Happy Monday

Happy Monday to all! I am now back in cold grey Blighty, after a very relaxing week in Lanzarote. It's somewhere I'd never been to before, and I was pleasantly surprised at. At first the barren landscape seemed uninviting, but as the week went on, I grew to like its drama with its awesome craters dominating the landscape and the jagged edges of the surrounding lava. We rented a car, which meant getting around the island was much easier.

As well as relaxing quite a lot, I got to see a good cross section of the island - the popular beaches in the south and the quieter, windy north as well as La Graciosa, a tiny island off the northern tip of the island, known for its wildlife and deserted beaches. We got the ferry over from the main island and spent a nice few hours having lunch on the beach and wandering around.

One of my favourite trips was to the home of Cesar Manrique, a local artist and architect working in the 60s and 70s who championed an ecological approach towards development. He decided to build a home using existing land. The home uses five underground bubbles that had been created within the lava flow hundreds of years ago, and each bubble is interconnected to create a stunning underground space. On arriving at the home, it is not immediately obvious where it actually is! You are greeted by this stunning multi colour sculpture that moves in the wind.

Walk through the first living space, which is on the ground level, and out onto a balcony that overlooks a stunning sunken garden filled with tropical plants and a turquoise pool.

The interior of the ground floor uses windows and the landscape beyond to create 'artwork'.

You then descend down a volcanic staircase and into the series of bubble rooms.

A doorway opens up into an elegant white space decorated with a marble coffee table and a bright white built-in sofa. I can only imagine the type of parties that went on here!

In the middle of the white room is a palm tree that shoots up through a hole in the ceiling.

The red room has a striking statue of a man and woman.

Head out to the sunken garden and there is a stylish nook built into the rock where barbecues can be enjoyed. I love the three 70s ceramic light fixtures hanging over the table.

When I grow up, I want one of these houses please!