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20 June 2014

Crazy House

I am a HUGE fan of Salvador Dali and Antoni Gaudi. There are two Dali museums in the world--one in his hometown of Figueres, Spain and the other in St. Petersburg, Florida. I've been to both. In 1999 I spent a week of 1999 admiring Gaudi's many works in Barcelona. All were amazing and well worth the time and travel.

While preparing for my initial visit last year, I read about a place called Crazy House and put it on my "I want to see..." list. During our brief stop in
Đà Lạt last December, Annika and Philine and I were unable to find Crazy House--although we didn't try all that hard...

This trip, I found it. 
WOW!
As is commonly said, Crazy House looks a collaboration between Dali and Gaudi... and it's a collection of connected buildings in the middle of normal Vietnamese housing where one could easily drive within 50 meters and never realize it. 

I spent quite a while wandering through and in and out and up and down and...

WOW!

There's a staircase that goes OVER one of the gables; 
 Notice the "tree trunks" and "vines" that act as handrails...


There are many sitting rooms and bedrooms; I hear that you can even stay overnight, though I've not yet verified that. 
 The "wood" floor, steps, and tree are actually man-made. My guess is concrete.
You probably saw the mirror on the ceiling; did you notice the one on the wall? Although it was not a conscious search, this was the only so-accessorized bedroom that I saw.

 Speaking of walls, check out this outside wall...

Many more photos are shared here...

While at Crazy House, I got a little carried away with gift shop purchased--and struck up a conversation with a very nice young woman named Lien. When I mentioned that I am moving to Đà Lạt, she offered to keep in touch and, along with Vy, help in whatever way she could. We have since exchanged a couple emails and in one of them she said that I remind her of her father--and asked if she can call me Papa.

WOW! What a compliment!!! Absolutely!

I look forward to getting to know Lien, her husband, and her friends once I live there (Đà Lạt, not Crazy House... though if it comes up for sale, I'm interested :)

Note to Annika and Philine: I'm sorry I didn't insist we search harder for Crazy House. Please come visit me in Đà Lạt in 2015 and I will take you there.

Next: Mr. Rot's Secret Tour and Đà Lạt Night Café


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