|    
SPR
in the Press
LifestyleAsia
 PETER
and ELENA Brugger’s hillsidehome in Boracay overlooks
the longest stretch of white-sand on the famous Philippine
island. In turn, from down below, everyone is bound
to cast more than one glance at the house or, in the
very least, at its cliff terrace and garden.
The
house, five years old now, took a year to build, with
workers hauling every brick, every pound of cement,
every figure of Buddha-the couple’s down write
icon – from all over the world, up 150 steps.
It was well worth the wait, says the former Elena Tosco,
a native of nearby Aklan. She met Peter during an on-the-job-training
stint. He had come to Boracay for a holiday, loved the
powdery white sand and the windsurfing, and was considering
making the place home after living 20 years in Switzerland.
Finding the right property in the strategic Barangay
Diniwid, and the right woman to share it with, made
the decision easy for him.
 To
date, Peter and Elena have built eight houses in the
property. They have kept for themselves the biggest,
the most favoured by the sun and wind, the one with
the best sweeping view of the world-renowned tourist
destination. The other houses have either been sold
to friends, or are on long-term lease.
Peter’s
brother Kurt built the homes, which the couple designed
themselves. The main three-level unit consists of the
living and dining rooms on the cliff terrace level,
a guest studio below it and the master bedroom above,
where Elena has likewise set up her little workplace.
 Friends
often come around, at times just to sit in the garden
that seems perennially abloom with topical flowers.
The Bruggers entertain only on very special occasions;
more often, they enjoy one another’s exclusive
company especially after work hours, when they sit out
on the terrace with tall glasses of fresh fruit juice.
Such
a special house does need special care, says Elena.
“ Every three years, we change the cogon roofing,
varnish the wooden parts of the house, and paint the
walls” Everything else is as cools scenery. |
