As you might expect, this is a modern home with all the conveniences: washing machines, fridges, dishwasher, microwave, vacuum cleaner, gas ranges, gas heating, etc. However, it is probably a hundred years old, made of brick, and lots of housekeeping tasks are totally different than my experience in the USA. I am enjoying learning new ways to do things.
The house is really three cottages on a central courtyard. Each cottage is complete, two of them have their own kitchens. All of them have their own baths. There is also a large kitchen on the courtyard which all of the cottages use. It is the life of the compound when guests abound. There are flowers everywhere! It smells heavenly when the night air wafts through the house!
The cottages generally have tile, wood, or linoleum flooring. When we enter, we take of our outdoor shoes and put on slippers, similar to some homes in the US. All homes thus far in my experience here do this. The advertising circulars prominently feature slippers, so I think the practice is widespread. Anyway, it's important to keep the floors clean, so there are also small mats at the entrances. We wear slippers in the houses and in the courtyard. We put on street shoes when going out. We wipe our feet on the mats when we come into the house, and again when leaving the entrance and going into the main part of the house.
Coffee here is always espresso. On my first day in Baja I learned to make coffee. I don't know the names of things, so I'm using the closest word I can think of. See the photos for clarity. First fill the metal espresso pot with water. We will end up with two shots of espresso. Pack the filter with fresh ground coffee. Screw on the lid which has a nozzle attached. Place the porcelain coffee pot on top of the metal pot with the metal nozzle pointing into the porcelain spout. Start the gas burner and put the espresso pot on the fire. It will boil and send steam up the nozzle into the porcelain. That is a silent process. When it's about done it will start gurgling. It only gurgles for a little bit, so when it's about done then turn off the fire. Use teeny pot holders to grasp the nozzle and the porcelain pot, tilt them toward each other, lifting the outer edges, in order to disengage them. Then pour out a rich, black brew that will get your day going! I am used to an 18 oz carafe of latte with honey every day, so here I drink the entire pot of espresso, with milk and (local) honey. Deeeelicious!
Have yogurt, or pastry, or sausage with peppers, or fresh-laid eggs for breakfast. The family's hens produce a few eggs each day, so there are plenty of rich, free range, organic eggs to enjoy. After that, wash up the dishes. We wash by hand in my cottage, the dishwasher is across the courtyard. To wash, put dish soap on the sponge, and run some hot water on it, making lots of foam. Turn the water off, and wash a dish. Turn the water on and rinse it, then set it aside to air dry. Repeat with each item till everything is clean. I've taken dishwashing as my chore, since the family are doing the cooking. (I can heat up leftovers, so there is no danger of starvation when folks aren't around. Starvation is scandalous in a Hungarian household.)
Every morning we open each of the houses to let in air and light. They have special rolling shutters on the outside of the houses. These shutters are both shades and security. Older ones are made of wood, newer ones are metal. They close to keep out the bright sun, and to keep out naughty people. They open to let in light and air. They roll down from the top of the window, accordion-like, and can be used as solid or permeable barriers. The shade in the photo is partially open, to allow in light, and still provide security. We keep the windows on the shady side of the hous open all day long to let cool air in. We close the sunward windows when it gets hot in order to keep hot air out. Since the houses have thick brick walls they retain the cool air and are pleasant all day long. When the weather cools off in the evening we will re open the sunward windows.
My sister-in-law recently renovated her grandparents' house and moved in. It is big, bright and sunny. She created a effective design! All of the internal walls and doors have windows. This creates a sunny interior without having to turn on lights. (Don't worry, the window in the bathroom door is frosted.) Many of the windows open to allow the air to flow freely and keep the house cool in summer. My external window opens on to the enclosed garden, so I don't have the external shutters. It didn't yet have a screen, so we all pitched in to install one. Now I can have my window open all night and most of the morning. Perhaps you can see from the photo that all of the windows are dual - I think that aids in insulation, but I haven't figured it all out yet. Over all I think the house design is very energy efficient.
The house is really three cottages on a central courtyard. Each cottage is complete, two of them have their own kitchens. All of them have their own baths. There is also a large kitchen on the courtyard which all of the cottages use. It is the life of the compound when guests abound. There are flowers everywhere! It smells heavenly when the night air wafts through the house!
The cottages generally have tile, wood, or linoleum flooring. When we enter, we take of our outdoor shoes and put on slippers, similar to some homes in the US. All homes thus far in my experience here do this. The advertising circulars prominently feature slippers, so I think the practice is widespread. Anyway, it's important to keep the floors clean, so there are also small mats at the entrances. We wear slippers in the houses and in the courtyard. We put on street shoes when going out. We wipe our feet on the mats when we come into the house, and again when leaving the entrance and going into the main part of the house.
Coffee here is always espresso. On my first day in Baja I learned to make coffee. I don't know the names of things, so I'm using the closest word I can think of. See the photos for clarity. First fill the metal espresso pot with water. We will end up with two shots of espresso. Pack the filter with fresh ground coffee. Screw on the lid which has a nozzle attached. Place the porcelain coffee pot on top of the metal pot with the metal nozzle pointing into the porcelain spout. Start the gas burner and put the espresso pot on the fire. It will boil and send steam up the nozzle into the porcelain. That is a silent process. When it's about done it will start gurgling. It only gurgles for a little bit, so when it's about done then turn off the fire. Use teeny pot holders to grasp the nozzle and the porcelain pot, tilt them toward each other, lifting the outer edges, in order to disengage them. Then pour out a rich, black brew that will get your day going! I am used to an 18 oz carafe of latte with honey every day, so here I drink the entire pot of espresso, with milk and (local) honey. Deeeelicious!
Have yogurt, or pastry, or sausage with peppers, or fresh-laid eggs for breakfast. The family's hens produce a few eggs each day, so there are plenty of rich, free range, organic eggs to enjoy. After that, wash up the dishes. We wash by hand in my cottage, the dishwasher is across the courtyard. To wash, put dish soap on the sponge, and run some hot water on it, making lots of foam. Turn the water off, and wash a dish. Turn the water on and rinse it, then set it aside to air dry. Repeat with each item till everything is clean. I've taken dishwashing as my chore, since the family are doing the cooking. (I can heat up leftovers, so there is no danger of starvation when folks aren't around. Starvation is scandalous in a Hungarian household.)
Every morning we open each of the houses to let in air and light. They have special rolling shutters on the outside of the houses. These shutters are both shades and security. Older ones are made of wood, newer ones are metal. They close to keep out the bright sun, and to keep out naughty people. They open to let in light and air. They roll down from the top of the window, accordion-like, and can be used as solid or permeable barriers. The shade in the photo is partially open, to allow in light, and still provide security. We keep the windows on the shady side of the hous open all day long to let cool air in. We close the sunward windows when it gets hot in order to keep hot air out. Since the houses have thick brick walls they retain the cool air and are pleasant all day long. When the weather cools off in the evening we will re open the sunward windows.
My sister-in-law recently renovated her grandparents' house and moved in. It is big, bright and sunny. She created a effective design! All of the internal walls and doors have windows. This creates a sunny interior without having to turn on lights. (Don't worry, the window in the bathroom door is frosted.) Many of the windows open to allow the air to flow freely and keep the house cool in summer. My external window opens on to the enclosed garden, so I don't have the external shutters. It didn't yet have a screen, so we all pitched in to install one. Now I can have my window open all night and most of the morning. Perhaps you can see from the photo that all of the windows are dual - I think that aids in insulation, but I haven't figured it all out yet. Over all I think the house design is very energy efficient.
By the way, people here are very private, that's why I seldom post their pictures. I feel that people are more interesting than things, but I respect their privacy.
Right after I posted this blog entry I went and made coffee, using my own directions. I forgot to include one step: don't catch the little potholder on fire. Now I understand why my husband doesn't want me to cook while I am here. He specifically told me not to catch the house on fire. That is good advice that I must remember.
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