Cambodia

The final stop on my search for treehouses was Cambodia.

 

I met up again with Taka who had been commissioned to build a most amazing treehouse with views of Angkor Wat and the surrounding countryside.

Before traveling to Taka’s treehouse we visited a nearby fishing village.  Situated near a lake that floods yearly, the entire village is built on stilts.

 

These girls were amused by my camera.

 

Incredible.

Angor Wat itself is indescribable.   The vastness, the setting…

 

…the carvings.

 

The treehouse Taka built nearby is over 80 feet off the ground.

 

The view from the deck is thrilling, as is the journey to the deck, in part because railings have not yet been completed.

 

In fact, the railings were being built while we were there.  A fitting final afternoon to my trip to Southeast Asia.

Bali

I arrived in Bali without knowledge of any true treehouses. From the airport to my hotel I took a taxi. I asked the driver if he knew of any treehouses. The man said he did not, that he couldn’t think of any treehouses in Bali. During our drive to the hotel, however, he gave the idea some thought and stated that indeed there were a few treehouses. He agreed to pick me up the next morning for a tour.

In the morning I drank coffee and made notes in this elegant setting.

This tree has nearly crushed its old temple/treehouse but the structure remains viable, housing two hollow logs used as drums. Hanging with the logs is a hammer used to strike them.

To reach the treehouse one begins climbing on hand-carved stone steps before transitioning to wooden ones.

I was lucky enough to meet a few stone-carvers. The rectangular stones are assembled on the ground and cemented into place before relief carvings are drawn in pencil and chiseled into their final form.

Bali has literally thousands of temples. Here’s another temple/treehouse in which three logs hang ready to announce a ceremony or warn of a disaster.

China

I recently returned from a 10-day mission to Southeast Asia in search of treehouses.

 

First stop was a day tramping around Hong Kong, including this stupendous view from above the city.

 

Then I was off to Hainan Island where I met my good friend Taka in Sanya City.  Here, after perusing the live menu at a local restaurant, Taka chooses his lunch.

 

On our way to the Nanshan Treehouse Resort we drove through the strange and wonderful Sanya Nanshan Buddhist Cultural Theme Park.  All built very recently, its most distinctive feature is this stunning statue of the bodhisattva Guan Yin, which is over 300 feet tall.

I  spent a night in the peaceful Beach House treehouse at Nanshan.  The location is wonderful, right on the sea, and the treehouses there are truly beautiful.

 

Unfortunately I spotted this outdoor billiard parlor on the way to the airport, with no time to stop for a game.  Next stop on my search:  Bali.

Trillium Treehouse gets its windows

Lately we’ve had a little snow at Treehouse Point.

Dave and Blake installing windows in the Trillium Treehouse.

The mornings have been cold but beautiful.

And the windows are in!

Dedication of the Temple

Last night Judy and I threw a party at Treehouse Point in honor of our newest completed treehouse: The Temple of the Blue Moon.  More than 50 people participated in its dedication and afterwards listened to the incredible songs of our friend Trace Bundy.

Around a little fire I told the story of how one night a blue moon lit up the spruce in which the treehouse is now built.

On the bridge, Judy and I popped a bottle of champagne.

And inside the Temple I hung the Blue Moon mask.

Back at the inn everyone grabbed a seat and I introduced Trace Bundy, the phenomenal guitarist from Colorado. He played a truly inspired set.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in dedicating the Temple, as well as to everyone who helped build it.

~Thank you~

Belfair treehouse

Treehouse Workshop has begun work on new structure in Belfair, Washington.  The southern Puget Sound can be so majestic this time of year — here’s a load of materials I drove down there yesterday:

Ben and Daryl were already raising the walls:

Treehouse Workshop has begun building its own windows.  These await hanging by Daryl and Ben: