Pablo's corners

Neruda's house in Valparaíso

Since the past days we are enjoying Chile, a land of amazing natural constrasts. Tomorrow night we will move south towards Valdivia and the island of Chiloé, personally longing for a non urban place, away from the city. Time to dive into nature.  

So far, I can say I loved Santiago, with its relaxed atmoshpere that made us slow down our city-paced-steps. I would have stayed in its bohemian neighbourhood, Bellavista, night after night, enjoying its colours, street-art and local beer. Then we moved to the colourful Valparaíso, which centre, with its colourful houses, cerros and ascensores, is even a World Heritage site. 

But the most inspiring thing we have done so far was to visit three pearls hidden in Santiago, Valparaíso and Isla Negra: the houses were Pablo Neruda lived in Chile during his life. All of them are simply inspiring: la Chascona in Santiago, la Sebastiana in Valparaíso and the one on Isla Negra, where Pablo was buried with his Matilde. Neruda was a wealthy man but didn't surround himself with boring trivialities or antiquities. His houses are filled with objects of a highly symbolic meaning. He gave a sense, a colour and a metaphor to every little thing he put around. Poetry of things, not just of words. Neurda is a man that belonged to any piece of our earth, with his humanity, his travelling and his reaching the soul of things. These houses themselves are an ode to the will of enjoying life...Totally beautiful!