars. He was quite a character.

We stayed at Casa Verde Limon, a very bright and very cool hostel that is in keeping with the city. It is small and in a great central position. The owner was super too and gave us a good orientation of the city via a large map as part of his check-in. It might not be for the party crowd but it is close by to some super bars and restaurants.

We took a half day trip to Vina del Mar, just 10 minutes away on the train. It is far more modern and commercial than Valpo, in fact you can't get too much more of a contrast between two cities that sit so close together. Great for shopping, it has a few beaches and nice cafes lining the streets but that is about it. We grabbed a 'completo' whilst we were there, a Chilean favourite, it's basically a hot dog with tomoates, guacamole and mayo. The ones we were served were about a foot long.

It has been a great few days. Santiago beckons.