They say that home is where the heart is, and nothing could be truer than at the Altizer household.
John and Oyuna and their three children Bobby, Johnny and Priscilla, first moved to Macau eight years ago and settled into a house in Cheoc Van Gardens. At the end of their lease they were not able to agree on the new terms, but fortune smiled and they found another home just three houses up the hill when friends, the Brockmans, were moving out. They’ve been here ever since.
The house is a substantial 4,500 square feet of space set out over four full levels, including the basement and garage, and two part-levels, two terraces and two balconies.
Part of a line of other houses perched on a steep hill, it has a commanding view over a lower street of similar houses, the clubhouse swimming pool and beyond, Cheoc Van Bay. Several small islands dot the horizon and the hilly end of Hengqin Island is visible to the right. The Altizers are clearly big fans of the area.
“We love the view and it’s a very safe place for the kids, I can keep an eye on them from the balcony and can hear them if they’re playing downstairs,” says Oyuna.
“Yes,” agrees John, “and having multiple levels gives our family space both in terms of square footage and personal space; you can be in the same house but on a different level and have your own quiet and privacy.”
“It’s unbelievably quiet and peaceful, yet we’re within walking distance of the Gondola restaurant at Cheoc Van for their great takeout pizza. We can walk to Normans on Hac Sa, or a bit further on to Miramar, or just sit on the beach and enjoy a delicious ju pa bao (pork chop bun) from the hawker stalls. When the weather is good, we drive our two kayaks round to the north of the bay, and paddle back home to our clubhouse quay.”
“I enjoy running” says Oyuna, “and its beautiful in the morning, the air feels clean and fresh out here”.
With ceiling-to-floor windows in the living room, dining room and master bedroom, “It’s not just the blue skies and sunny weather that makes our view so spectacular”, John explains, “we also love watching the storms. Thunder and lightning ricochets between the islands across the bay, it’s really cool!”
The downsides?
“It takes 15 minutes to get a bottle of milk. We have to pre-plan and organise play dates for the kids as there are no other kids living nearby. And a big downside is the Lord Stowe bakery in Coloane village with their delicious chocolate pies and egg tarts – I used to get a couple each time I drove through the village going home and it really packed on the pounds!”
But on a serious note: “The construction of the house…need I say more,” sighs John. “Ahhh, this could be a really lovely home if some time and money were put into it. Every time it rains, it leaks, the walls need re-painting, and the bathrooms are all in their original state, with old squeaky faucets and no water pressure.”
In spite of the challenges of disrepair, the house has a homely, lived-in family vibe that puts guests immediately at ease. It’s a comfortable, ‘feet up’ feeling.
Up a wide flight of sturdy wood stairs from the front entrance, past candles, incense and two tranquil sitting Buddhas from Cambodia, the living room is spacious and bright. Large cozy sofas that one sinks into are covered in crisp white linen. A couple of tall pot plants give a splash of green, and the old-fashioned teak parquet flooring gleams a honey golden brown. And always that breathtaking view of blue where sky meets sea.
The main items of furniture – desk, dining table and carved back chairs, with matching carved side board and glass cabinet – are China made, found in a furniture export factory next to John’s office in Zhongshan. These items were likely destined for the European market – a charming hallway seat with high back, mirror and hooks is something that you’d see in the entrance of an English country home, where you might sit to remove muddy boots.
In the corner sits an ornate and brightly painted Dragon boat drum from Oyuna’s days of dragon boating.
The master bedroom is dominated by a four-poster king-size bed from Tequila Kola in the South Horizons shopping centre in Hong Kong.
Fitness enthusiasts, John and Oyuna’s piece de resistance in the house is their extensively equipped gymnasium on the ground floor. Oyuna’s interests also lie in health and beauty; adjacent to their gym she has set up a small treatment room for giving facials, body massages and waxing to friends and family. Having attended the Winda Beauty courses in Hong Kong, she’s preparing to take exams for her international accreditation.
The Altizers are a multi-cultural household as indicated by an eclectic mix of musical instruments around the place: electric keyboard, guitar, violin, a blue grass five string bango, a ukulele and a Morin Khuur, or Mongolian horse head fiddle.
“None of us play any of these instruments particularly well, if at all”, laughs John.
So how did they meet? John is from Virginia, USA and has lived in Asia for over 20 years. He joined friends in Hong Kong for dinner one evening and found himself glancing over regularly at an extremely attractive young woman at the other end of the table. It was love at first sight for him, “the luck of the draw!” he smiles.
Several bars later, combined with his natural exuberance, John proposed that evening. Oyuna was returning to Ulaanbaatar in her native Mongolia the next day, but undaunted, John pursued her with a deluge of phone calls, and they married soon after. Their oldest son Bobby was born in Ulaanbaatar and is now studying at Ferrum College in Ferrum, Virginia. Nine-year-old Johnny was born in Hong Kong and seven-year-old Priscilla was born in Macau.
The Altizers are known amongst their friends as generous and hospitable hosts, especially when it comes to their barbecue street parties.
“We have some really cool ones”, laughs John. His barbecue takes pride of place in the garage – a huge stainless steel beast of a thing with its griddle, warmer drawers and LED lit controls, to name but a few features. They move the car out, put up a four-post awning in front of the garage entrance and set up the buffet. A projector with speakers showing movies is arranged for the children inside, while adult guests spill out on to the street.
Potent Mongolian vodka is offered to guests in a carved silver drinking bowl and a large refrigerator stocked with chilled Mongolian beer is always close at hand. A keen chef, John usually prepares slow roasted ribs, lamb chops and tender pieces of pulled beef mixed with home-made barbecue sauce served on hot buns with a barrage of condiments.
John works for Edsal, manufacturers of storage units and office furniture for export to the US market. He commutes every other day via the Lotus Bridge in Cotai to his office in Zhongshan. The children go to The International School and are dropped off first, then John is at the border in time for when it opens at 9am. “It works for us” he says, “we’re happy here”.
