The Silly Social Side of Paradise

Turquoise water and sunny skies  

Isla Mujeres has an eclectic mix of residents. 

There are the folks who were born on this island nestled in the Caribbean Sea, as were their parents, grandparents and several generations before them. 

There are the long-time resident expats, arriving in the early 1970s to add their flavour to the island mix. A number of the younger expats married islanders and started families of their own. Some tourists return year after year for an annual holiday.  And there are the newbies, the folks who have just discovered Isla Mujeres.

Mary & Charlie, Bloody Mary Goodbye Party 

Among the mix are a few hundred foreigners who have lived here part-time, or full-time for ten, fifteen or twenty years. 

Many of us have become friends as we sort out the intricacies of living in a foreign country. Learn the basics of the Spanish language. Or navigate the laws and bylaws of the municipality, the state, and the country.

A Super Bowl party at Charlie & Mary's

Right from our first year on Isla, Charles and Mary Simpson made us very welcome in their island home.  Well-known for their Bloody Mary Sunday morning get-togethers, or their spectacular Super Bowl Pig Roasts, Charlie and Mary were a fun-loving fixture at every gathering. 

Now, after eighteen years of island life, they are off on a new adventure. As of this week, they have sold their home and are moving to Florida, closer to their children and grandchildren.

Lawrie, Steve and Charlie - going fishin'

We will always have great memories of both Charlie and Mary. 

Memories of deep-sea fishing on Charlie’s boat. Calm seas, with not a breath of wind, gorgeous sunrises, sea turtles, dolphins, and tiny iridescent-blue flying fish skimming over the water ahead of the boat. 

And we fished, reeling in fat Tunas, sleek Wahoo, golden coloured Dorado, and Rainbow Runners. The first fish might be caught at nine in the morning, and a minute later, the first cold beer would be cracked open.

Charlie being the girl on their team

We have wacky photos of Charlie wearing a woman’s shawl as a skirt. His Cornhole bean-bag team, made up of him and Ron Berge, was required to have one woman and one man. Charlie circumvented the rules with panache. 

There are photos of Mary and Charlie in Halloween costumes sprinkled throughout our collection, as well as pictures of Charlie’s 80^th birthday and Mary’s 75^th.  

Mary’s trademark is her beautifully coordinated outfits. I have a chest of drawers full of shorts and t-shirts. Mary has dresses, shoes, shawls, and jewellery all organised by colour and style into easily accessible outfits. 

Mary and Charlie, Villa la Bella party

And who hasn’t noticed Charlie’s gold fishhook piercing his left earlobe?  

Our social gatherings will certainly be a little less colourful with their departure.

Your many island friends wish you fair winds and following seas. You will be missed.

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, and Sparky

The Shoppers, Charlie, Gary, Dave, Barney, Lawrie

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

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