My new home.
Let me tell you about my new home. Commonly known as the villa (which is sandwiched between Dragon condominiums and USAid, along the river close to Apsara Authority)!
Villa does sound pretentious but that is what a brick or solid construction dwelling is referred to here!
So, my Villa which is currently named Reaksmey Piseth Villa, but not for long may I add, is around 20 years old, rendered brick with a fascia of a type of terrazzo which is actually a redeeming and somewhat attractive feature remembering that beauty is relevant to its position and surroundings!
There are painted iron railings which surround the wide and large balconies, large double timber doors at the front and many windows which are embellished by faux Corinthian pillars highlighted in a most attractive apricot paint!
This all of course has had little or no attention since is was built around 15 years ago. it has been waiting for me!!!
Soon to have the apricot removed, the paintwork rejuvenated white and the railings charcoal. The terrazzo is waiting for my karcher to arrive in that container!!!!
Inside is a joy. The lay out is typical of the Khmer style - none! There is a random assortment of rooms which surround large open areas that could be construed as large corridors or Inappropriately placed living spaces. The bedrooms remind me of public toilets with tiled floors and tiled half way up the walls. Sometimes the tiles even match. The grouting is thick and grubby, my triceps and biceps are getting a work out! Most of the rooms have air conditioners of various eras and ceiling fans which are a blessing here. Reason being is that obviously a good way to move the air but secondly it costs around 3000 riel (US 75 cents) an hour to run an A/C, electricity is expensive.
The light fittings are a complimentary to the visage, fluorescent scheme, some of which I haven't quite worked out where the switches are but I'm sure after 5 years I will locate them all.
I don't have a kitchen upstairs where I am planning to live but I have taken over one of the smaller rooms and installed my somewhat better than a camping stove and 20 kg gas bottle along with the attractive metal stand. Hey, 2 gas rings, what more could a gourmet cook want? No sink but that's good exercise as I have to keep running out to the balcony to the external bathrooms , yes I have 2(!) to wash up and wipe all the mango juice off my face! This is the time that I have my romantic interludes with the neighbor across our dividing space as he inhales putrid smoke into his lungs. I am sure he must think I am either stalking him as he is always out there first or he thinks I have a bladder problem. We have said hello once or twice but now we are both playing hard to get and totally ignore each other. I will show him that I'm not easy to lure come this week as I am building myself in with bamboo screens.
As mentioned, yes the bathrooms x 2 are on the large balcony on the side of the house. Downstairs every room has an ensuite but as I like to take the difficult way, I am living upstairs! These bathrooms are once again typical Khmer, loo at one end, hand basin and a shower head that sprays out from the wall in the centre of these 2 fixtures, saturating everything if one is not careful! By next week one will be loo and basin only and the other will have the loo removed, the shower head replaced and moved and a curtain installed. The sink will become an unattractive but functional kitchen sink unit so I can at least wash up without being tempted to place the dishes on the toilet! In my defence I have gone through a lot of bleach cleaning these 2 rooms!!!!!
My furniture should arrive within the next 2 weeks therefore I have this window of opportunity to paint, screen and improve the electrics, all of which have been arranged. I can't do anything about the tiling unless I want to bust the budget but hoping the furnishings, rugs and curtains that I plan will camouflage this decorating faux pas!
There are some absolutely hideous aspects about this villa but it's going to be home for some time and I will have to learn to live with them, do my best to clean it up and thank my lucky stars that I'm not out in the street with my tiny kids in tow scratching around the rubbish bin for anything I can find to make me a few cents. I live in luxury and must NEVER forget this and have to use my time here to make a success of things business wise and to try to make a difference to the lives of those around me that are far more less fortunate.
A week on and I am sitting in what was my bedroom and now has the 2 chairs and coffee table plus TV in it! The painters have had me moving around! The place is taking shape, I have shaken off my man over the driveway as the bamboo screens are in place, they look really good and afford the privacy that I want but allow the air through (as hot as it is).
The living room is half painted with just the bathrooms to follow, these guys move quickly but do take a 2 hour lunch break! The electricians are outside screeching with laughter as there was a power issue and the wires weren't testing positive, after dismantling the power points they have an hour on, discovered it is the screwdriver that is broken and the power is fine.
The trades have all learnt today that it is a good idea to get me to look at the positioning of everything before they fit off as every time my idea of placement is different to theirs!
The builder is moving along with the bathroom, I have a little laundry sink, a shower rail, towel rails and the water heater and rain shower are currently being installed. It is not as glamorous as it sounds! But definitely more user friendly!
The downstairs kitchen which will be the restaurant kitchen is taking shape. It is scrubbed clean, has been painted, the extra lighting and power points are in hand and the glass cupboard doors are being replaced. It is now more than useable for me and once a few more things are done - it will be a reasonable commercial kitchen by Khmer standards!
The small guest room downstairs that I am renting out in June has been cleaned and awaits painting, this has to be done anyway so not an additional expense.
My days have been busy with coordinating all this work, I have been out with Bridget on a few occasions, spent Sunday at the Grace House kids soccer finals where one of the teams won and. Since then have been nursing a very hot and burnt face! That afternoon was spent sitting at Prince D'Angkor pool. I need to swim more! Have also spent some time at Grace House getting to know the job and re-aquainting myself with the staff and students. They actually break up this Friday for 2 weeks for Khmer New Year so I have some time for planning and familiarizing myself with the role and posting the Grace House updates.
The architects came today for the weekly visit and we have confirmed design, one more meeting before the holidays then the plans will go to tender and hopefully - by their reckoning- things should start mid May. We'll see!!!
The heat continues to be intense with hotter to come in April, with no school, the trades done, there could be quite a lot of pool time happening, may even take a little trip somewhere. Thailand is within easy reach so that could be tempting! Anyone want to meet me there?????
Well that's this weeks report, the time is flying and now have to get my life organized for the working chapter!
Ley Hi!!
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