So we’ve done three days of blitz building and Thursday rolls around… this is the time that we need only a few more bricks, a little more rebar and a lot more concrete… but we can’t order too much.  If we do, we have too much, meaning we spend more than we have, etc.  So, this morning we were looking for things to do after a hard working day yesterday; wed is the traditionally the tough day, we were tired, but managed to work hard and get a long way along.  Thursday on arrival we were mostly done with the brick laying but needed rebar to complete the top of the walls.  We have used tons of rebar due to the earthquakes they get here.  This is volcano country.

Steve & Bob Rice in front of our build

Due to the slow activity level we decided this was a great time to go see our new homeowner’s present house. 
On the road to our homeowner’s present house

Steve Barry called us together and offered that we do this, so most of us got together and were given a lift to his place.  The trip was about twenty minutes on a well built road with corn being dried on the shoulder of the road.  The neighborhood was well developed with shops and dentist and doctor’s office.  The new owner, Francisco, showed us the place where he lives, which belongs to his father-in-law’s because his place washed away in recent storms.   Their present home is built from steel box and corrogated steel.
Steve Barry & Francesco in front of Francesco’s tin house

Francesco & House

Francisco & family

the present “banos” toilet, which I used

Some chicks following a hen

a “bambino” baby in his hammock sleeping peacefully…
 

I must say, I was appreciative of the new “banyos” bathroom they were building there which will be a composting toilet!  Very cool, evn though the house is tin, the toilet is right up to date IMHO.

I was thrilled to record several rooster sounds with my iPhone for a website I am working on for Living Love in Johnson, VT.  I had been planning on using a sound from a freeware video online, but now I have my own!!! Cool!

We enjoyed our trip there very much… Francisco and his family were very hospitible and I personally learned a grat deal of how one can live if they have very little, and what they will have once they make this transition to their new homes.  Not only will they have an “instant” community, but a bigger space and a possibility for further cleanliness and potentially peace of mind.

Jennifer, from our VT group with Carla the daughter of one of our Masons

check out the machete strapped to the bike

On our return we worked for about an hour then had lunch.  During lunch Jacob, an inspired and lively man asked me if I wanted to join him in a trip to San Salvador to buy some souvineirs.  I jumped at the opportunity and helped organize a trip there.  We have very little time during our build, and have very little left to do so this was a prefect day to do this.  With two kids birthdays comign up I was ready!  We managed to gather about 15 people together and hop in one of the buses and go to San Salvador.  We journeyed to the “artisan market” a touristy place were local arts and souvineirs are sold and did what us US citizens do best (ashamedly or not!);  we shopped!

I managed to find some great little, and VERY traditionally made local arts and gifts for my kids, my wife and yes… myself.

A volcano in San Salvador

Rush hour crowd heading home

We arrived back to the building site in time for dinner, ate quickly and hopped back on th ebus for the hotel for our nightly body surfing expedition and, yes, cervesa (beer) drinking evening.  Nice.

sunset at the “playa” , beach