Another project

I mentioned to Francisco that I would like to redo the palapa roof over the dining area.  It was five years old and suffering greatly from the onslaught of comojenes (termites).  The next night, a pickup truck arrived full of palmas (palm fronds used for palapas).  I thought that was great but I was wondering how quickly I would have to start work before the fronds would go brown and not be good for the palapa.

It turned out that it was not a problem.  When I awoke at 7 a.m. the next morning, Jesus (the caretaker) and Javelin (a helper) were walking past Dod.  Neither Francisco or I had mentioned anything to them about the construction but this is Mexico and communication is not always perfect.  Following are some pictures I took during the day.

7:00 a.m.

7:20 a.m. Just before I took this picture the entire roof split into due to termite damage.

7:30 a.m.  Javelin measuring: you see very few tape measures in Mexico.

10:00 a.m.  All but two poles in the construction are bamboo and all of the poles came from the property.

6:00 p.m;.  Finished product: in a week or so, the palapa will be the same brown color of the palmas on the right of the picture.

Watertight!

They completed most of the project while Francisco, Bill and I were on a tour of Camolote which is an area just north of Aticama where Francisco and Bill have a jack fruit plantation.  I forgot to take my camera with me so you will just have to trust me that it is some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen!  Anyhow, the palapa cover is just great and I am sure it will last for years!  Total cost was just over $100.

More projects

I think I have made it quite clear that I am extremely happy in the hill top house.  I keep getting happier and happier!  On Sunday (Easter is just another day for me in the village) Francisco and I rigged up a 12v pump to pressurize the water system in the house.  I now have the luxuries of a toilet that I don't have to fill with a bucket of water after each use; a kitchen sink with water; and a shower available (cold water only).  But I have my solar shower which I prefer to an indoor shower.

I also have several sockets hooked up for 115v service to run the coffee grinder; charge my computer and provide lighting.  With guests in the house lighting is important but once they leave I will be back to my normal schedule of a sunrise to sunset existence (at least til winter).

Francisco brought out a patio umbrella and we immediately hooked it up to a wall.  The shade was great but the first strong breeze caused it to fall over.  Here are some pix of my Mexican umbrella base:

An old bucket, some pvc pipe and rocks!

I also have a rope tied to a tree down below on the cliff; notice how the umbrella is flapping in the wind?  This is a constant.  This afternoon I will place more rocks around the bucket just for aesthetics.

Semana Santa

Well, Semana Santa has arrived at last.  Everyone told me things would be crazy but it is busier than I imagined. The beach below the house is almost shoulder to shoulder people enjoying the ocean.  Everyone of the ramada spaces have at least one family.  In the spots where there are no ramadas, the cars are parked three rows deep with almost no room in between.  All of otherwise empty spots on the beach have campers; many in improvised shelters with firepits.  There are no sanitary facilities so I hesitate to think what the beach will be like next week.

Tent city

Beach at 8:00 a.m.

Sorry for the blurry picture: but this is the area Dod was parked in at El Chaco.

Before the campers arrived

This is a shot of the beach at 3 pm and it is all I was told it would be.  It is hard to tell from the pix but there are people as far as the eye (aided by binoculars) can see.