|
|
|
|
WE'RE HOME !!
We finally made it! On Saturday, November 17th, we finally started moving what few things we have here in Ecuador into our new casita! Can't tell you how much we love it here.
We can now focus our attention on finishing the 2-story palapa (pictured here). With the exception of the bodega (in concrete), it will basically be a bamboo and wood structure - with our "penthouse suite" on top of the bodega, and a huge second floor balcony to enjoy the view and the breeze! Below the balcony, Doug will have his outdoor kitchen - and I can reclaim the kitchen in the casita!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Nov 17:
Two small pickup truck trips, and we basically have most of our stuff on our front porch! We will spend the night here tonight, and go back for the rest tomorrow (or, as it turned out, Monday!)
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Nov 17:
As the sun is preparing to set, it is definitely time to relax! This is what we've been waiting for....
|
|
Saturday, Nov 17:
Yes, our beautiful kitchen is a mess - but we'll get everything squared away tomorrow!
|
|
|
|
Sunday, Nov 18:
Bought these gorgeous indigenous fabrics in Puerto Lopez, and this one (actually meant to be a tablecloth), makes a perfect bedspread!
|
|
Sunday, Nov 18:
And our first two nights in our new home have had magnificent sunsets! Here is the view from our porch...
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, Nov 20:
Next up, finishing the palapa... one of the first loads of cana (bamboo) is delivered by our Maestro.
|
|
Wednesday, Nov 21:
This morning, the majority of the large bamboo for the main structure of the palapa is delivered.
|
|
|
|
Monday, Nov 26:
Today the chicos are starting to put the floor in the bodega so that the workers can begin on the bamboo structure. Here, the support beams for the second floor are going up.
|
|
Tuesday, Nov 27:
And the new member of our family is Woody - he found his way to Casa Anna shortly before we arrived, and Anna was kind enough to suggest that he could come live with us. We are so happy to have him - and he seems to be enjoying it here too!
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, Nov 27:
The floor above the bodega has been laid... the wood is a laurel, and it's really beautiful!
|
|
Wednesday, Nov 28:
The floors of the balcony are being laid. We cannot wait to see the view from this second story!
|
|
|
|
Thursday, Nov 29:
Working on the counter for the kitchen in the palapa. Today, we also GOT OUR INTERNET SERVICE INSTALLED! YEAH!!
|
|
Thursday, Nov 29:
Woody loves to be in the middle of the construction.... here the footers are poured for the 2-story bamboo supports for the roof.
|
|
|
Friday, Nov 30:
The chicos from Puerto Rico (Ecuadorian village - not American island!) have worked hard this week on the bamboo structure.
|
|
|
|
Friday, Nov 30:
Here's another view from our "garden"... evidently some of the best bamboo comes from around Puerto Rico, which is about 40 minutes south of here on the coast.
|
|
Friday, Nov 30:
Luis and Vicente are installing the glass blocks on the bodega wall facing the ocean - this allows light, but cuts out the salt air (big rust factor)!
|
|
|
|
Friday, Nov 30:
Can't wait to see the view from the top - but unlike these guys, I will wait for the escaleras (stairs)!
|
|
Friday, Nov 30:
Being the "artist" that he is - we asked Luis to "sign" his masterpiece on one of the tiles on the pool deck.... he did all the beautiful tilework on our pool!
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALMOST HOME !!
Some things happen too fast in Ecuador! The appliances we ordered were to have been delivered on Friday (11/9), but arrived the next day after purchase (11/6)... the bodega is not quite ready for the washer & dryer, but we plan to find a place for everything this week. Once the power is finished to the pump room (so that the cistern pump will work to deliver water to the casita), and we get a final coat of paint inside the house and clean everything up, we should be ready to move in! We are still planning on that happening this week!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sunday, Nov 4:
Doug's birthday, and we celebrated with dinner on the beach...Doug had "arroz marinero" - rice with just about every type of seafood, from octopus & calamari to shrimp, prawns, fish and some sort of crab-like creature! He loved it!!
|
|
|
|
Sunday, Nov 4:
And I splurged with a whole robalo (snook, in English) - very popular here on the coast of Ecuador - and it's absolutely delicious!
|
|
Wednesday, Nov 7:
Our plumbing maestro from Manta returned today, and installed all the fixtures. We love the way the bathroom turned out with the vessel sinks we selected!
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, Nov 7:
Jose, owner of Olina Water who delivers our water, is here to fill the pool. He also brought music with a special Spanish birthday song, and sang along serenading me for my birthday!
|
|
Wednesday, Nov 7:
Here, Jose's wife Marcelly, is enjoying filling the pool! What a great, fun couple - they make it a pleasure to buy water!!
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, Nov 7:
Maestro Alvarado has the pool pump installed today - and it's working great!!
|
|
Wednesday, Nov 7:
Work continues on the stairs negotiating our hill, finishing the top to the cistern with the lid to fill it. The chicos are working hard to get us into our new home!
|
|
|
|
Friday, Nov 9:
After spending the day in Manta yesterday, shopping for a little more furniture, etc., we return today to find more stairs completed, along with a small wall defining a planting area next to the pool.
|
|
Friday, Nov 9:
In the drive behind the casita, the metal gate for the property entrance is being welded on-site. It will be a double gate with a pedestrian gate on one side.
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Nov 10:
The three columns have been poured for the entrance gate. We are also constructed some stairs inside the gate for a "shortcut" up to the casita.
|
|
Saturday, Nov 10:
Located in the tool/electric room under the casita is the "calefon" - on demand hot water system.
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Nov 10:
Amazing sets of stairs and patios connecting the casita to the pool and palapa. These guys are artists!
|
|
Saturday, Nov 10:
Another view of the Pacific Ocean from the pool area...we will never tire of this view!
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Nov 10:
And, the view from the front porch area from the adjoining patio. We can't wait to wake up here every morning!
|
|
Tuesday, Nov 13:
Let there be light! As our eyes age, it seems more and more light is required - especially in the kitchen. I think we put enough lighting in the kitchen to accomplish that task!
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, Nov 13:
From our little living room.... looking towards the kitchen and powder room...and doorway to the bedroom.
|
|
Tuesday, Nov 13:
Three days of custom welding on-site, and our entrance gate doors are hung. They will now be painted a "cactus green"!
|
|
|
|
|
November 2, 2018
TODAY WE CELEBRATE
"DIA DE LOS MUERTOS" !!
Today in Latin America is a fiesta day - "Day of the Dead". Food, drink, and family all head to the cemetery to spend the day with their departed loved ones. So, Maestro and the chicos are all off work until Monday.
Meanwhile, on the top of the hill, we have cabinets!! And they are gorgeous.... I asked for "bamboo", with no particular design suggestion given - and I got the most beautiful, unique cabinets I've seen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, Oct 25:
Bodega/pump room are coming along... the first section of stairs leading to the soon to be second floor "penthouse" are in place.
|
|
|
|
Thursday, Oct 25:
Installation of the windows and doors has already begun as we arrive at the property today. So, Gina heads to the casita to check it out!
|
|
Thursday, Oct 25:
Behind the bodega and pump room will be a series of steps and landings to negotiate the hilltop terrain. After being filled with additional dirt, cement stairs and walkways will be poured.
|
|
|
|
Thursday, Oct 25:
Stacked along the wall of the living room are the French doors which will lead to the porch from both living room and bedroom. All windows and doors here in Ecuador are normally made to order to fit whatever size opening you have made.
|
|
These doors will include screens so that both doors can be left open for the breeze.
|
|
Thursday, Oct 25:
Our door guy and his helper actually put the doors together at his shop in Guayaquil, and brought them ready to assemble onsite.
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Oct 27:
Great job! Love them! When we're not hanging out on the porch, we will still be able to enjoy the ocean breeze inside the casita.
|
|
Saturday, Oct 27:
Work continues on tying all the components together with a series of patios and walkways. Here, below the pool, a patio slopes slightly toward the casita - where a planter for a small herb garden will be.
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Oct 27:
Looking into the bodega (storage room) in the palapa. The front wall is only halfway up, but will be the backdrop for an outdoor kitchen. To the right will be the bathroom.
|
|
Saturday, Oct 27:
Inside the casita bedroom after installation of the doors and window... looking west toward the Pacific Ocean! And from the window, we can see the whole village of Puerto Cayo.
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Oct 27:
This is what the whole move to Ecuador was always about!! Doug says he plans to "live" on this porch!
|
|
Saturday, Oct 27:
Down at the front entrance to the property, holes have been dug, rebar installed, and being cemented in place. Next the columns will be formed and cement poured, and an iron gate will be constructed.
|
|
|
|
Monday, Oct 29:
Behind the bodega and pump room, the cement has been poured for the stairs, patio, and walkway from the palapa down to the casita.
|
|
Tuesday, Oct 30:
Navigation of our hill continues with the addition of some curved steps off the backside of the patio and walkway by the pool.
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, Oct 30:
Forms are up, and cement poured to form the columns for our entrance gate.
|
|
Thursday, Nov 1:
After spending the day yesterday in Jipijapa doing banking and shopping, we were anxious to see the progress today! When we arrived, the guys were working on the coat of "granito" on the cement patios.
|
|
|
It's kind of like small stones embedded in the cement, which make for a more slip-proof surface.
|
|
|
Thursday, Nov 1:
AND, what we expected to see... our custom made bamboo cabinets! Here are the beautiful doors on the cabinets below the breakfast bar.
|
|
Thursday, Nov 1:
Oh my gosh! They are so far above our expectations.... and the cabinet maker is also sanding and finishing the wood floors. We think they look absolutely spectacular!
|
|
|
|
Thursday, Nov 1:
Time for more water from the tanquero....since the cistern has been emptied and the top is being poured (in anticipation of finishing the inside) in order to have it ready for us to move in - the extra water left after filling the two blue tanks is being put in the swimming pool.
|
|
Jose will be back on Monday or Tuesday to fill the entire pool, as the pool maestro will be returning with pump and filter to finish setting up the pool.
|
|
Thursday, Nov 1:
The second coat has been applied to the wood floor of the porch - now we wait for two days before it can be walked on. Actually, since the guys are off until Monday, we should have three days drying time.
|
|
|
|
Thursday, Nov 1:
The top of the water cistern being poured.
We can't wait to move in.... hopefully, it will be next weekend! We are planning on that being our birthday presents this year (Doug's b-day on 11/4, and Gina 11/7).
|
|
|
|
|
|
IT IS NOW OFFICIAL !!
Friday, October 19, 2018 is the date we finally got our national I.D. cards - our cedulas! Foreigners must go to either Quito or Guayaquil to the Registro Civil to complete the cedula process. We made the 3 hour trip to Guayaquil (Ecuador's largest city), and also did some shopping while there! All in all, a very successful trip!
Couldn't wait to get back to Cayo to see the progress made while we were gone. Photos from the last couple weeks follow below - and several slideshows are included.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, Oct 19:
Guayaquil, Ecuador. Outside the registry building downtown Guayaquil, after getting our cedulas. Right across the street is one of the many historic churches in South America. A beautiful, but very busy city of about 3 million people.
|
|
Saturday, Oct 20:
A series of walkways and patios will surround the area around the pool...here, the beginning of stairs which will lead from the palapa side of the pool towards the casita.
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Oct 20:
Painting has begun on the casita. Elia, our worker who spends the night on the property as a guard, hangs out on the front porch - here we are looking into the living room area.
|
|
Saturday, Oct 20:
The pool deck has been topped with a layer of small stones (making it more slip proof)...here Maestro demonstrates how they make the rounded edge inside the pool - very high tech....they just use some plastic wrap and run it along the side!
|
|
|
|
Saturday, Oct 20:
The casita really looks different with a couple coats of paint! The closer we get to moving in, the more anxious we get! Can't wait.
|
|
Monday, Oct 22:
Took a break today to do some shopping in Puerto Lopez. Looked at appliances for the casita - found several good buys. Also went to the fish market at the beach - you just stroll through the sand and look at what the fishermen have for sale. Choose your fish, and they will clean and/or filet it for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
