Hasta La Bye-Bye, Kitchen. (I can't believe I wrote "Hasta La Bye-Bye.")

John and I have been planning the new kitchen since I got here and it is finally coming into fruition. We had the cabinets custom made in La Ceiba according to our own design. We trekked the barren consumer wasteland that is San Pedro Sula to hunt out new appliances and hinges for the cabinets. (There is no Home Depot or the like to make it easy. I thought for awhile there was a K-Mart but it turns out it's a knock-off store full of even shottier home items called "Key Mart.") We sniffed out, over the last nine months, little tiendas around the mainland for spotlights and cooktops and other bits/pieces that will hopefully add up to the most glorious food production room Utila has ever seen. Maybe we've become a tad obsessed.

Over the last week our trusty but stinky and ugly old kitchen has been torn away. The walls and ceiling are now gone. John has assembled a team of dedicated kitchen killers who hammer and destroy eight hours a day, smelling manly all the while. Check out the progress:


Note the elementary school style foam board ceiling. No more.


John and Moncho take down the last of the old gal.


The pantry is disassembled and the plumbing from the bathroom upstairs is re-worked. But not without an accidental spilling of black, smelly contents all over the floor. Mmmm.


My hero with his secret weapon, PVC.


Walls, windows and doors removed.


John Arne shows Wilson how to remove the nails.






All-around-helping-genius Matt starts on the new wall. He's got a great apron and ratty clothing that let you know you're dealing with a professional.

More developments to come...