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| Crazy ladies - at Rosa Sirena's. |
Whenever I first meet a new visitor
their questions are frequently the same, starting with; why did you move to
Mexico?
The answer to that question is simple, Lawrie and I
loved the Mexican culture; plus living on a tropical island, just minutes away
from big-city amenities was a bonus.
We built our home in 2007 and fell in love with the turquoise water, the pleasant oceanfront
temperatures of between 20 degrees C (70F) and 33 degrees C (95F), the food, and
the people.
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| Looking back towards Cancun from Isla. |
The community of Isla Mujeres is close
to the City of Cancun, only 20 minutes via water taxi (passengers-only ferry),
or about 45 minutes via a car ferry to the mainland. The island has an active group
of retired, semi-retired, or still-working foreigners from the USA, Canada, and
Europe. There is always someone available anytime you need company, or a few
laughs, or a good meal. With the explosion of new high-end eateries, you and
your friends can sample their menus and not repeat your choices for months.
 |
| Chedraui grocery store. |
Isla Mujeres also has a variety of
small stores that specialize in fresh chickens, pork, vegetables, fruit or general
groceries. In 2011 a Chedraui Super
Store opened giving the islanders a larger range of food, wine, and baked
goods.
Cancun with a population of approximately 900,000 has the obligatory
shopping centers, big chains such as Costco, Mega Commercial, Soriana's, Home
Depot, Sam's Club, and Walmart. You can find pretty much anything you want, but
maybe not every time. The stock changes with the seasons of the year, as well
as during gringo-season when the northern homeowners return to their tropical homes.
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| More of my wacky, wonderful American friends. |
Turkey, cranberry sauce, and canned
pumpkin typically start appearing again in late October in time for the
American Thanksgiving celebrations and Christmas. Not many store owners have
figured out that Canadian Thanksgiving is in early October. It’s today,
actually, and our feast features pretty much the same foods. The original immigrants
to both Canada and the USA came from the same ethnic backgrounds.
Back in the
1700s and 1800s my immigrant ancestors settled in what became Nova Scotia, Manitoba,
and Saskatchewan in Canada, plus the future American states of Maine, Indiana, and
Louisiana. I suppose I could celebrate both Thanksgivings, but that would be
too much of a good thing.
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| Dr. Greta Shorey - housecall |
On Isla, there a several English-speaking
doctors and dentists. The doctors in Mexico still make house calls, and their
services won’t break the bank. If you have a serious medical issue Cancun has several
excellent and affordable hospitals staffed with American-trained doctors.
There are also well-trained
dental surgeons who specialize in dental tourism such as Dentaris in Cancun. You can get your dental
work done, in between tanning and quaffing margaritas. Their driver shuttles the
patients from their hotels, the airport, or at any of the passenger ferry docks
to their clinic on Bonampak Avenue in Cancun.
And when you want to visit family,
friends, or another foreign country, Cancun has easy air access to and from major
airports, worldwide.
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| Sparky enjoying a swim in October. |
However, it’s not always margaritas
and sunshine. Sometimes things just don’t work out as planned.
The local water
and sewerage company spent the entire summer digging up the road on both sides
of the island to install new water connections to the many large homes being
built in the Punta Sur area.
Then the second part of the contract was to
connect those new homes to the sewer system. The new trench was dug right
through the water and the electrical connections, cutting off all services to
many homes and blocking their driveways.
It was a nightmare for the homeowners.
It was a nightmare for the homeowners.
If you plan to retire here, come with
an open heart and a sense of humor, otherwise, the administrative silliness
will make you crazy.
Some people can't adapt to life in Mexico. Some couples break up because one of them can embrace the culture, but the other one can't, and returns back north.
Some people can't adapt to life in Mexico. Some couples break up because one of them can embrace the culture, but the other one can't, and returns back north.
It’s Mexico! Stuff happens!
Cheers from paradise.
Lynda
(Originally published October 13th 2019)
~
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