Pablo Neruda, the internationally famous Chilean poet and politician, had three beautiful houses in Chile. His main house, Isla Negra, is on a secluded stretch of beach south of the port city of Valparaiso. Isla Negra was Neruda's life project. He filled the house with collections of all sorts: art, shells, busts of ships, ash trays, old maps, books, compasses, instruments, butterflies and beetles from the tropics, his personal hats, glass bottles from flea markets, masks from the East, trinkets, and gifts from the sea. While in one sense a lot of it is just stuff, the way he gathered and organized his treasures is unique and inspiring. The man had good taste.
Near Neruda's grave on the water, with Meredith and Stacey
busts of ships
ash trays
a Guatemalan textile - even Neruda had one!
snail shells in the floor of the entry that were supposed to "massage a guest's feet"
Rapa Nui Virgin Mary
miniature guitar trinkets with beautiful inlays
lapis lazuli fireplace
various large compasses
exquisite shell collection with shells from literally all over the world.. from Brazil to Malaysia
"You like Isla Negra, so take care of it, your children and grandchildren will inherit it"
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