second favourite -John’s shed

Helenka, I’ve heard him speak about architecture and he makes good sense about that too. Just lately Iv’e been having trouble getting off to sleep and so I think about neutral stuff .The other night I was doing just that and thinking of the most beautiful buildings I have been to . And I think my NO.1 is Salvador Dali’s house in Port Lligat ,Spain. The 5 of us went there in 2000.We arrived there green , having driven about an hour around hairpin bends, over the top of a mountain ,which was still smouldering from a forest fire 2 days previously.But once there it was amazing and well worth the puking into a Lleclerc carrier bag. I am not a fan of his work , I feel it is technically brilliant ,and apart from his ‘ Christ of Saint John of the Cross’ painting ,nothing really moves me ( is it because I have a loathing for eggs? ). But his house was beautiful .He had bought a fisherman’s cottage , for it’s light, on the edge of a working bay .Then the adjoining cottages came up for sale ,so he bought those 2 , knocked down a lot of the internal walls ,and architected ( can I say that ? ) his own house.None of the rooms were uniform shape .You went in the room in one door and came out of another ,(a bit like Cluedo ) There ware circular rooms, long rooms,dark rooms ,light filled rooms and of course a fabulous garden with tropical plants and THAT key shaped swimming pool .All right on the edge of the sea- it was stunning.

I know I am in danger of sounding cheesy ,but , I would love to know your favourites