A Photographic Progress Report From Mexico

[Jazzooo]

It's been about 3.5 months since construction began on our property in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I thought I'd share a few photos I took this morning.

The approach:



From the left, the garage, the front entrance (there will be a small courtyard in front of this), and the wall of my office. The dirt area in front of the office will be the studio!



Going into the front door--notice the ceiling of the entry:


A closeup of the entry way curved brick ceiling (called a boveda):



If you turn to the right, you are standing in the tv room/den, you're looking through the kitchen at this view:



If you turn to the left, you enter what we're calling the 'sala'--a dining room table, a piano and a soft area with a large orange leather couch:


The same sala but from the outside. YOu're actually standing on what will be a small lawn for the dogs, and over a cover porch into the sala. That's our night watchman Verjilio standing inside:



The view west form the sala:



The right side of the porch, my bedroom window and then the bathroom:



The photos of the bedrooms kind of all look the same right now, but here is where the studio will go. You enter two ways, from this angle (through my small office) or through a door inside our courtyard so players can load in without going through the house:



\Standing in the studio doorway, shooting back into the house. ON the left is my office; Glenda's office is on the other side of that half wall, and the guy is standing in the tv area.



Standing just past the studio area--that's the kitchen popping out to the right:



Finally, looking from the sala into the back courtyard. The middle of the stone wall will actually pop out in an oval shape, which will be a fountain and also about 2.5 deep so we can lay down in it and cool off on really hot days!

[Jazzooo]

It's been an amazing process so far. I never thought I wanted to build a house--scary stuff, really, not just the commitment of money and to a specific area, but also the fact that it's being built the way *we* want it. And that raises some questions, like what the hell do we know about building a house? Our architect is great, a good collaborator, but we already had to undo one thing we had approved on paper but in reality wasn't working out--ouch. Less expensive to make a change like that here than in the states by far, but still we can't do too many more of those.

Ok, the studio!

The entry on the bottom of the drawing is from my office, and the one that says 'glass door' is from the entry courtyard. At the upper side to the left is my desk, and on the left wall is my keyboard setup and the Leslie speaker. Starting at the upper right is the drum booth, then the bass booth, the courtyard entry and then a storage closet.



And the designer just sent me some cut out figures!

[Ron Thorne]

Yo, Doug, most of us are still reelin' from your "original" setup in San Miguel.

Whatup with this, bro?

I must have missed something major.

[Jazzooo]

Lol, Ron--we just sold our house in San Diego--maybe the only people in America to sell a house in 2008! That makes Mexico our first and only residence. Lst year when we'd decided to do this, we bought 5 acres about 4 miles out of town and have been in the design stages for about 16 months (part of that time was resolving water rights issues). Our current house here is awesome, but there's not enough room to put in a proper studio. Plus, Glenda has always had a strong urge to build a house. I was resistant at first as I often am to any kind of big leap, but as it turns out it's become another great creative collaboration between us.

Our architect is Luis Camarena, a terrific guy, a poet and artist and also the general contractor. It should be done by March of next year. We will sell our current casa and move into the new one.

The studio is an odd design, but it's customized for the way I work and as nervous as I am about getting my way--again, what do I know about studio design?--in the end I think it's going to be perfect.

And yes, I am the luckiest sonofabitch in the world.

[Valerie]

i'm with Ron on this one! i had no idea you had sold your San Diego house and were building. what an exciting and courageous endeavor. you guys are amazing. and how your lives have changed! wow! the very best to both of you!

xoxo

valerie

[Jazzooo]

I still like America, but overall I'm pretty bored there. I know the script, so to speak. I know which movies will be in every multiplexes; I know both sides of the political arguments by heart. I know what stores will be in each mall, and I know pretty much how far each McDonalds will be from the others. I love the empty pleasures--driving fast on smoother roads, wall to wall carpet under my feet, fast food whenever and wherever I feel like it. But I've found that overall I prefer the inconvenient charms of living in a third world country that is trying to grow up. Glenda feels even more strongly than I do about this but it's not all her.

Both socially and musically, I feel like I can make a difference here, and while I used to feel that as a kid in Southern CA, it doesn't really feel like that anymore, at least to me. Here you can raise $1500 and it will build a freaking house for a family of 6 within a few weeks--yes, a modest and tiny one, but one that is far better than what the poor family living out n the country ever had. The community pitches in a helps to build it too. What would $1500 cover in San Diego? The administrative costs for processing your donation in the first place?

And then there is the music scene--the bench here is not terribly deep, but there are some terrific players here and happily I'm playing with most of them and loving it. IN San Diego, it used to take me months to book the perfect night at one of the two places that featured live jazz. Then I'd have to promote my ass off, hawking friends to brave freeway traffic on a Friday night after work, then expecting them to pay $15 to park. By the time I was ready to perform, I felt like apologizing to the audience. Down here, though--most people are retired or don't care about going out on a week night; the venues are not perfect but they are at least plentiful, and everything has a small town feel to it--I call the woman who runs the Teatro Angela Peralta and look at the calendar and book a night. I write an article about the concert and it gets published in the local paper the next week, and people come. I've sold out the 400 seat theater here 3 times just on my own, and more often as a part of benefit concerts Glenda and I were promoting. That's just too cool to ignore.

I do get back to the states now and then for my fix of the things I love about it, but for now at least, I'm happy to move in a Southernly direction.

[Tom Storer]

Congratulations, Doug! This looks to be too cool for words. How hard is it for an American to get residency/working papers in Mexico? And how's your Spanish?

[Monte Smith]

Very interesting pics, Doug. It is so different from how they do construction around here! But for the record I clicked on this thread expecting a Pornographic Progress Report from Mexico and was rather disappointed. Olé!

[Jazzooo]

Gracias, Tom--mi Español es mejor que antes, pero todavia sucks.

It's not difficult at all to come here and to get various forms of tourist visas. To get a work permit here apparently takes longer. I haven't done it yet, but I will--I was just about to get into it when I lost both my passport and my FM3, so I'm in the process f getting those replaced now. You need to somehow prove that you do something that a Mexican can't do, otherwise the wheels can turn slower.

I want to pay taxes on the tiny amount of money I'm earning here, but avoiding taxes is pretty much the national past time here. It's a cash economy.

[Tom Storer]

So you're over there, building a house, earning money, and all with nothing more than a tourist visa? Beware. Maybe things are a lot more easy-going there than in Europe, but you should make sure you're not overstepping the boundaries allowed by a tourist visa. Over here it often happens that people do exactly what you're doing and go in good faith to the authorities to make everything right and are told, "Your tourist visa is no longer applicable, leave the country at once." Watch your step!

What's an FM3?

[Jazzooo]

Not to worry--my papers are definitely in order! The only thing I still need is to apply for the work permit to cover the $50 I earn every few weeks. The FM3 is the status of visa that enables you to move your belongings down without paying duties--can only be used once. Each member of a couple gets one ,so you apply them strategically--I used mine to bring our piano and about 30 small boxes of kitchenstuff down two years ago, and Glenda just used hers to bring the rest of our SD house down--it's all in storage in Mexico till the house is finished.

Trust me--we like to take daring leaps, but we're both way too cautious to screw around with immigration issues.

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by Jazzooo

It's not difficult at all to come here and to get various forms of tourist visas. To get a work permit here apparently takes longer. I haven't done it yet, but I will--I was just about to get into it when I lost both my passport and my FM3, so I'm in the process f getting those replaced now. You need to somehow prove that you do something that a Mexican can't do, otherwise the wheels can turn slower.

Um, the word you're looking for is "mordida". Ask your friends to explain the meaning of it.

Apparently you still have a few things to learn about your new country of residence.

[Ron Thorne]

Wow, those are sweeping vistas, Doug! Beautiful.

Here's hoping that everything goes well for you and Glenda who seem to (already) be leading such a charmed life.

I'm curious as to why you chose to use red bricks for the majority of the exterior of your new home. I like red bricks fine, but didn't expect to see them used so prominently in this rustic Mexican setting. Was it your architect's choice?

[Jazzooo]

Driving across the country at least 6 times in the last year, I've learned quite a lot about morditas, Sergio! None of my friends have had to resort to one (or have been asked for one that I know of) when applying for work visas, though. I want to keep it that way. A traffic ticket I can talk my way out of (or at least down to a reasonable $200 pesos--some of the most fun I've had speaking Spanish since I got here, incidentally).

At least in San Miguel de Allende, there is a huge push to clean up the image of cops and bureaucrats. In over 4 years of living here, I can honestly say that we've never been asked, pressured or expected to pay a mordita for anything we needed from the government, or anyone else for that matter. I'm sure it will happen one day, but I'll know how to deal with it when it does. I find it's more common on the outskirts of big cities--San Luis Potosi cops are kind of famous for 'speeding violations.' And late one night in Torreon I was stopped twice for the same broken taillight within 2 blocks. The cops were out en force that night--every third car was getting stopped for something. I managed to talk my way out of the second stop, but still paid the first $200 (down from the $800 I was asked for). Such is life.

[tippy]

Wow - those are such awesome photos. What an exciting venture too. I like the red brick a lot. I was wondering what Ron had in mind for this since I haven't been to Mexico. Stucco or something?

[Jazzooo]

I think Ron was just talking about the act that our current house in Mexico is pretty cool and he didn't know we were building a new one.

By the way, all buildings in Mexico start with just brick! It will get doubled up in a few places but mostly just plastered over--our walls will have a little texture to them, but not like what you see here. In the studio, however, I will leave some exposed brick--the irregular surfaces are good for sound diffusion, saving me the expense of smoothing the walls and then buying diffusors to put on them!

[Sergio Zamora]

Almost all houses in Mexico are made of brick. Adobe is still used by poor people out in the country, but not much anymore.

The only place I ever saw wood being used was in the makeshift houses in shanty towns, but even those have been replaced. I lived in a heavy logging and wood processing region, but wood was just not used in regular construction.

[Jazzooo]

I should say all buildings in my state, because there just isn't a lot of wood around here--most of the trees were used up building train tracks back in the silver mining days. I don't know what it's like all over the country--but this is what I see when I drive north.

We thought about using adobe--it's more thermally intelligent--but it costs too much in these parts and has to be completely doubled which increases the square footage, believe it or not.

[clinthopson]

Doug,

I am green with envy. That looks like a beautiful project.

I have a question. In the past Mexico levied a 'completion tax" when a building was completely finished. So most buildings you see in Mexico have some rebar sticking out somewhere which leaves the structure uncompleted. It's a very old game and I don't know if it still exists.

IF so, make sure your builder leaves a bit of rebar ticking out somewhere.

P.S. I'm happy to see your Español is picking up.

[Jazzooo]

"Adobe is still used by poor people out in the country, but not much anymore. "

It's actually making something of a comeback, and not just for gringos who want something authentic. It's a funny thing--our architect likes perfectly straight lines, and nothing that looks handmade which is perceived as 'cheaper.' But we from the states value the handmade quality of things here, as our cheapest tract homes are perfectly straight--the cheapest way to build things in the states.

[Jazzooo]

I don't know the story about the completion tax, Clint, but I'll ask. I do know that in Equador there was a similar explanation of why there was so much exposed rebar on houses that looked otherwise finished. Don't envy, just come visit!

[Jazzooo]

"The only place I ever saw wood being used was in the makeshift houses in shanty towns, but even those have been replaced. I lived in a heavy logging and wood processing region, but wood was just not used in regular construction."

The one area where I've seen that this is an exception is in Michoagan, where the traditional regional homes are made from lumber.

[hornplayer]

Originally Posted by Ron Thorne

Yo, Doug, most of us are still reelin' from your "original" setup in San Miguel.

Whatup with this, bro?

I must have missed something major.

Yeah, Ron. I was wondering the same thing.

That's a GIANT change! The house and studio look amazing, tho, Doug.

So when's the housewarming?

[Jazzooo]

I'm pretty sure I started a thread when we sold our house in San Diego, all about our new adventure. But I definitely know how these things get lost in the shuffle.

We love it here. If I could have hacked it financially, I would have kept the place in SD for getaways, rental, sabbaticals, etc. But it wasn't meant to be--we were lucky to get out when we did. Like I said, I don't hate America but I'm just having way more fun here. Glenda has talked about feeling 'invisible' in Southern CA, home of the hardbody college student population, or so I'm told. Here, I sense she feels vibrant and attractive, which is how she ought to feel and be seen.

There are drawbacks to any living situation, and Mexico isn't without them. I'd love it if the community were further along in the burgeoning environmental movement--it's kind of like America in the '60s at the start of it's Don't Be a Litterbug campaign. And we seriously need more bassplayers. I mean, seriously. But all in all, it's a combination of vacationing and pioneering.

[Jazzooo]

The housewarming will probably happen once there is a house! Feb/March. And you will be invited.

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by Jazzooo

I should say all buildings in my state, because there just isn't a lot of wood around here--most of the trees were used up building train tracks back in the silver mining days. I don't know what it's like all over the country--but this is what I see when I drive north.

Like I said, the area where I grew up - Durango - had a big logging industry, but I rarely saw wood being used for anything but ornamentation in buildings. So if that's the case I can't imagine it's used much elsewhere. Though I'm sure there are places such as Michoacan where it's used more.

Originally Posted by Jazzooo

We thought about using adobe--it's more thermally intelligent--but it costs too much in these parts and has to be completely doubled which increases the square footage, believe it or not.

Having said what I did before, I have also seen homes that are built using adobe for certain parts or rooms. As you mentioned, it has certain weather advantages - cooler than brick when it's hot and warmer when it's cold. This is good for rec rooms or garden sheds, etc. On the other hand, adobe can become nests for vermin (such as extremely poisonous scorpions in Durango) and they're just far less sturdy. Most people build houses in Mexico with the idea of possibly adding a second floor in the future, so adobe just wouldn't cut it.

[Gerardo A]

Originally Posted by Jazzooo

And we seriously need more bassplayers. I mean, seriously.

This goes for all of México. Mérida is like that, too. It seems everyone is a guitar player.

And congrats on the new house, Doug! It looks great.

[tippy]

My sister lives in like a foundation cement apartment and it is cold all the time. It is the lower portion of a house set against a hill with an upper level which is normal looking. I call her part the Flintstone house particularly because all it has are these slatted window thingies (and it sounds like everything outside is inside the apartment). Primitive but it stays cool year round.

[clinthopson]

If I were younger and didn't like where we live so much, I easily could move to Mexico.

Oaxaca would be my first choice.

[Jazzooo]

Some excellent drummers too, Gerardo. A couple of fine keyboard players that I've run into as well, and some horn players that have a bit of vocabulary. But bassists? The best I've heard is Augustin Bernal in DF--good player, but he's 3 hours away!