The House of Eternal Squash

My home for the last four days has been a beautiful house overlooking the mediteranean set in a wonderful garden.



The garden is terraced and includes a cactus garden, herb beds, a swimming pool, Lindsay's sculpting workshop, a lovers hammock and the most wonderful compost heap where after the casual dropping of seeds butternut squash grow in profusion. So many squash have grown that they are used as decoration in the house and garden. Today we have been mostly eating squash ............ On Monday we picked oranges, grapefruit, figs and pomegranites from the garden - what a joy.


I'm staying in the home of Ollie, who is Lindsay's partner. He's a generous boule player, charming, linguistically gifted and a fine companion on a mountain walk. Lindsay is an artist and one of Max's step sisters. She came here four years ago to complete her art degree and has yet to leave.



Lindsay and I have shared Hong Kong Christmas adventures in the past. I also saw her here in March 2008 when Virginia and I were catching some winter sun. On that trip she took us walking in almond groves in the mountains.

Lindsay's sculptures are set throughout the house and garden. She works in alabaster and creates the most sensual and pleasing pieces. This year they took her collection to London for an exhibition and hope to tour it through europe in the summer of 2010. Anyone wanting to rent a 'retreat' in July and August next year could do a lot worse than stay here.


Time has flown since Monday - we've had wonderful meals, frisbied on the beach, walked in the mountains, drunk Horchata in Valencia (traditional tiger nut drink), swum in the pool and watched countless fish at the Oceanographic centre in Valencia.

Ollie and Lindsay have been the most wonderful hosts - thank you guys it's been lovely to be here. Today Lucy and I head south towards Granada ..............

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