On a previous day, Tom had dinghied around the the island to the construction site of a small bungalow eco-resort and had befriended one of its owners, an Italian named Antonio, who had graciously invited us to a meal. So, we dropped the mooring that had begun to feel like home and motored around the corner to pick up the mooring Antonio had installed in the strait off his beach for freighters bringing in construction materials.
A project like this is a fantasy that has flitted through our minds more than once during our travels. It seems like the perfect way to make a living while remaining in paradise. But Don and I are fortunate to have enough imagination to not only dream up the plan, but to foresee all the hassles and challenges of building a project in the third world...and so not even start! It takes a special kind of person to see through the building of a house, let a lone an ongoing business endeavor like this. Our friends Ben and Lisa on Waking Dream in Tonga and Joe and Julie of Apogee/Palmlea Farms in Vanua Levu, Fiji, are those sorts of people. Most of the others are more like we would be; at risk of being overwhelmed part way through.
Antonio gave our group the tour of his project, a dining hall, a kitchen, and a projected 18 bungalows, ten of which are complete. His objective is to create buildings that meld aesthetically with the natural contours and look of the environment, and when complete I think he will have achieved this. The handsome bungalows reflect a native Indonesian design, sort of a quonset hut shape of thatch, with a porch in front. Don was particularly impressed with the intricate bamboo roof framework, particularly for the large dining area. A dive center was already set up with two dive masters, two compressors and a slew of tanks as is an office in Labuan Bajo to feed customers their way, via several excursion boats that already come and go from the dock.
But Antonio still has some challenges ahead. He has plans for a large solar array on top of the hill to augment his two diesel generators and eventually a big water maker. The island has two springs, but so far he has not succeeded in tapping into the islands supply. Instead they are digging a well on another island and a building a special boat to carry the water in! Labor is...well, Indonesian. There is just no tradition of continuity...very frustrating for a Westerner! But Antonio has a business track record in SE Asia, so he seems to be of those who will succeed, even though it is hardly the average retirement project.
The evening began with an invitation to Antonio and his staff to Quantum Leap for wine and cheese. Antonio showed up after dusk in his peeled down wetsuit. He'd been out trying to shoot a fish for dinner. His two dive masters -- Laura and Bert (from Milan and Belgium respectively) -- came along, as well as the chef, who, obviously had to leave early to oversee the meal. The Europeans were quite impressed with the boat, but were more practically all alight at the Australian wine, pungent gorgonzola and homemade foccaccia on offer for hors 'd'oeuvres. It had been a long time since they'd had such a luxury!
Ashore dinner was served around a table for thirteen set on the sand beneath a full moon. The tables to do this had only just been delivered, and the placemats were creatively made by a new staff member from folded dish cloths! This recent recruit to the staff served us with all the panache of a proper restaurant. I think he's a keeper! Not officially open yet, Antonio already has several guests, all Italian, so the table conversation burbled in Italian at one end and English at the other with the host jumping back and forth between the two.
Back on the boat, Bette Lee had secretly made Don a birthday banana cake (in honor of Don's Mom...and the available bananas!), but we were all so full from the hors d'oeuvres and the multi-course dinner, that we decided to extend Don's birthday and have the cake for breakfast the next day instead. Hey, at 8am, it's still his birthday back in the US!
Gwen Hamlin
Cafe Getaway
Sent from my iPad
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