FRAGMENTS_ Acusa Seca

In my previous blogpost I raved about the cave dwelling we stayed at in Gran Canaria, so today I wanted to share more photos of that experience.  In this post I’m taking you on a tour of Acusa Seca, a small village of cave dwellings dating back to the 6th century with a breathtaking view over Roque Nublo (the appropriately named cloud rock).  During our hike through the surrounding valley we encountered even more breathtaking views, hence the picture overload.  Have a look at the photos below and wander through Acusa Seca with me!

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EXPLORED_ a cave house in Acusa Seca

Explored_ acusa seca cave house in gran canaria

When I was planning last summer’s holiday, I came across an intriguing airbnb by accident.  A house carved into the rocks, with an incredible view right at its front door.  Thinking it was probably somewhere really far away and exotic where I wouldn’t end up in the near future, I saved it for “someday”.  A few weeks later, when I wanted to show that impressive Acusa Seca cave house to a friend, I noticed it was located on Gran Canaria.  The island where my sister was planning to spend 5 months for her Erasmus.

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COLLECTION_ inspired by Jeroen Lemaitre’s home

collection_ inspired by jeroen lemaitre of animaux spéciaux

As you’ve probably seen in my latest insights blogpost about the interior of the man behind Animaux Spéciaux,  Jeroen Lemaitre has impeccable taste and an eye for the unusual.  It’s hard not to get inspired by the artist and entrepreneur’s intriguing interior.  Lucky for us, he doesn’t make it difficult to give our own interior that Animaux Spéciaux touch.  I’ve collected my favorite items from his webshop, that will certainly lift your interior to a higher level.  And there’s more good news: with the code AUPAYSDESMERVEILLES you’ll get a 5% discount in the Animaux Spéciaux webshop!  Happy shopping…

  1. Vintage inspired whales poster, for sale here.
  2. One of a kind duck wing lamp, designed by Jeroen, available here.
  3. Tobacco and patchouli scented candle in a vintage inspired apothecary jar, get it here.
  4. Kokodema, buy it here.
  5. Framed butterfly, order it here.
  6. The book Wonders are collectible, where Jeroen tells all about taxidermy.  Find it here.
  7. Anitque glass bell filled with exotic beatles.  For sale here.
  8. Industrial lamp, click it home here.
  9. Framed walking leaf bug, available here.

 

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INSIGHTS_ Jeroen Lemaitre

portrait of Jeroen by Eline Ros

Up until a few years ago, taxidermy was considered rather tacky and cruel.  If anyone is responsible for turning that image around, it would be Jeroen Lemaitre of Animaux Spéciaux.  He single-handedly updated taxidermy’s image by limiting himself to animals that died a natural death, combined with his impeccable taste and artistry.  Jeroen describes himself as a treasure hunter, someone who tracks down interesting collectables or makes them himself by hand, from colorful insects preserved under cloches or in frames, to taxidermy, intriguing accessories, exotic plants and even artworks.  These are all for sale in his beautiful shop Animaux Spéciaux in Leuven (which I blogged about earlier here) and his webshop.  Well… not all of them are for sale, as some of his most intriguing pieces ended up in his own home, which he was kind enough to show me.

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FRAGMENTS_ jardins fontserè i mestre

Before we started our 50 km roadtrip, Eline and I first had to drive our car from the airport of Barcelona to our hotel in Girona.  To make sure we had the best possible experience during our first drive with the prius plug-in hybrid, the toyota team programmed a scenic route into the GPS.  We drove along some of Barcelona’s most impressive views, but there was one in particular where we could not resist to make a quick stop.  When we spotted the lushious vegetation and interesting architecture of the Jardins Fontserè i Mestre, we just had to pull over!  Unfortunately the greenhouses were closed, so we didn’t get the full experience, but I did manage to snap a few photos that convey the atmosphere quite well.  Definitely a place that should be listed in my city guide for Barcelona!

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COLLECTION_ inspired by Nathalie Teugels’ home

It seemed you loved Nathalie Teugels‘ beautiful apartment as much as I did, so I’ve compiled a little collection to help you implement Nathalie’s style in your own home.  Marble elements, something to store your magazines and anything related to plants are essential to Nathalie’s interior, but the best way to incorporate her aesthetic into your interior, is of course investing in your very own piece of Teugels Meubels.  So don’t forget to keep an eye on Serax, where you’ll soon be able to buy Nathalie’s coffee table meets magazine rack.  (featured on the blog before here)

  1. Yellow plaid by Vjesbjerg, get it here.
  2. Marble pillow case by Madiva Creative, order it here.
  3. The Design Letters collection with typography by Arne Jacobsen, available here.
  4. Marble cheeseboard by Boska, for sale here.
  5. Metallic paper bag by WarmGreyCompany, buy it here.
  6. Fish vase by Serax, find it here.
  7. Magazine rack by Madame Stoltz, discover it here.
  8. Cactus candle by Hema, sold out, but you can get a similar version here.
  9. Letter board by Jay Retro, available here.

 

 

 

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FRAGMENTS_ Las Palmas in pastel

FRAGMENTS_ Las Palmas in pastel - Hannelore Veelaert for au pays des merveilles

Normally I would try to recap my holidays in a more or less chronological way, but once I started editing photos of our last evening in Las Palmas, I couldn’t wait to share these dreamy pastel fragments of Gran Canaria’s capital.

As you might have guessed from all the spamming I did on Instagram (you can find all images from our trip here), visiting my sister on her Erasmus destination was pretty spectacular.  The island of Gran Canaria truly has it all, from black beaches and deserts to lush vegetation and breathtaking mountains (more on that later!), while Las Palmas is one dreamy sequence of exotic palm trees and sublime pastel hues.  Quite the opposite from the all-in resorts that I imagined beforehand, but hey, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

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FRAGMENTS_ the 50 km road trip

all pictures by Eline Ros and me

It came as quite a surprise when Toyota asked me if I wanted to try out their Prius Plug-in Hybrid.  I’m not a car expert, in fact, I just passed my driver’s license test and still had to pick up my driver’s license.  However, I do care about sustainability and love traveling, so this trip seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out that brand new driver’s license.   Toyota challenged me and my friend Eline to go on a 50 km road trip, discovering interesting spots in a 50 km radius around the Mas de Torrent hotel where we were staying.  Why 50 km?  This is the Prius Plug-in Hybrid’s driving range using only its battery.  Yay for no emissions!

I was very curious to discover the Catalonian provence of Girona, as I’ve traveled to Spain multiple times but only ever visited Barcelona.  As it turns out, Girona holds beautiful beaches, incredible views, picturesque medieval villages, interesting architecture and, last but not least, excellent coffee.

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FRAGMENTS_ CCB in Lisbon

During my last visit to Lisbon, I made a quick stop at the CCB in Lisbon’s parish Belém.  I visited this cultural center once before, during my Erasmus in 2012, and absolutely loved it, so I couldn’t resist paying it a second visit after I discovered the MAAT.  Unfortunately I didn’t have time to go inside and check out the current exhibition (I had a plain to catch), but I did take a closer look at the architecture and was pleasantly surprised.  Due to the winter light, the building seemed to be dressed in soft pink tones, which worked beautifully with the CCB’s surrounding greenery and the building’s composition.  Just in case you have plans to visit Portugal’s capital, don’t forget to check out my city guide for more tips on what to do in (and around) Lisbon.

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