So this is something else we did last year.
It’s a road going up the hill of our property. There didn’t use to be one. Hiking to the top involved a machete and snake proof boots.
This picture was taken during the 5 month drought last year. You can see why you wouldn't want to get anywhere near it and even think fiery thoughts. We were very lucky not to get burned. The road keeps going off to the right of the picture, along the crest and out of the photo where it ends in a big plateau where we would love to build a house someday (a big SOMEday and sum involved in doing so, making it even too much to dream about.)
The view from up there is amazing.
It’s not with out a lot of problems, the road that is. C and I are still slightly at odds about what to do with it now that it’s done and not really usable. There are parts that have such a steep incline they will need cementing before anything other than a horse will go up and only 6 months after having it plowed it is nearly overgrown with tall weeds that will quickly turn to bramble and trees. The vegetation in the tropics is predatory.
But at least we did finally decide to finish the little house. We debated for the longest time if we should just tear it down and wait until we could afford to do something better or if we should put the money into fixing it up.
So one bag of cement at a time we are trying to make it habitable. It’s going terribly slowly because we of course decided to start at the beginning of the rainy season when no one wants to deliver supplies. The access road from the village to our land involves a big up hill and a big down hill and if it's raining the trucks refuse to come because they are afraid they won’t get back out. Wimps. We are currently several months without a sand or cement delivery. But the rain will stop soon and we'll be back fearing brush fires in no time.
It’s just a simple little cottage but we were please to find out that when brush and dirt were cleared away from the sides that it has a stone foundation. It’s nice and dry inside and with a few expanded rooms it will be a good little get away. We plan to put in a fogão á lenha – which is a traditional wood burning stove. It’s kind of mythic to Minas culture. I suppose that means chopping wood. Hadn’t thought of that…
Of course the real attraction to the whole situation is that it is 5 minutes from the park.
If you haven’t seen the pics from my mom’s epic vacation here, take a look at “part 2” with all the pictures of the park. There are so many waterfalls and swimming holes it sort of monotonously beautiful.
Yes I took that picture. No it's not photoshopped. Yes that is a waterfall that the kids look like they are about to go over. But I don't think it's that big a drop. Swimming anyone?
It’s a road going up the hill of our property. There didn’t use to be one. Hiking to the top involved a machete and snake proof boots.
This picture was taken during the 5 month drought last year. You can see why you wouldn't want to get anywhere near it and even think fiery thoughts. We were very lucky not to get burned. The road keeps going off to the right of the picture, along the crest and out of the photo where it ends in a big plateau where we would love to build a house someday (a big SOMEday and sum involved in doing so, making it even too much to dream about.)The view from up there is amazing.
It’s not with out a lot of problems, the road that is. C and I are still slightly at odds about what to do with it now that it’s done and not really usable. There are parts that have such a steep incline they will need cementing before anything other than a horse will go up and only 6 months after having it plowed it is nearly overgrown with tall weeds that will quickly turn to bramble and trees. The vegetation in the tropics is predatory.
But at least we did finally decide to finish the little house. We debated for the longest time if we should just tear it down and wait until we could afford to do something better or if we should put the money into fixing it up.
So one bag of cement at a time we are trying to make it habitable. It’s going terribly slowly because we of course decided to start at the beginning of the rainy season when no one wants to deliver supplies. The access road from the village to our land involves a big up hill and a big down hill and if it's raining the trucks refuse to come because they are afraid they won’t get back out. Wimps. We are currently several months without a sand or cement delivery. But the rain will stop soon and we'll be back fearing brush fires in no time. 
It’s just a simple little cottage but we were please to find out that when brush and dirt were cleared away from the sides that it has a stone foundation. It’s nice and dry inside and with a few expanded rooms it will be a good little get away. We plan to put in a fogão á lenha – which is a traditional wood burning stove. It’s kind of mythic to Minas culture. I suppose that means chopping wood. Hadn’t thought of that… Of course the real attraction to the whole situation is that it is 5 minutes from the park.
If you haven’t seen the pics from my mom’s epic vacation here, take a look at “part 2” with all the pictures of the park. There are so many waterfalls and swimming holes it sort of monotonously beautiful.
Yes I took that picture. No it's not photoshopped. Yes that is a waterfall that the kids look like they are about to go over. But I don't think it's that big a drop. Swimming anyone?
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