It has been a year since we arrived in Merida. I’d hoped that our renovation would be complete by now, but that was unrealistic. Before we arrived, I’d drawn up plans, eager to begin the project right away. We had owned this property for a long time but had not seen it for a few years. Working from memory, original plans and old photos is not the same as seeing it in person. In January, I modified the plan, and asked for a new quote. Builders in Merida are busy, and this set

I wanted traditional rattan furniture on our terraza. This is a natural woven material which has been used for centuries, in tropical and semi tropical climates. In recent years, it has been replaced with woven plastic made to look like ratan. It may be stronger, but our tropical sun is hard on plastic, and I’ve seen pieces not five years old that have disintegrated. Natural rattan requires maintenance, but it should last for twenty years. I was not willing to compromise but