Little house in Guatemala, month 19

Time for a new life and house update, click here if you would like to see the Guatemala archives.

 

The works are mostly finished in the new room, and it couldn’t be soon enough that the workers vacate and let us enjoy the peace and quiet of the beach. They have been there non-stop since March, and even if we have been away for over a month during that time, going back to the noise, dust and constant solicitation is getting old.

But the results are worth it! We put in extra effort for the past couple of weeks as Airbnb guests had rented the full house and we needed the room to be ready for us to move there. It is still uncertain if we will keep our old room, which is bigger but under the roof terrace where everyone gathers and eats, or move to this smaller, newer one for good, and have our own little lounge away from the crowd.

This is the room, seen from our current building, we would be really separated from it all:

It has a roof on top, to arrange a panoramic terrace like the other one,

There used to be two big trees dangerously bending over the new room, so the guys went up there to cut branch by branch

which was super impressive as they were barefoot and climbing like monkeys, with no protection

and in a matter of a couple of hours, the view was clear again!

Here are a few features from the room: those red bricks have holes with mosquito nets so they can let the air pass

and you find them all above the bed too

There is an AC unit as well so the room isn’t fully sealed for AC, which shouldn’t be needed more than a month per year.

On the right when you get in there is a little desk with a view to inspire your favorite blogger

All the “furniture” is concrete to avoid having to clean underneath and becoming a nest for nasty critters.

The bathroom is big with a nice walk-in closet and a big mirror

The top is made from polished stones from the lake, and the shower has a big electric shower head like the other room

The bathroom floor is also made of polished stones.

And the toilet is next to the closet, with a window to the lake.

The ceiling is cement which was poured over some traditional mats that we removed once it dried so it kept the shape

And this is the view from the bed, which is a tainted window with a mosquito net

I will spare you the story of the guy who came to install it, a week later than agreed, and did a pretty poor job, then asked to be paid, so I said “sure, I waited for  week for you to come, so you’ll wait for a week for your money”. Only after did I realize that he installed a door lock with super weird keys, and gave us only two copies that no store in town would duplicate, so I had to go back to his shop, ask where he bought the door lock, he wouldn’t say, then called his “provider” who said it is imported from the States, and in the end, if I lose those two keys I’ll have to change it completely.

Never get angry until the job is done AND tested…

Outside there will be a little patio space with a bench and table as well as a flower bed and power plugs to put a coffee maker or an ipod dock.

I know, it is a bit strict but once you throw a few pillows on top it should look nice. And it needs a concrete floor still, so you can just wash the whole thing with a hose. Again, we went for practical.

And this is the whole building viewed from the beach. The plan is to grow some flowers to give it more privacy if swimmers come back up to the guest house.

We built high as the lake is still rising and it is just the beginning of the rain season! The deck is already almost in the water and we will need to think about raising it a couple of meters for next season, or we would lose the wood.

The beach received the extra earth from excavating the hole of the new room, but the lake rising eats it slowly which calls for a new contention wall as well.

It will become the hen and turkey house, as they have been sleeping at the back of the guest house, but the rooster is very loud for the guests!

Our little ducks have been reproducing like bunnies lately, which is awesome. The ladies went to lay at a nearby land, we were worried at first that neighbors would hunt them but after a while they appeared with 9-10 little ducks each, so we have about 30 babies now! I tried to imitate Chinese restaurants sweet and sour duck with one of the big ones recently and it was a hit, so we’ll be eating the adults males, just leaving one and the females.

And Napoleon the Little Great Dane loves to run after them and make them rush to the water which is pretty funny to watch. He has severe mommy issues and separation anxiety, which I am entirely responsible for, but apart from having to follow me every single step I make, he is a really sweet dog. Guests love him and when we go for a walk people can’t believe he walks right by me without a leash. I tried to find pictures in the same position to compare his size:

He used to be on my lap all the time now I can barely hug him. Same for the sofa, he fit all and tail on it now he occupies the whole space.

I let you imagine how he eats… and poops!

I don’t realize how fast he grows because I see him every day, but people who haven’t seen him in a while are saying stuff like “I know it is the same dog because it is the same color but otherwise I wouldn’t believe it!”.

 

On the land development, works are going strong as well, although we are mostly doing cosmetic work at the moment. Four guys with machetes are getting rid of weeds and clearing the roads,

and the well will be dug next week. We also are building an entrance gate on the Easter part of the land

Stay tuned for the next update!