L’chaim To Life – To A Dear Friend Adiós

11 May

While laid up this week mending a broken leg, I have little of our usually active life in Bacalar to share. No photos, but lots of sadness. Life can be very, very unpredictable and I’m not talking about a broken leg.

Last December I posted Familia Nueva About two good old gals from Texas that Lisa and I met here in Bacalar. They were retired and living in San Miguel de Allende taking a six-week Yucatan holiday.

Who would have imagined that we would meet another couple with the same age spread (12 years) and history (20 years) together AND a blast to be with. Not only did we hang out and visit the sights and sounds of Bacalar, on our return trip from Texas in January, we visited them in San Miguel and got the royal treatment. We stayed in their newly remodeled home, saw the sights of SMA and made plans, over morning coffee, for future joint travels and visits to each other’s homes. Lisa and I returned to southern Yucatan looking forward to seeing them again.

Last Saturday, we received something we never ever expected, Judy’s Facebook obituary. She had died in her sleep Thursday night of a brain aneurism, as near as anyone can tell. She was 51 years old.

One thing we enjoyed while visiting SMA was Nancy and Judy’s wedding video. They had traveled to California last September to make their relationship legal. Lisa and I will be following their footsteps in July.

Life is precious and we only have today. Nancy and Judy lived life to the fullest. Nancy has wonderful memories to sustain her and good family and friends to remind her she is loved. All that other stuff of life suddenly seems not so important – Love each other and God bless.

By the lake in Bacalar.

By the lake in Bacalar.

Judy's beloved rooftop view.

Judy’s beloved rooftop view.

You will be so missed.

You will be so missed.

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Feliz Cinco Ya’ll – Take Two

4 May

Due to a mishap over the last few days, I’ve decided to repost my Cinco de Mayo blog from last year. We sure have come a long way in our relocation to Mexico.  On Friday I  went down hard on my bike and have a hairline tibial fracture behind the right knee. I will be in a brace for three weeks. This morning I’m on pain medication and not thinking too clearly. A handsome traumatologist got me seen, xrayed, diagnosed in and out in two hours for less than $200 Xays, brace and medication.

 

Immobile for three weeks. Immobile for three weeks.

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A Repost From 2013

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Austin by waving green, white and red Mexican flags. So much so that I once heard someone point to a Mexican flag and refer to it as a “Cinco de Mayo” flag. It’s a day for family, friends, eating tacos, listening to conjunto and drinking cerveza. Few know what the holiday is really about. When living in Mexico, I visited the Fort de Puebla where a fight for independence took place in 1864. The French, with their highly trained forces thought they had a cake walk in taking over Mexico. A rag-tag militia of about 500 strategically placed Mexican soldiers proved them wrong. Mexico’s independence took years of battles with French, Spanish, US, and British troops. It’s no wonder everyone celebrates a win by the underdogs.

But Cinco is a celebration of much more than the Battle of Puebla. It’s the celebration of a strong, proud, independent people who love to celebrate just about anything. As a youngster from New Jersey, I was wary of a picnic in a cemetery for Day of the Dead. It was a delightful day that allowed me to experience another culture in a very personal way. There are birthdays, saint days, quinceñeras, religious holidays, Sunday picnics, and many more events that I hope to learn about and participate in.

We continue to pack containers, take books to Half Price, have dinner with friends and plan our escape. There are no “final” goodbyes. Just about everyone is invited to visit. So if you think that southern Yucatan may be a vacation destination in your future, get your passport, practice your Spanish and bring a “celebration state-of-mind”, and remember your hammock.

Alex Enjoying a Sunny Lake Bacalar Day Alex enjoying a sunny Lake Bacalar day
Sunset on the Bay of Chetumal Sunset on the Bay of Chetumal

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Roaming, Rambling, Rumbling

27 Apr

We made a quick trip to Austin this past week. Lisa had a command performance with the Veteran’s Administration and we got to visit kids and grandkids.

A Visit With the Sons

A Visit With the Sons

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The culture shock I felt upon re-entry was challenging. It’s not the first time I’ve experienced the disorienting sensation of not belonging when returning “home”. In the 70’s when I returned from living nine months in Mexico, I didn’t have words to describe it. I was 22 and trying to figure out life. In the 80’s, I again returned to the US after two years of living in Japan. The depression I felt confused me. I WANTED to return, had chosen and looked forward to it, so why was I so sad?

Sophia Aria Fisher and Daddy

Sophia Aria Fisher and Daddy

Easter With Hunter

Easter With Hunter

I think this time, I was overwhelmed by the wealth we have in the US. Our grocery shelves are stocked with so much variety. Ten different kinds of soy milk! I spent so much time in traffic, bumper to bumper. We pay a high price for consumerism. I don’t know where I’m going with all this. Maybe it’s an excuse to share pictures of my grandchildren.

Aren't they Cute?

Aren’t they Cute?

One thing is evident to me, we’re all connected. The choices we make in the US have an impact on the rest of the world. Our appetite for cheap goods creates garbage that piles up in poor countries ill equipped to deal with it.

I don’t have any answers. It feels like a runaway train. We need elected officials who get it. Meanwhile, live your life, be happy, Happy Earth Day everyday.

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The Expat Community Center – Casita Carolina

20 Apr

When we visited Bacalar for the first time in December 2012 we stayed in a wonderful guest house called Casita Carolina.

Carolina - Queen of Bacalar

Carolina – Queen of Bacalar

As visitors we connected with other travelers and daily life in our soon-to-be new community.

Sunrise Extraordinaire at Casita Carolina

Sunrise on the Lawn at Casita Carolina

This year, as residents, we’ve come to appreciate that Casita Carolina’s also serves as a cultural center. There are monthly opportunities to gather and meet new friends, enjoy musical performances, and celebrate holidays.

Ginger Heat - Delightful Visiting Madrigals

Ginger Heat – Delightful Visiting Madrigals

Every year at the end of February, artists both local and visiting show off their talents at the Art Rendezvous. For a week, they visit sights with their watercolor pads in hand to immortalize the scenes and people of Bacalar. A wonderful sale follows. Anyone can participate in the fun as painter or patron.

Come One Come All

Come One Come All

Resident of Bacalar

Resident of Bacalar

El Mercado

El Mercado

Sights of Bacalar

Sights of Bacalar

We are coming to love and appreciate this wonderful little community that every day feels more like home. Thank you Carolina for all you do for Bacalar.

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You Can’t Always Get What You Want – But Sometimes You Get Tequila!

13 Apr

I have little experience drinking tequila. The occasional margarita left me in a fog and I have refused most offers. So I can safely say that when we were invited to visit a new tequila processing site, I hesitated for at least a second before saying YES.

A Mexican vacation, for many, is taken from the dock of a cruise ship. Port-of-call side trips offer jungle adventure tours, reef snorkeling, pyramid climbs, and soon a visit to Jakaré, outside of Bacalar to savor a truly Mexican experience, the history and making of tequila.

Start With Blue Agave

Start With Blue Agave

Fields of agave take 8-10 years to mature.

The agave leaves are removed to harvest the hearts which are steamed in large stone ovens.

These Hearts Have Cooled

These Hearts Have Cooled

A team of oxen turn a large mill stone to break up the tough fibers.

Mashing the Hearts

Mashing the Hearts

The fibers and liquid are fermented, distilled and aged in wooden barrels that add their own flavors, much like wine.

Aging Can Take Several Years

Aging Can Take Several Years

Now for the Tasting

Now for the Tasting

From blanco to aged. Even this inexperienced tongue could tell the difference.

Love the Bottles

Love the Bottles

An important step is to cleanse the pallet, swirl the tequila, breath and savor. We had so much fun.

Coffee Beans and Herbals to Cleanse

Coffee Beans and Herbals to Cleanse

We learned about this Mexican industry that has pre-Spanish roots and legends. Jose Cuervo just may be a new friend of mine.

Thought for the day as we wait to start building our dream home in Bacalar.

Thought for the day as we wait to start building our dream home in Bacalar.

Small Town Living in Mexico What No Starbucks?

6 Apr

When we made the decision to move to Mexico’s Southern Yucatan peninsula, it was for as much of what we didn’t find here as what we did. As I ride my bike around town, I see so many sites that delight my eyes. I don’t want to romanticize poverty, but what you and I might consider poverty has it’s wealth in simple living for many. Enjoy some of the sights of Bacalar as it prepares for an influx of tourists for Semana Santa (Holy Week) leading up to Easter.

One of Many Majestic Trees

Enjoying the Shade in Bacalar, MX

Cenote Azul

Cenote Azul A Swimmer’s Paradise

On the Costera - Spiffing Up for the Holiday Week

On the Costera – Spiffing Up for the Holiday Week

A Small Hang Out for the Hipper Crowd

A Small Hang Out for the Hipper Crowd

Simple Traditional Home

Simple Traditional Bacalar Home

Model of Bacalar Found In The City Park

Model of Bacalar Found In The City Park

Looking For a Bathroom or a House to Buy?

Looking For a Baño or a House to Buy?

One of Ten Speedbumps or Tolpes Along the Highway.

One of Ten Speedbumps or Topes Along the Highway Through Bacalar

Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude

Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude

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The End of The World As We Knew It – September 2013

30 Mar

We were going through some of our things in storage this week and came across our trusty 2013 calendar. It was the “month-at-a-glance” tool that we used to coordinate our busy lives in Austin and ultimately our escape to Mexico. Having worked for the government for many years, I am a planner, coordinator and timeline kinda gal. The calendar which held our to-do lists (camper shell for the truck, paint bedroom, make appointment to get new wills written) has now become a journal of sorts. We were so impatient to get the house sold, pack and be on our way. The details of appointments, purchases and goodbyes seemed endless. We sure were busy.

If it were the end of the world and future archiologists were digging through the rubble and came across this calendar, it would be clear that something important happened in September 2013. The record of a very busy life seemed to mysteriously end the first of September. That of course was when we hit the road, Mexico bound.

It’s good to look back to get perspective as our ability to be happy in the present moment continues to be challenged. Granted, as we wait to close on our property and begin construction, we ARE living in paradise. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.

So what exactly is the complaint you might ask? It seems silly, but we are kinda bored. When living in limbo it is difficult to start long term projects. Getting to know people has proven more challenging than we thought. Everyone here seems just as busy in paradise as we were in the States. I guess it’s time to pull up our big girl pants and figure this out.

So if you’re considering a trip to visit us. Now would be a good time.

The. End of the World As We Knew It

The. End of the World As We Knew It

Ain't It The Truth

Ain’t It The Truth

Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.

Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.

Harvesting from our property

Harvesting from our property

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Pull Over And Let Me Out – Driving in Mexico

16 Mar

Navigating the roads of Mexico can be very scary. Glaring daggers, threats of abandonment, raised voices and jumping out of a moving truck top the list of dangers. While we have only done three out of four, I’ll leave it to your imagination. There is a dearth of signage and even a 2012 map is woefully outdated. People have suggested a GPS, but I don’t think more technology is the answer. I did discover that the maps on my iPad work without wifi. While not complete, it actually helps.

There are also the roads themselves with holes big enough to swallow a Volkswagen. Many are two lanes where buses pass on curves. A double yellow line is no deterant.

Few people pay attention to speed limits. Topes pronounced tow-pay, or speed bumps ready to take out your transmission, slow traffic through towns. The slowed traffic provides opportunities for vendors to provide fresh juice or any number of delectable snacks at your window. Fast food Mexican style.

There are few street lights. Pedestrians and cyclists travel the shoulder of the highway at night with no reflectors or red blinky lights. Then there are the dogs, goats, horses and occasional pig to watch out for. Road signs admonish not to drink and drive and to remember that your family is waiting for you.

What Mexico also has is miles of beautiful scenery. There are breathtaking volcanos, pineapple groves, costeras with sweeping ocean vistas, small towns, sugar cane fields, roadside eateries, and the Green Angels. More than one gringo has been rescued from automobile hell by this free roadside assistance program that patrols the highways ready to change a flat or drive to purchase a much needed car part.

Mostly driving in Mexico is a lot of fun. Best to be prepared, not drive at night and try not to kill each other.

Fields of Wildflowers

Fields of Wildflowers

Hang On

Hang On

Streets of Bacalar

Streets of Bacalar

Don't Hit the Goats

Don’t Hit the Goats

Volcano Orizaba

Volcano Orizaba

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These Flip-flops are Finally Settled – For Now

9 Mar

Since the beginning of September, the Tortas have been homeless. We’ve been traveling, staying with friends, family, and living out of suitcases. Even paradise has it’s challenges.

While visiting Texas in January, we heard of the availability of a house in Bacalar. It is beautifully furnished, spacious, has two bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and overlooks the laguna, all for less than $500US.

The downside was no wifi, but that has been remedied. We moved in February and will bring our trailer and unpack some of our belongings this week. Although the house is completely equipped with about everything we need, our personal chachkas will make it feel more like home. The building process is taking longer than we expected and the ability to settle in our own space and relax has greatly improved our frame of mind. What blessings the universe showers.

We have been meeting with our builder and have preliminary drawings for our house. The next step is the “permisos” or permits. There is an environmental study that needs to take place among others. All will take time.

While we wait, we are ramping up our exercise program and improving our eating. Months of traveling and someone else’s kitchen have taken their toll. Once the actual construction begins, there will be lots to do, even if it’s sitting and watching paint dry.

Our New House

Our New House

From the Front Porch

From the Front Porch

Down to the Laguna

Down to the Laguna

From the Mercado

From the Mercado

Roof View

Roof View

Thought For The Day

Thought For The Day

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No Blog Sunday

2 Mar
Thought for the day.

Thought for the day.

Sunrise from our new place.

Sunrise from our new place.

Migrating cranes.

Migrating cranes.

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Emilie Vardaman

travel and random thoughts

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