From a cybercafe, I am tapping into the archives for images that show the evolution of a palm-thatched structure. This particular “ramada” adds much-needed shade from the equatorial sun, and it also provides shelter from the rain and mud during the rainy season.
A lot of prep went into the add-on stucture! Each person happily worked at his own task.
Pancho quietly works while his sons construct the bamboo supports.
Dear dear Pancho, patriarch of a family of carpenters!
Father and son – Pancho and Juan
Knotches in the bamboo. (They call it canya.)
New family – the roofing specialists: a 2nd father and son team synchronize!
(Commercial break: Where have all the mangroves gone?)
First we painted the house – much easier to do before the ramada was added. Next came the frame.
I wondered why those were turned up and not down. Was this an aesthetic choice?
Maestros at work on the ‘ramada’ at the riverhouse.
After the framework was finished, the messy work began!
Maestro Augustine at work!
Where is he going with that thatch? Yikes! Through the door, across the hand-painted floor, up the steps, around the corner and through the window!!!!
Recovering from a month-long cough, I was not too happy for the dust bath the thatch gave the house!
Up the stairs, around the corner, and through the window – Oh! What a dusty mess!
A bull in a china shop could not do much more damage than this surprise waltz through the house!
Layers and layers of palm thatch gave the house a shaggy haircut kind of effect!
After a few weeks, the house adjusted to its hair extensions!
The weary thatch crew paused after a long day of palm-thatch work!
This past week I repaired a tiny section, and I now have double the respect for those who roof entire houses with this method. It is a very messy job! The house continues to evolove, and adding those fun details adds character to the house.
More layers of paint added character, and a young lad named the house, Casa Loca! (Thanks, Nicolas!) The bodega floor “magic carpet” was the next project! (We have a Liftoff!)
More layers (of paint!) will be coming your way for Thursday’s Timeout for Art! Enjoy other posts about layers at the Weekly Photo Challenge!
Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat™.
Very cool!
You’re right, the house is looking more natural, and I’m sure is ever closer to becoming a home. Well Done, and thanks for sharing how they do the work.
What a beautiful ramada! Worth the dusty mess, I should imagine.
Those guys have earned a cold one, or two.
That’s a great job well done
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Z, this is a great post…I had always been curious about the thatched roofs and this was muy educational.
Is that your home!? What a lovely place you have, and beautifully decorated. That palm-leaf roof is lovely, I’d like one, but the fire risk in North Queensland is just too great. Cheers, Tony
Remarkable…practical and a delight to the eye.
love the post and that sign oh my love it Casa loca, wanted to ask you do you have facebook or something so we can shat
Dried palm roofs always reminds me of fun and relaxing by the tropics. Of just having a great time at the Island’s beaches and sunsets. Beautiful place. Thanks for the recent visit and generous thoughts. Have a blessed day.
Oh, I can imagine the mess; it’s making me sneeze from here. But a very worthwhile job in the end.
What a lovely extension to your home Lisa it certainly gives it a very tropical vibe. You must be happy to be back home
Yes, time consuming, messy work but well worth it 🙂
Absolutely beautiful handwork. Brave guys. Lovely post.
Great documentary about thatch roof making! Ha! Black snots from dust are always fun….. =-O
Loved seeing how the roof was made – lot of work went into it. Beautiful setting and wonderful entry way.
How interesting and informative! I bet that thatched roof helps keep the house cool.
Such a skilful art, Lisa. Thanks for the great pics, showing how it’s done. 🙂
Lovely results–hand made anything always looks more lovely than machine made. But an awful lot of work! Any idea how long one of these thatch roof structures lasts?
The door way is so awesome and so you!
They make it look so easy and fun. A lot of hard work, though, I’ll bet. Great doorway! 😉
It’s great that you took the time to document all the steps, and you clearly have a lot of respect for the men who do this. It comes through.
This is such fun to see! My favorite restaurant in the area – the one with their own fishing and shrimping fleet – has just added a huge palapa to their property for receptions, fishing contests, and so on. There are at least three or four companies in the area who will build them – and by companies I mean mostly family businesses with fathers and sons and brothers-in-law, like the fellows who built yours.
One of the marinas I work in has palm thatched shades over their tables. They’ve added a netting (nylon, probably) which is very nearly the same color as the thatch, and which helps to keep in in place during storms and, from what the fellows tell me, discourages certain species of birds from either trying to nest or take the thatch off for their nests! We have monk parakeets who build huge communal nests, and they build like the weaver birds – I’m sure thatch would be very appealing to them!
Great post – nice to see you’re around. I hope that cough has gone away again.
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I would like to have been there to see how the thatch was fixed on.
It looks beautiful.Thanks for showing.
Love the hair extensions! Looks great! And, I love the sign! Our sign reads “Green Acres!”
Lisa, I am so glad you are back and that you are so busy with your home maintenance. I know what hard work it can be. It is good to see and read about you again, my friend. Please, do take care of your cough.
PS: We will need a sign for our place, but will worry about that when we get moved up there. 😉
i’ve missed staying posted on the changes in your life. i’m about to return to mindo for another ten days to help my friends, and i think/hope there will be an improved internet option when i return to the river.
thanks so much, and i look forward to catching up soon!