Archive | Retire Mexico RSS feed for this section

Falling For Life in Mexico – Literally

24 Jan

Multitasking actually means not fully paying attention to ANYTHING. So this week when I simultaneously stepped over a two foot high curb while looking for oncoming traffic, it’s not surprising that I caught my toe and went down on hip and elbow. 

image

All sunrise shots taken from the porch this week.

I have fallen three times since moving to Mexico two and a half years ago. Leading an active, adventurous life involves risk.

image

The first time I fell was a perfect storm of bald bicycle tires, gravel, a hill and a curve. The doctor diagnosed a fracture of the femur and put me in a soft cast for six weeks. We never saw evidence on an x-ray so who knows.

image

The second fall was during a hike in San Miguel de Allende while visiting my friend Nancy last summer. While crossing a muddy creek, I slipped and went down hard on my knee. Again we had a trip to the ER, x-rays, swelling and additions to our collection of ace bandages.

image

These hikers were way better prepared than I with boots and walking poles.

Thank God for the loving support of my wife, MIL and friends in Bacalar. The loan of a walker helps me to stay off the ankle and our stairs will keep me housebound for a week or so.

image.jpeg

This sweet little ride has seen better days.

I am also grateful for the extensive exercise we do, yoga, calisthenics and recently added strength training. It could have been so much worse. Living an adventurous life is worth preparing for.

image

 

 

Tags: , , , ,

Living in Mexico – Settling In

17 Jan

It is the dream of many to retire to a tropical climate in Mexico. After years of saving, research, and selling off our home and possessions in Austin, Texas, Dos Tortas came to be. Our blog tells the story of living on lovely Laguna Bacalar, the second largest lake in Mexico, for two and a half years in preparation for construction. Welcome/bienvenidos to our home….

image.jpeg

Stages of construction.

We purchased the lakefront property in 2012. It was a rough sloping lot with potential, close enough to the town o Bacalar to ride our bikes to the mercado.

image

25 meters x 100 meters (.62 acres)

There were many hoops to jump through in order to build in an environmentally sensitive area. An impact study was not in our thoughts as we signed a purchase contract.

image

We’re hanging pictures!

Dreams of our crystal blue lake, swimming “out back”, kayaking, and boating danced in our heads. We could see the end result but did not explore adequately the process to get there. But that is behind us as we settle into our new home. In Mexico!

image.jpeg

Our new “couch” was installed on Friday.

image

The fountain near the outdoor bathroom is trickling down the rock face.

There are interior details that have yet to be completed. A rooftop patio is on the drawing board. We have enough projects and gardening to keep us busy for a long time. Stay tuned.

image

 

Tags: , , , ,

Home, la Gripa and Electrical Outage

20 Dec

La gripa is a catch-all phrase used in Mexico for colds and flu. It may or may not include fever and/or the usual symptoms. Mine isn’t serious, no fever, but enough to not feel much like blogging. Also we had a big rain storm last night which took out the electricity until minutes ago. Say no more. 

image

The beautiful sky and plains of Chihuahua.

Ours was a whirlwind trip from southern Mexico to Northern California and back. Extenuating circumstances prevented visiting friends and sightseeing. Mostly it was gas, pee, eat, sleep, drive, repeat and not necessarily in that order.

image

An early start from Puebla into the mountain pass of the volcano Orizaba.

Once through the mountains of central Mexico, the temperature changed quickly and we were pulling out the shorts. Almost there.

image

Rain shower heading out way.

Home sweet home Bacalar. We are recovering from a strenuous trip and bouts of gripa. Lots of fluids, garlic soup and rest. We’re glad to see our puppy who doubled in size while we were gone.

image.jpeg

Sitting on the dock. Lots of cuddles and fish watching with Luna.

image

The reason for the trip, Max is one month old.

Happy holidays to you and yours from DOS TORTAS

image

Mass Shootings or Farmer’s Markets

6 Dec

Bloggers living in Mexico notice with increased interest when scarey stuff happens in the USA. By comparison, Mexico is looking good. 

image

Myself, I try to avoid the news. It’s hard to do I admit. Whether online or on TV there’s such a pull to understand the non-understandable. I refuse to be afraid.

image

So instead, I will present another aspect of California that hasn’t made the news lately. The Tortas visited two really nice farmer’s markets on our recent trip to California. I always head to the ethnic food vendors. Mediterranean was especially good at both Windsor and Bakersfield markets.

image

Olives, dates, tabouli, hummus and pitta bread are all impossible to find in our little corner of Mexico.

image

Of course, every Mexican village has the most wonderful mercado. They are filled with hundreds of items you don’t get in the US, fresh coconut water, tree ripened bananas, and plants and pottery that are really, really cheap.

image

US-style farmer’s markets are catching on in Mexico where there are large foreign populations. I attended one in Merida and they were selling bread! Mmmmmm. Fortunately or unfortunately one will never appear in Bacalar. We live in a part of Mexico with a very small foreign community. Which is just the way we planned it.

image

Green juice vendor in Bacalar.

So if you’re looking to move to Mexico, don’t come because you’re afraid of the US. You’ll bring your fear with you and be equally unhappy here. Just my opinion.

image

Tags: , , , , , , ,

One Handed Blogging

29 Nov

Holding our new grandson is the sweetest experience.  Our grandmotherly duty starts around 7:30 am with the handoff of Max, allowing the new parents some much needed sleep. 

image

Grandma Lisa starting off her day.

Ask any retiree in Mexico what the hardest part about being away from the U.S. is and missing the grands is at the top of the list.

image

The Texas grands Sophia and Hunter.

The Tortas will be braving the chill of Northern California for another week before heading south.

image

The best places to take a nap, in Grandma’s arms.

The next best thing to being in two places at once is Skype or FaceTime. I remember being a kid and hearing that someday we’d be able to see who we were talking to on the phone. “Yeah right!” You don’t have to be living on beautiful Laguna Bacalar in southern Mexico to be watching your grandkids grow up electronically. What a miraculous time we live in.

image

Eleven month old Sophia with Uncle Cullen.

image

Tags: , , , ,

California Dreamin

22 Nov

After driving three thousand miles across Mexico and up the Baja to Northern California for the birth of our grandson, the Tortas say, “never again” that is of course until the return trip.

image

First phase of our trip.

The ferry from Mazatlan to La Paz was not the seventeen hour trip advertised on the website. It was more like twenty-four hours. Geesh.

image

Arriving in La Paz on the Sea of Cortez

The ferry ride was an adventure to say the least and the drive up the Baja was as breath taking as any I’ve seen, purple mountains, winding cavernous roads, forests of cactus, huge boulders and ocean vistas.

image

Stopping for a little walk and to admire the view.

We arrived in Bakersfield to pack up Lisa’s mom (Everyday Courage). Our grandson, Maxwell Michael Toth was born November 19th, clocking in at 7 lb. 8 oz. and 24″. We are two happy grandmas.

image

Grandma Lisa and a less than 24 hour old Max.

We’ll hang out here for awhile before heading south. The goal is to be home by Christmas. We miss our puppy who is growing like a weed, but there’s nothing like grandchildren.

image

Tags: , , , , , ,

So When Will The House Be Done Already?

28 Jun

The Tortas are in Tulum visiting our Austin friends Karen and Skip. We are on a hunt for items for our house, tile and light fixtures mostly. Options have increased over the last few years in our outpost of Mexican living. We now have a Home Depot in Chetumal which is thirty-minutes away, woohoo. The style of our house is rustica or pueblo. There are rounded corners, thatched overhangs, concrete floors, stuccoed walls and niches. Mass-produced furniture, lighting and all things made in China are not what we’re looking for. The hope is that Tulum and Playa del Carmen will offer more options.

Ok, so there are some exceptions.

Ok, so there are some exceptions. About $135

We stopped by the property for a progress update on our way out of town. There were a dozen workers trying to beat the rain clouds hovering overhead. Progress over the last six weeks has been amazing.

Front entrance.

Front entrance.

The molds have been made and the concrete will be poured for the arches above the door and windows. Construction out of concrete is a whole new world for us.

Rounding corners with concrete blocks.

Rounding corners using concrete blocks. Amazing!

The workshop aka Lisa’s she-cave is waiting on a part to install the garage door. A carport will be added to provide an indoor/outdoor work space.
image
The arches have been poured over the doors and windows in this section. To the right is the entrance to the main bedroom and bath. The interior window will allow an open view into the bedroom and close for privacy when desired.

All rooms open onto the porch with views of the Laguna.

All rooms open onto the porch with views of the Laguna.

The stairs leading down to the Laguna from the porch will also provide security allowing the house to remain open to the night breezes.
image
The trip to Tulum and Playa del Carmen afforded the purchase of decorative tiles for a yet-to-be determined location. It also gave us ideas, like these clay sconces for the porch.

Which do you like best?

Which do you like best?

I liked these. They can also be painted.

I liked these. They can also be painted.

The roof will go on in the next week or so. After that begins the interior detail work of building counters, installing sinks, adding lighting and pouring floors. There will be many trips to Chetumal. And the projected completion date is…the end of August, four months as predicted. Forgive us David if we didn’t really believe you. House construction is the very definition of delays and unforeseen problems. Add Mexico to the mix and many projects languish. To say we are excited is an understatement. Lots of work left to do, but definitely light at the end of this two-year tunnel.

DOS TORTAS
image

Tags: , , ,

Flamingos Flamingos Flamingos

17 May

Our guide book is either really outdated (2010) or Celestún has seriously gone downhill. I believe it’s the latter. The “quaint” little hotels described were even below our standards which are pretty basic. However we did find what we came for – flamingos!

An evening walk on the beach to find the palapa, a palm frond covered hut where tours are scheduled, found a family from Mexico City negotiating for a morning boat ride. The captain told us their’s was a private tour when I inquired as to the possibility of joining them. One thing Mexico teaches is patience. After a bit of friendly conversation and some whispering between them, we were invited to join their group. Who can resist the Torta charm?!

Visiting Celestun from Mexico City.

Visiting Celestun from Mexico City.

Off we went the following morning to the Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún.

image
image
image

Seeing these majestic birds is truly breathtaking. The majority were pale pink indicating young birds. Celestun and Rio Lagartos are breeding and nesting grounds and one of the few places flamingos can be seen in the wild.

Next we were off to the mangroves.

A ride through the mangrove tunnel.

A ride through the mangrove tunnel.

We stopped to visit a fresh water spring.

Clear reflection.

Clear reflection.

You can see the water bubbling up in the middle of the photo.

Natural fresh water spring.

Natural fresh water spring.

For those of you who know the avid swimmer I am, it didn’t take long to climb into the pool.

One way of swimming my way around the world.

One way of swimming my way around the world.

The family from Mexico City, who didn’t appear to be the adventurous type, stood by in amazement as this gray-haired grandma reveled and played in the stunning water. They inquired politely about the presence of cocodrilos, crocodiles, and after some not too gentle intimidation from me, all got in the water. I’m quite certain if we hadn’t been there, they’d have returned home with a far less interesting story to tell. Haha.

Of course you can't pass up the lovely sunset photo.

Of course you can’t pass up the lovely sunset photo.

After an evening walk collecting shells, we packed our bags for an early retreat. It was sad in a way to find this dingy little town surrounded by so much natural beauty. Such is the enigma of Mexico. We were certainly glad to have stopped and if the opportunity arises to return, we will be better prepared and more wary of the expectations created by guide books.
image

Tags: , , ,

Eating Organic in Mexico – An Adventure of a Different Kind

22 Feb

The Tortas are on vacation. Please enjoy a previous post.

A large part of moving to Mexico for me was driven by the memory of roaming local mercados brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables. In 1975, as a college student in Mexico, I gorged on whatever was in season, especially relishing avocados and tropical fruits not found in my native New Jersey.

As with everything inthe world, times have changed, and in 2014, asking a merchant in the Bacalar market where their produce is from often results in a blank stare. For this reason, I have thought often of the organic farmer’s market left behind in Austin, Texas. I willingly paid higher prices, which included the privilege of meeting the farmers who grew and brought their culinary wonders to my neighborhood.

On Saturday, the Tortas were excited to take a road-trip to a local organic farm that we’d heard about. After driving 40 km or about 25 miles, we came to what’s otherwise known as Kilometro Cinco (five).

An easy-to-miss wooden roadside stand fronts an amazing farm owned and operated by a husband-wife team. All work is done manually. There is no roto tiller pulled behind a tractor. The rich earth in this soil poor area is the result of twenty years of composted chicken manure. It is obvious that these folks work hard, love what they do and have a green thumb that I can only dream of. We followed them to their fields and were in awe of the crops that were harvested before our eyes. It doesn’t get any fresher than this. There was eggplant, cabbage, kohlrabi, two kinds of espinaca (spinach), red and green lettuce, arugula, chard, bok choy, basil, Serrano peppers, dandelions and probably more that I’m forgetting. It was a Spanish lesson as well. I will have green smoothies for days. Kilometro Cinco is a treasure and well worth the trip. Our huge basket of veggies, farm eggs and oranges cost about $10US. I’m in heaven and no longer dreaming of farmer’s markets.

Rows of lettuce and peppers.

Rows of lettuce and peppers.

Growing in the jungle.

Growing in the jungle.

image

image

Harvesting as we go.

Harvesting as we go.

Though For The Day

Though For The Day

Tags: , , , , , ,

Taxes and the Retired Expatriate

15 Feb

Let me start by saying that Lisa is in charge of taxes. She tells me what to do and I do it as we prepare for a trip to the States and a visit with our accountant. This week I found myself in a familiar place, stressing about money. It happens every time we fly to the States which involves airplane tickets,  car rental, eating out and the laundry-list of purchases that we intend to bring back. My stomach knots, my head spins and I don’t sleep well. It’s not fun for Lisa and certainly not fun for me.

image

Trumpet Vine at Casita Carolina

This morning I was doing my tax assignment, gathering my W-2 and investment balances. The fog lifted and I came to the conclusion that I DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MONEY! Stop it, cut it out, quit!

image

Blooming aloe on the patio. The bees love it.

As a partnership of two women, we have never made the big bucks. I have a small State of Texas retirement, social security and a portion of a former spouse’s retirement. What I did right was save a portion of every paycheck as soon as I made any money. I maxed out my IRA’s for years. Even though friends and fellow employees poked fun at my taking the bus, bringing my lunch, and general modest living.

Orchids on Cozumel Island

Orchids on Cozumel Island

This morning I did the math. I gave myself thirty more years on the planet, subtracted what we’ve put aside to build the house, and added in my retirement checks and voila. I’m fine. We’re fine. I have nothing to worry about.

Petaluma, CA last summer.

Petaluma, CA last summer.

It really has nothing to do with money, but my frame of mind. Remembering to be grateful, throw in all the people who love me and I really never have to be afraid about anything, ever. Relax, breath.
DOS TORTAS

image

Tags: ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →

Emilie Vardaman

travel and random thoughts

A Dead Kennedy

: A journal of a very slooow marathon swimmer

The Soulful Word

Intuitive copywriter + creative director: word whispering magic for personal brands

View From Casita Colibrí

gringa musings from a rooftop terrace in Oaxaca

Your Hand in Mind

Musings of a human factors engineer after her brain was released...

Adventures with LoLo

Surviving Yucatan

Smoothing out Mexico's rough spots.

Surviving Mexico

Adventures and Disasters

Perking the Pansies

Jack Scott's random ramblings

WordPress.com News

The latest news on WordPress.com and the WordPress community.