My Big Fat Greek Apartment

This statue is right outside our door.
I feel the need to apologize for surprising
her as she's stepping out of the shower. 

Guess what? We've moved again. I think this is the 6th or 7th place we've called home in about a year and a half. To say we are nomadic is putting it lightly.

We stumbled upon this place as we desperately drove around the outskirts of Antigua hunting for "FOR RENT" signs the day before we had to move. That's how things work here -- most people find things on bulletin boards or by word of mouth, like "Hey, I know a guy who has a cousin and his grandma's neighbor is renting a place..." We tried going the realtor route, but everything they showed us was ridiculously expensive for what you got.

Anyway, I saw the "FOR RENT" sign and knocked on the door. A lovely woman named Anabela answered and told us, yes, there was an apartment, but it was unfurnished. Did we still want to see it? Well, considering it was the day before we had to move, we were willing to try anything.

She opened the door... and we stepped into a Greek wonderland.

The wall itself is two stories high. See the
pillars? See the statues cemented
on top of them? If there's an earthquake,
those ladies are comin' dowwwwn. 

I was smiling on the outside and on the inside as we walked around the cavernous rooms. All I could think was, "This place is bizarre, but it has potential." I've heard a couple different versions on how this place came to be. One is that Anabela's father was really into Greek architecture and built it as a school. Another is that it had been empty for a long time (I believe it) and had fallen into disrepair until Anabela's family bought it. And now Anabela and her three sons were living downstairs and renting out the top floor.

This place is a massive hunk of concrete scattered with Greek statues. Big, bulky concrete pillars are everywhere. Some have statues adorning the tops, as if standing guard (minus the rifles). The apartment is HUUUGE -- there are five different possible bedrooms. I've joked with friends that if they have anything they need to store (boxes, furniture, an elephant, a tank, etc.) they can bring it here.

Here are the stairs leading to the roof. See the twin statues?
One is the bouncer, the other is the hostess who
will take you to your seat. 

And the best thing is the roof. We have an incredible roof with an fabulous view of all 3 volcanoes, including my beloved Fuego. You could land a helicopter up there. It's a great place to have a party for 80 of your closest friends.  I'm already planning an "Ugly Toga Party" -- where people go to the pacas and buy the ugliest sheets they can find and fashion them into togas. When in Rome, do as the Romans, eh?

Friends who have come to visit all have the same reaction -- gaping mouths, eyes bugging out in disbelief, and laaaaughing over the strangeness of it all. I love it.

Our fancy-schmancy designer bathroom,
complete with suicide shower head
and snazzy avocado green sink.
The ceiling goes up another 4 or 5 feet. 
Trust me, it's cold in there!

My biggest complaint is how cold it is. Quite often it's warmer outside than inside so I sit outside to warm up, the go back inside and put on a sweater or two. The ceilings are about 15 feet tall and since hot air goes up... It is chilly. Oh and there is no indoor heating here. None. So, taking a shower is especially bad. Not only do we have the ever-popular "suicide shower head," we also have to reach up and turn on the water from a spigot right next to the electrical wires. Nice!

One of the many cupolas. 

And there are five (count 'em -- 1, 2, 3, 4, FIVE) cupolas! For those of you who don't know, a cupola is a big domey thing in the ceiling. Sorta like the rotunda in the state capitol, but muuuuch smaller. All of our cupolas have windows in them, which is good because most of the rooms don't have windows. (I *told you* this place was weird!)

But so far, so good. The rent is cheap and everything works in some form or fashion and that's just fine. Below are some more pics of the apartment, as well as a few of the awesome view from the awesome roof. Awesome.

A view heading down from the roof. Gee, I wonder why the neighbors
put up that tall green fence???

A lovely view of Agua Volcano from the roof on a clear day.

Agua on a cloudy day. Looks kind of like it's exploding, huh?

A view of my beloved Fuego Volcano (on left, erupting) and
Acatenango Volcano (on right, quietly sleeping).

Ahhh... A sunset view of the volcanoes. 

Until we meet again... Stay thirsty, my friends!