¡Valparaiso!

I arrived in Valparaiso 37h after leaving Iquique and boy am I sick of buses. I don't want to see another ham and cheese sandwich in a very long time. They hand them out for lunch and dinner on the bus. White bread, in a plastic packet. Always ham and cheese. I've eaten so many that by the end of the bus ride I was opting for hunger over another sandwich.  

I've also developed a new strategy for getting by on buses: I become the "sweet girl" meaning I feed people around me sweets (in this case, chocolate eclairs). This transforms me from that annoying white chick who speaks terrible Spanish to that nice chick who gave me a sweet who I'm going to look out for and make sure she gets off at the right stop and her bag doesn't get stolen. 

Valparaiso is beeeeeeeautiful. I'm so glad I have a few nights here. It's hilly and by the ocean and full of colourfully painted houses and street art 

Yesterday, after I took a long hot shower to rid myself of 2 nights on a bus, I spent the afternoon strolling around the streets. I'm staying in the older part of the city up on a hill which has been UNESCO listed. The street my hostel is on is foot traffic only and cobblestoned. 

I also walked up to the only public park in the city which is in the giant walled grounds of the old prison. 

This morning I hiked up to visit the house of the poet, Pablo Neruda. Truly spectacular. He was a keen collector and an eccentric. His house was wonderful and looked over all of Valparaiso. All manner of things existed in his house; a stuffed exotic bird from Venezuala, a wooden carousel horse from Spain, antique maps, old oil paintings, prints from China. He believed water tasted better from green or red glasses, enjoyed whiskey and red wine, and never ate alone; he entertained friends for both lunch and dinner. Here is his dining table, with green water glasses and big ceramic cow punch bowl:

And here is his bedroom:

I'd have 10,000 more photos but you weren't allowed to take photos inside. So these are my secret squirrel "while the guard isn't watching" snaps. 

Here I am outside the house where you're allowed to take photographs:

I toured the house with a Canadian girl I met whilst I was sitting outside a church eating some of the 2kg of cherries I bought for $2AUD. I thought we were quite the pair; she was visiting the house because she studied literature and liked the work of Neruda; I'd never heard of Neruda before but was visiting the architecture. 

I am becoming somewhat addicted to empañadas. I would describe them as pie calzones... Pie pastry but folded over like a calzone and filled traditionally with a mince or cheese. There's the best empañada shop way too close to my hostel for my own good and they have over 60 different flavour combinations!!!!!!! Yestetday I had chicken cheese and capsicum, today I had beef mince, onion, tomato and cheese. They're about $2 and they rock my world. 

Tonight I shall drink red wine and read some Neruda.   

Amiee x