Look deep into the grain that striates a wooden bannister. Let your toes curl over the sun-warmed pattern of stone. Stare into the perfect smoothness of polished stucco. To see the details of Alys Beach is to see the thumbprints—seals of excellence—of the craftsmen who brought these elements into being. No machine can produce what the soul of a man can express through his craft. Pre-fabrications do not stand as proudly as a piece built upon the vision of a man who understands the purpose of each piece he touches. A body of builders—skilled craftsmen and workers—is to be admired and praised. For their vision to refine raw materials into precious gems. For the strength of their bodies, which wear the color of the sun against cinder blocks and plaster. For their hands, nimble but calloused by the stories of years of workmanship. For their refusal to compromise even the smallest of tasks through shortcuts. For each drop of sweat off the forehead that splashes like champagne over the bow. And for the final product, which leaves a legacy of the faces and hands and minds of the craftsmen who gave themselves to masterpiece. For all of this, we celebrate the craftsmen of Alys Beach.
