Welcome to our humble little abode south of the border! We have settled into a 2-bedroom, 2-bath rental house in the village of San Antonio Tlayacapan (Ta lie ya ca pon), which borders the village of Ajijic. To give some perspective, since we walk everywhere, it is a 20-minute walk into the heart of Ajijic, which is the area we had focused on prior to our move. To live here is to feel as if you have stepped back into the past about 50 years, given the cobblestone streets and caballeros on horseback in various parts of town. Terry and I still have a difficult time believing we are actually here, then we hear the occasional rooster and that seems to bring us back to the present!
In an attempt to draw you into our world, I thought I would take you on a tour of the house and gardens within our gated walls. Since we live in a very temperate climate, with the daytime temp hovering around 75 and a nighttime temp of 65 degrees, we are told everything grows here. The plants are numerous and very prolific, with brilliantly colored flowers. I have not yet studied the names of the plants that thrive here, but have already noted many that we grew during our time in Arizona. Given the increased humidity, I venture to guess that plants here grow at a much more rapid pace. One of our neighbors told us yesterday that if one were to cut the top off of a pineapple and plant it, a new pineapple would appear in about 6 months (hard to imagine).
We are nearing the end of the rainy season but almost daily we still receive some precipitation, or at least beautiful billowy clouds which drape down over the mountaintops. Many of the rainstorms arrive at night and the thunder and lightning that accompany them can be quite spectacular.
So, enough of my ranting. Let’s take a tour!
This is a view outside the gate of Hacienda Guadalupe, a very small community of 6 homes, with ours being the only rental.
Given that we live amongst other homeowners who take advantage of the perfect climate, we are enjoying the fruits of their labors. The gardens are just lovely!
You can tell who is not a homeowner here. Ours is a rather bland landscape compared to the rest of the neighborhood. We may have to do something about that!
Let’s take a peek into the inside of this lovely hacienda, shall we?
This is the kitchen, where all the serious cooking is done (once it is stocked).
The living room ~ note the brick ceiling, which is called a boveda in Mexico. It is the Spanish name for arch and is a very strong support system that insulates the house against both the summer’s heat and winter’s chilly nights. Most Mexican homes do not have heat or air conditioning and it is not an inconvenience, due to the temperate climate.
Next stop master bedroom, with a bath, office and walk-in closet off of it. Don’t I sound like a realtor trying to sell you something?
Note the use of the boveda once again for the ceiling.
Quaint little patio off the kitchen and master bedroom. Great place to enjoy a nice comida (lunch).
Welcome to our mirador, the covered rooftop terrace, where spectacular views of the lake and mountains can be found. Our guilty pleasure is to enjoy a great meal, accompanied by a lovely bottle of wine, or watch the sunset, also accompanied by a lovely bottle of wine, from this vantage point.
Here are a couple of views from our rooftop.
Did I mention that we have two bedrooms? Plenty of room for those wishing to escape the cold winters in the US! Until next time ~ adios!
Paint Your Landscape 