Pablo Neruda's La Chascona & Other Lovely Finds in Bellavista

January 8, 2011 (part II)

Arriving into the neighborhood of Bellavista, we soon encountered a large outdoor craft market selling various Chilean-made art & craft-type items. We browsed the shops before gravitating toward one of the more unique stands selling knitted items: sweaters, vest, neck warms; each designed with a very particular Chilean Style in hip, interesting colors. This definitely wasn't your cooking-cutter souvenir stand; we happily picked up a few items for ourselves and few more to give as gifts.

We didn't get to wonder around the craft market too long (probably a good thing for budget purposes ;), asit was nearing the time of our schedule tour at  La Chascona, Pablo Neruda's house in Santiago), which we easily found tucked away on a side street of Bellavista. We browsed the gift shop and cooled off with some iced tea in the on-site cafe The weather was was much warmer today, necessitating a bit of cooling down after our longish trek from Providencia to Bellavista.

Now, I must admit that this is where my real-time journaling from our trip to Chile ends. Upon returning to "real life" back in the States and the demands of full-time job, I quickly lost motivation to write down a play-by-play report of what occurred during our remaining hours in Chile. But I will try to reflect on the experience a bit here.

La Chascona

And perhaps it will help that this wasn't my first visit to La Chascona. No, I also visited Neruda's Bellavista home way back in 2003; back in the days before I was using a digital camera;  before Facebook had been invented; before many of the modern conveniences that we enjoy in 2011. I have pictures of this visit somewhere....tucked away in an old photo album I'm sure; certainly not available in electronic format. My visit to La Chascona occurred early in my 2003 study abroad experience, at a time when my knowledge of Chile was much more limited than in is today and my appreciation for the eccentric poet non-existent (Pablo who?). So I was thankful to have a second opportunity to visit La Chascona with the added benefit of having studied Chilean culture and Neruda's poetry in greater depth.

As Eóin's Epic Travel Blog describes, "La Chascona was actually built and named after Neruda’s third wife, Matilde Urrutia, although at the time it was built he was still married to his second wife and Matilde was a secret…Anyway, his house is just as bizarre and quirky as the man himself. It’s decked out, like all his houses, to look and feel like a ship. Curved ceilings, ship furniture, water running past the window, narrow rooms and lots of rum. You should read a little bit about his life, a life he seemed to spend constantly lying and covering things up. I suppose the title of his last book pretty much sums up his days; ‘I Confess that I have Lived’."

I particulary enjoyed Irene Gimeno Espasa's take on the life of Neruda in her post, I CONFESS THAT I HAVE LIVED: THE LIFE OF PABLO NERUDA, SOUTH AMERICA’S FINEST POET: "Chilean poet Pablo Neruda had one of those existences that do justice to life. He got a taste of happiness and love, of justice and heroism, as well as bitterness, sadness and exile."

After the tour of La Chascona, we decided to go for quick happy hour drink before it was time to head back to the hotel and prepare for my flight back to North America, cold weather and short days of little sunshine. As we enjoyed our tasty beers among the tree-lined streets of Bellavisita, Santiago summer seemed to be in full swing; groups of friends filled the cafes and street-side tables for several blocks in either direction. A warm breeze blew through the air. I could have stayed another week. Or two. 

Enjoying a beer in Bellavista

But it was time to head to the airport, which was jam-packed full of other international tourist, most of whom were destined for the same fate as myself. A fate that included a 8 + hour plane ride, followed by a not-so-pleasant experience of clearing customs at 5am, followed by many hours in the Miami airport. All ending with the realization that it is wintertime where I live. And it gets dark at 5pm. And there are no leaves on the trees. And its cold. 

Which is why it is so important to be thankful for those blazing hot days we had this past summer. 

And that is the end of my Chilean Adventure of January 2011. Now on to other blogging topics...

Modern Conveniences in Santiago, Chile

January 8, 2011

Last day in Chile - *sigh*.

Before checking out of our hotel in Valparaiso, we were able to get in touch with the Neruda Foundation in Santiago to make an appointment to see La Chascona. Unlike the La Sebastiana in Valparaiso, you can't just walk up to Neruda's house in Santiago. We were happy to secure a tour on such short notice and very much looking forward to the opportunity to have another peak into Nerudas personality through his uniequely decorated home.

We called a taxi to take us to the bus terminal (a much quieter locale than its counterpart in Santiago), and within 15 minutes of our arrival at the terminal we were on a bus headed to Santiago. I never cease to be amazed at the professionalism and quality of service offer by the major bus companies in Chile. All of the coaches I've ridden in have been very comfortable and comparable to any charter bus in the U.S. TurBus has gotten the business down to a science, and all the employees seem to be perfectly orchestrated so that departures and arrivals are exactly on cue.

Our hour and a half journey from Valparaiso took us through the wine region of the Casablanca Valley (very pretty country indeed), and around 1pm we were pulling back into the bus terminal in Santiago. A taxi ride later through the leafy streets of downtown over to Provedencia, we arrived at our "petit" hotel. The Meridiano Sur is located along a quiet street, just off the main drag in an "old money" neighborhood of Santiago. The staff of this intimate hotel were quick to greet us: a woman, who appeared to be the owners/manager, and a gentleman in his late 50's who appears to be a newly minted employee. The gentleman showed us around the hotel; a converted home completely re-done in a crisp, modern Chilean style (white walls, wood floors, lots of glass, Chilean artwork, IKEA-style furniture). There was a cozy reading/living area with travel information and a flat screen TV, along with a small but functional computer station.Instead of getting two rooms, we opted for the penthouse suite on the top (3rd) floor, which had four beds and a nice seating area.

Meridiano Sur

After getting settled into the hotel and freshening up a bit, we headed out in search of LUNCH. Hot on the Frommers trail, I selected a place on the main street (Avenida Provedencia), just minutes from our hotel, but also on the way to Bellavista, where we were headed next. Bar Liguria received a *** Frommers rating, along with a "moments" designation in the "inexpensive dining category, so we figured it was worth a visit. The food was good, the atmosphere fun and lively, and it certainly was very memorable. You could tell the place got it's fair share of tourist (our waiter insisted upon trying out his [somewhat lacking] English skills on  us), but there was also a good number of locals dining alongside the gawking sightseers which helped to retain some of it's hole-in-the-wall charm. Upon sitting down, the waiter immediately asked us if we'd like to try an appetizer of  machas a la parmesana  (razor clams on the halfshell smothered and baked with a layer of parmesan cheese on top). Dad, ever optimistic of the palatability of seafood in Chile, promptly agreed to an order, speculating in fact that we might need a double order? No, I think a single will do...

Bar Liguria

After finishing up a tasty lunch of octopus salad with avocado, tomatoes, greens, and a light balsamic vinaigrette, we emerged from the restaurant and into the warm summertime air to continue our walk towards Bellavista. We had a little over an hour to kill before our tour was schedule dot begin at Pablos Neruda's house, La Charascona, so we were able to take our time and check out some of the sights along the way.

Fortunately, the route from Bar Liguria to Bellavista was lined with leafy trees and interspersed with grassy promenades. Walking through Parque Balmaceda, we passed by a few couples necking on park benches before stopping to appreciate the beautiful fountain (Fuente Bicentenario) and rather interesting sculpture ("Homenaje a Rodo"). Apparently both the fountain and statute are recent additions to the park; built in 2005 to commemorate Chile's Bicentennial, which was celebrated on on September 18, 2010.

Our lazy stroll through the park was interrupted by the sight of an ambulance with flashing lights and a quickly growing crowd of spectators peering in on the recent victim of a traffic accident. The scene was decidedly different than anything you might encounter back in the states, where police would have ensured that onlookers were kept at a reasonable distance from the scene of the incident.

Fuente Bicentenario

Homenaje a Rodo

Car wreck near  Parque Balmaceda

Car wreck near  Parque Balmaceda

Wait, There's an Armada in Chile?

January 7, 2011 (part III)

After having our fill of seafood at Mis Nietos, we took a stroll along the inlet to appreciate the crashing waves and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. This particular stretch of road was well-equipped with a nice sidewalk and periodic look-out points from which to gaze upon the harbor in the distance. A strong breeze off the ocean was perfectly complemented by the brightly shining afternoon sun to make for comfortable strolling weather. We walked slowly and took many photos as we fought off the urge for an after lunch siesta.

Caleta El Membrillo

I'm fairly certain my Mom would have continued this meandering walk along the coast for the rest of the afternoon. However, we had a long list of things to see and it was already approaching 4:00pm and it was time to get a move-on. We began walking back in the direction we had come, toward the city center. On the map, it looked like our next destination, Museo Naval y Maritimo, couldn't possibly be more than a mile or so down the coast. So instead of catching a bus, we walked. And then we kept walking - for nearly an hour. Needless to say, it was more than a mile. As we walked, the scenery quickly turned from views of crashing waves and sweeping vistas to a more industrial scene. As we neared the port, we saw several university buildings for marine studies, as well as a facility for the Chilean Navy (La Armada Chilena).

Finally, we arrived at the base of Ascensor Atilleria  - the elevator that would take us to our destination at the top of the steep hill. Like the other ascensores in Valparaiso, La Atilleria looked as if it had received few repairs since it was originally built in the late 1800s. Unique to La Atilleria is that it is much larger than the other ascensores of Valparaiso, with capacity for 10-15 people vs. the 4-6 person capacity of the other elevators we had ridden in. The views on the way up the ride up were especially rewarding; this was the first time we had been up on the hillside while the sun was out and the blue sky provided a nice contrast to the brightly colored buildings and lush gardens that were in full summer bloom.

Ascensor Atilleria 

Ascensor Atilleria 

Ascensor Atilleria 

At the top of the elevator, we found the usual lively scene that we had begun to expect at the top of an ascensor in Valparaiso: vendors selling souvenirs, musicians, a cafe with an excellent view, and of course other fellow tourist. There was also a nice gazebo and pleasant tree-covered Paseo 21 de Mayo that provided a nice setting for some panorama photos of the city (the promenade is named to commemorate  a naval battle that occurred on the 21st of May, 1879 in Iquique, Chile during the War of the Pacific). We spent a bit of time looking at the souvenir stands; Mom was on a bit of a gift-buying shopping rampage - fair warning to any of our relatives that receive kitsch little South American trinkets this holiday season ;).

After some effort, we were able to pull her away from the souvenir stands and up the flight of stairs leading to the Naval Museum. Housed in a grand old white building at the very peak of the hill and surrounded by a well-cared for lawn, it seemed a world away from the grit and grime of the harbor below. Along the pathway leading up to the museum, a friendly golden retriever was enjoying a lively game of fetch by hoisting his chew toy (an old plastic coke bottle filled with sand) over the 4 ft. tall fence so that it could be thrown by passersby . Great fun and seriously entertaining for all involved.

Up at the Museo Naval y Maritimo, we paid our entry fee and browsed the many different rooms that recounted Chilean naval history. I was surprised to learn that Chile had been involved with several major conflicts over the past 200 years since their independence from Spain. When considering the length of Chile's coast, it really shouldn't be that surprising that their navy is as prolific as it is - in the harbor earlier in the day, we had seen row after row of navy ships.  I suppose these are the things one becomes enlightened about through travel and museum visits such as these.

Museo Naval y Maritimo

After another ride on the ascensor, we were back in the flat area of the city. Unable to locate a taxi (a noticeable trend during our stay in the area), we hopped on a city bus that delivered us to the base of the street leading up to our hotel. This cut our journey in half but we still had a hefty uphill walk ahead of us. Thankfully we continued to be blessed with especially nice weather that day, which made the never-ending walking a little less arduous. The route up the hill took us on many of the stairways and narrow pathways that we had traversed the day before. En route, we picked up our two bottles of wine and water for the night and retired to the Hotel for a bit of R & R before dinner.

Happy to have a little down time after a long day of walking and sightseeing, I spent some time in our lovely room peering out the window overlooking the hills of Valpo with a pleasant breeze blowing through the curtains as the sun began to set and the city lights began to twinkle. With wine glass in hand, I enjoyed the beats of typical Chilean music playing from the stereo (a CD my Dad had bought from one of the musicians who had serenaded us at lunch today) while catching up on some journal writing.

Once the bottles of wine were empty around 9:30, we walked the few blocks down the hill to the cluster of restaurants we had eaten at the day before. Seeing as how we had once again managed to get a late start on dinner, our dining options were limited by the amount of seating still available (waiting on tables is uncommon in Chile; it is expected patrons will stay for the better part of the evening, so it is not likely for a table to become available halfway through the dinner hour.) After peaking in a few different restaurants, we decided our best bet would be Almacen Nacional - the same place we had eaten at for lunch the day before, but hard to disagree with given it's convenient location, convivial atmosphere and reasonable prices. We ordered a couple tablas (appetizer trays) that included meats, cheese, veggies and olives prepared in typical Chilean styles.  Good, but nothing to rave about. After a quick walk up the hill, we were headed to bed at the early hour of 11:15.

Almacen Nacional

Conger Eel, Say What ???

January 1, 2011 (part II)

By the time our harbor tour was over, the morning fog and clouds had given way to beautiful blue skies. As we turned our thoughts to lunch, we decided to take a local bus down the coast a few miles to check out a spot recommended to us by one of the friendly staff members back at Hotel Thomas Somerscales where we were advised that we would find good, fresh, typical Chilean seafood.

Arriving at Caleta El Membrillo ( "Quince Inlet" - This inlet owes its name to the grove of quince trees that was once there.), we were immediately swarmed by a half dozen waiters from each of the seafood restaurants clustered here. We decided to let Mom choose the spot this time, and she selected Mis Nietos, which had an upstairs dining area with lots of windows that provided sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. There was nothing fancy about the restaurant, but the tables were colorfully decorated in bright pink and purple table cloths that matched the uniforms of the friendly and attentive wait staff. There were only a few other tables occupied when we arrived shortly after 2pm (a normal hour for lunch in Chile), but the spacious dining area was by no means packed. Our fellow dinners appeared to be local middle class Chileans, along with a couple other groups of Latin American tourist. We were definitely off the tourist map here (both literally and figuratively), which added an element of adventure and made the reward of a an authentic experience even more special. 

Mis Nietos - "My Grandkids" - Seafood Restaurant in Caleta El Membrillo

Our waiter friends at Caleta el Membrillo - soliciting our business at the various seafood restaurants 

The waiter recommended the Congria (Conger Eel), Corvina (Sea Bass) and Reineta (white fish, found exclusively in Chile), so we ordered one of each and hoped for the best. Dad decided to take a chance on the seafood soup, despite our prior experience with the dish back in Santiago. After we ordered, the waiter came by to ask if we'd like an Apéritif ("de la casa" - FREE). Well, sure. Why not?  We were each given little shots of pisco sour  (which were much better tasting than the strait pisco that we were given back in Vina de Mar)along with a  plate of super delicious empanads de marisco (fried seafood turnover). Next came the Reineta (white fish), simply grilled with butter and served on a fish-shaped plate. Dad's seafood soup had the same funky taste as the one at the fish market in Santiago. At this point we had determined that this was not the result of spoiled seafood but rather a by-product of the clams or oysters contained within; at any rate, I don't think we'll be ordered anymore seafood soup on this trip!

Caleta El Membrillo