My last post (shamefully!) was almost (gasp!) 10 months ago. Since then Jeff and I have been lucky enough to be able to create an entirely new and different life here in Ecuador. We had really enjoyed living in Cuenca, but are now happy to be "campesinos" (country folk) living at 10,800 feet. Here we are, high in the Andes, where breezes are cooler and those same winds are pretty much all you hear besides the occasional bird. We love it!
Much like any other such venture, the building process here suffered from its own set of "hiccups" along the way. Nothing major, but certainly no fun. Our first crew quit because of the cold (around 40F in the rain and fog which was common the first couple of months); an architect/builder who insisted on calling everything an "extra" (even though we ended up buying most materials anyway and Jeff installed the plumbing and built the fireplaces and pizza oven); and we had a head worker, or "maestro", who continually butted heads with Jeff because Jeff had his "Gringo" way of doing things. But as Jeff says, "we got her done". And although there's still a ways to go to finish details, we're really happy with the results. Here's a peek:
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| The view from the terrace and guest bathroom. |
The fantastic pizza oven. I get to cook everything in it - breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It heats the house beautifully, too!
We're getting there trying to make the house a home. A local artist did the special art glass scenes - chickens and all!
Here's a look at the inside rooms. As I said, there are plenty of details to finish, but it's a start.
I know what you're
thinking. "What the heck do you do all day up there?"
Aha! I promise to tackle that one in the next blog. Hope to see you there!
6 comments:
Looks awesome ... can't wait to come see it sometime !
Thomas y Nancyensweted
Hey there, guys! Jeff and I would LOVE for you to visit. Just send us a line and let us know when. We'll get the pizza fixings ready!
Looks Beautiful! Is your electrical service pretty dependable? I didn't see a stove or oven other than the pizza oven, is that right? I can feel how cozy it must be. Are you using the seemingly ever popular in new Cuenca building - Hot water on demand systems?
Hey there, Aloha Ritch!
Thanks for you questions! To begin, yes - the electrical service has been exceptionally dependable. We had to bring service in by putting a transformer on our property, and we haven't lost power at all. I do have both a gas stove and an electric oven, but we've always got the pizza oven going so I cook in that as much as possible simply because it's easy. As for hot water, we have a hot water tank.
Thanks for the compliments on the house. It really is cozy. We added a bedroom up in the loft for guests, so we've had lots of fun sleep-overs. Didn't think we'd be doing that at our age!
Muchas gracias for taking the time to comment. Can I assume Aloha Ritch is in or from Hawaii?
Yes, we lived on Oahu for 5 years and I retired from Hawaii Pacific University but we returned to NC Asheville area, via Northern Colorado. Long story. Appreciate all your info! Will stay in touch, if that's OK? Aloha!
Absolutely stay in touch! I loved Hawaii, although I've only been to Oahu and Maui. Hope to get back there at some point. Someday...
I've heard Asheville is wonderful, too - that's another someday destination. If you guys come this way maybe you could tell us all about it.
Take care!
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