A Canadian writer's life: expats in Mexico

Friday, April 5, 2013

You know you’ve picked the right place to retire when ….(Lawrie’s turn to write)

North Beach from a penthouse at IxChel Condos

Okay, I admit it, we got lucky when we chose Isla Mujeres as our retirement destination. Captivated by the turquoise water and friendly locals, we jumped at the chance to live here. Now, prestigious TripAdvisor has named our little island #6 in the world for islands to live on. Travelocity rated Isla as #4 for Value Vacations, and even Fox News and NBC have gotten into the act, touting this little paradise.

Looking south from the IxChel Condos.

Isla Mujeres is a very small island, 7 kilometres by 1 kilometre, situated off the coast of Cancun. It’s about fifteen minutes by passenger ferry across the azure and turquoise water to reach this little paradise. Tourism is the #1 industry on the island, followed by fishing, although reeling in tourists is far more profitable than fishing. Tourism is increasing, and more people are travelling. Fishing is decreasing due to fewer fish available.

One of our favourite views, fishing boats.

An abundance of island restaurants cater to every taste, and there are many great watering holes serving up icy cold beer and frozen concoctions to help your vacation along. And of course, there are beaches, lots of beaches. All very safe.

We are not the type of folks with what we refer to as a drawbridge mentality. You know the type; once they have discovered a place, they don’t want anyone else to discover it lest it might change. Change is good. It keeps the community vibrant and alive.

And fishing nets ....

Some of the things that make living as an expat in a foreign country easier are electronic readers that enable us to download the most recent novels, magazines, and newspapers. We and many of our friends have magicJack phones that allow us to call anywhere in the US or Canada – free. The nearby Cancun International Airport gives us travel options with direct flights to many countries. It’s all good.

Mini market and restaurante near Salina Grande

So, if you are thinking of a great retirement location, or just a vacation slightly off the beaten path, consider Isla Mujeres. If you are like us and dive right into a new adventure, you will find professional real estate companies, good builders, and a very fun and affordable little community that will make you feel right at home.

Hasta Luego
Lynda and Lawrie

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Friday, March 29, 2013

Hernando’s frightful encounter!

Hernando on our table

Whispered sounds sifted across the sand. Something very large was headed his way. A bright light swept across the beach, momentarily blinding him. Clack! He quickly tucked his legs inside his house, slamming his large front claw across the entrance, barricading his front door against predators. Quivering inside his home, Hernando waited, listening to the approaching noises. Would he survive this night? Would he live to see another dawn? “Please don’t let them eat me,” he whispered. “I don’t taste good. I’m all shell. Please spare me.”

Suddenly, he was being lifted up, off the sand. Oh no, was this the end? More noise and bright lights, and he was placed inside a large metal container. This really was the end. He was going to be cooked and eaten! Hernando struggled mightily against the steep metal sides, trying to escape, scrabbling frantically. Then, oddly enough, a beautiful new shell was carefully placed beside him in the container. “What?” he wondered, “What just happened?”

Exchanging shells in the kitchen sink.

Cautiously, Hernando touched the new shell with his front claws, feeling for a trap. Or worse yet, perhaps a larger creature lurked inside, hoping to catch him for its meal. Hernando gently turned the shell over, and over, exploring the edges and looking for flaws or holes. It had black, yellow, and white stripes with a gentle curl to the right, and a smooth interior.

Hernando quickly pulled his slim tubular body from his current shell and spiralled into the new one. It was a perfect fit, with slightly less weight to carry around, but with room to grow for the next year or so. And then the big hand reached for him again. The hand placed him inside a different container where he again scrambled and clawed at the sides, hoping to escape certain death. Suddenly, he was set back down on the sand near dozens of his friends. The others were enjoying a feast of tasty food and bathing in clean, shallow pools. Heaven, he was in Hermit Crab Heaven. It was the only possible explanation.

Other hermit crabs exchanging shells

Hernando’s first instinct was to scamper away and hide in the nearby bushes, but once he realized he was not being pursued, he stopped. He turned around and rejoined the party on the beach. Scattered on the sand were dozens of shells in various sizes and colours. Straggly lines of Hermit Crabs, ordered from largest to smallest, clutched the next-in-line crab.

Hernando knew what this was; he had experienced this many times. It was a shell exchange!

As soon as the largest crab in the line chose a new shell and decided that it was a good fit, it then released its tight grip on its current house, allowing the now-empty shell to be taken by the next crab in the line. Eventually, during the evening, as many as eight or nine trades per shell would take place, allowing most of the crabs to secure a newer, bigger shell. Some would be disappointed, not finding a better shell.

Pond's Cold Cream Jar being used as shell

Hernando knew that not having any shell was the very worst outcome for a Hermit Crab. The shells were necessary to protect their fragile bodies from being battered by the rough ground. They were necessary to carry a supply of water and to keep them safe from predators.

He had made do with a variety of objects in his ten or more years of life. (He wasn’t really certain how old he was. None of the crabs knew how to count, and some of his relatives had lived a lot more years than he had.) In past seasons, he had lived in a plastic bottle top, a glass pill bottle, and, more recently, a white jar that had held a smelly sticky substance before he moved into it. Life was tough for a Hermit Crab. But, he, Hernando, already had a gorgeous new shell, so he ignored the shell line-ups and headed straight to the food.

The thing was, thought Hernando as he munched his food, they were called Hermit Crabs, but really they were very sociable creatures. They enjoyed meeting up on the beach, touching and exploring with feelers and claws, identifying friends and family.

The only time things got a bit tense was during the shell exchanges; some of the impatient crabs could get downright nasty if they didn’t get the shell they wanted. Occasionally, a scuffle would break out, but it was quickly settled when one or the other of the crabs grabbed the shell and scurried away.

Walked 8 houses. I mark shells with nailpolish

Some evenings Hernando roamed a large area, travelling a very long distance in search of food. And one time he travelled past the green house, past the long white house, past the orange house, past another white house, all the way to the yellow house. The large inhabitant of that house thought he was interesting and picked him up to have a better look. “What the heck is wrong with these creatures?” Hernando muttered, waving his antennas in agitation. “Don’t they understand that this big front claw can do serious damage to those soft pink sticks they use to poke at me? I am a seriously mean dude!”

Same crab showing my red dot, MW photo

Back at the Crab-i-tat, where the beach party was still in progress, the Hermit Crabs gobbled down the free food. However, there was always a downside to the free gifts. It was frequent and terrifying visits from the large creatures that inhabited this area, flashing their bright lights across the sand and shouting: “Oh, look at this one! He’s huge!”

Well, he grudgingly admitted to himself, maybe he wasn’t all that scary to the big creatures. He was the one who had slammed his large front claw across the mouth of his shell, hiding, quivering in fear.

After terrifying the wits out of him for a few minutes, they left him alone again to enjoy the rest of the evening with his Hermit Crab friends. He had survived another frightful encounter, and he was getting bigger every year.

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Northwest side of Isla Mujeres

Friday, March 22, 2013

Questions, questions, questions about retiring in Mexico!

“Wow! Lucky you.” That’s the first thing that people say when we tell them that we live on Isla Mujeres, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.

And then the questions start.

“Can you own property?” Mexico makes it relatively easy for foreigners to own property. Inland, you can hold a direct title to your Mexican real estate.

Our lot, January 2007

In the restricted zones, including prized beach areas or the manufacturing zone near the USA/Mexico border, you can own real estate through a bank trust. The choice of bank is up to you.

The trust will have a renewal term of anywhere from 25 to 45 years. The bank will handle the government forms that need to be filed yearly, for a fee. The trust can be transferred or sold.

Lawrie learning to fish.

“Do you feel safe?”

Yes, we do. But, having said that, we do not live on the USA/Mexico border where there are problems on both sides of the line. We aren’t night-owls. We barely stay awake after sunset, so we aren’t involved in the late-night action.

And like any country in the world, big cities have areas that you would not venture into for any reason. The same applies to Mexican cities.

“What do you do with your time?”

What does any retired person do with their time?

We read, putter at small jobs around the house, enjoy a meal with friends or family, nap, putter some more, go for a walk, learn Spanish, do a little offshore fishing, take photographs, and write.

Road trip to Valladolid

Another favourite pastime is road trips, exploring other cities and villages.

“What do you do for medical?”

This is one of the most frequently asked questions. As Canadians living outside our country, our universal healthcare is void after an absence of six months.

Here in Mexico, we chose to pay as we go. If we need something done, we pay for it – a lot less than we would pay in either the USA or Canada. Doctors in Mexico still make house calls. Some of our friends have had stellar treatment at any one of the three first-class hospitals in Cancún with their American-trained doctors.

House calls, British-trained Dra. Shorey

Others have not had a good experience. The same can be said for any doctor in any hospital in any country. Outstanding, good, bad, or indifferent treatment, it depends. Rather than obsess about potential health issues, we just enjoy every day for what it is.

“How much are your property taxes?”

Low. But like every country, taxes vary from property to property, size of the house, waterfront versus inland, all of the usual conditions that are taken into account for property taxes.

“Do you have to leave the country every six months?”

No, not if you have an FM3, FM2, or the newer permanent resident card. If you come in with a 180-day visitor's permit, yes, you do have to leave, but you may return.

“Can I work in Mexico?”

Lots of friends to hang out with.

Sure, once you obtain the necessary permits and permissions. A number of the island's restaurants, real estate offices, and stores are owned and operated by people from other countries.

And finally:

“What do you miss the most of all?”

I miss very little except the close proximity of my immediate family. Lawrie's siblings both have winter homes on Isla.

We wish we had a better understanding of the laws, rules, and regulations. When a person grows up in a certain culture, be it Canadian, American or European, they have an innate understanding of what is expected of them. When you switch to a different culture, life can, at times, get interesting, very interesting.

We also miss conversing in a language that we are comfortable with. And before you feel the need to email us and advise us to take lessons, I am sixty-two, and Lawrie is seventy-one. Our brains seldom retain the words that we have learned. It is what it is. We try to find a new word every day that we can remember. That is a huge accomplishment in our books!

And yes, “Wow! Lucky us!”

We enjoy living in paradise with good weather, good food, and good friends.

Try it – you might like it!

Hasta Luego
Lynda and Lawrie

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Monument to Independence.

Friday, March 15, 2013

A city of contrasts – Mexico City

How can a person really get to know a city of 22 million inhabitants within three days? It can’t be done. Historically, Mexico City has always had a wealthy elite population and a large, extremely poor population. More recently, a middle class is emerging, affluent enough to shop in the many designer-label stores and drive upscale cars or fancy Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It is a diverse and fascinating city.

Fuente de Tlaloc, and ADO Turibuses

Before our visit to Mexico City, I checked the internet for itinerary ideas for a three-day stay. One website listed a minimum of twelve attractions with a recommended tour time of between two and three hours each. In three days? Never going to happen! That plan didn’t include shopping, eating, and people-watching, all necessary activities when Lawrie and I travel. We did print the list of locations to give us a starting point for investigating the metropolis.

Monument to the Revolution

We decided that once we had checked into our hotel, we would ride one of the ADO Turibus vehicles and do a quick overview of the city’s centre. The cost was 165 pesos per person, or 85 pesos with our handy-dandy Mexican resident cards. The tour buses continually circulate past twenty-five interesting locations. They operate from nine in the morning until nine at night, allowing passengers to hop on and off.

There are two easy rules for using the Turibus system: Rule #1: Don’t stand up on the open-air level, as countless low-hanging electrical wires will try to decapitate you.

Rule #2: At 9 in the evening, the buses stop operating, no matter where they are in the circular route, and the passengers must disembark. Get off. Shoo! Go away.

As it turned out, we enjoyed this method of getting around so much that we used the Turibuses two days out of the three, returning to our hotel just before the witching hour of 9 p.m. One of our first stops included the newly completed Soumaya Museum featuring the largest private collection of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin’s work.

Soumaya Museum

Owned by the Carlos Slim Foundation the museum is named after his recently deceased wife, Soumaya.

Costing more than seventy million dollars to complete in 2011, it is a stunningly beautiful cloud-shaped structure. Or perhaps it resembles a shiny, pliable cube, twisted in the middle. Either way, it’s a gorgeous building housing an impressive collection.

Olmec colossal head.

The following day, we walked a short distance from our hotel to the Museum of Anthropology located in the massive Chapultepec Park. Built in 1964, the museum houses hundreds of thousands of items depicting the many indigenous cultures that make up the complex fabric of Mexico.

My favourite exhibit was the Olmec colossal heads, dug up in the Veracruz area of Mexico. The heads date from 1500 to 400 BC. (Or BCE if you prefer). They weigh between six and fifty tons, and stand between five and eleven feet tall. Impressive!

We enjoy museums. But after two hours, my brain hurt from visual overload. We exited the museum and headed to the Turibus stop just a few feet away.

Lunch at Monte's Bistro in Condessa colonia

Our next stop put us into the stylish Condessa colonia with dozens of interesting stores and gourmet restaurants, just in time for a late lunch. We disembarked to share a leisurely meal and a tasty bottle of wine at Monte’s near the Fuente de la Cibeles.

Another beautiful fountain, in a city with thousands of fountains, this one is the exact replica of the original located in Madrid, Spain. Surrounding the park were numerous Jacaranda trees, at the peak of their blooming season as purple trumpet-shaped flowers clotted their winter-nude branches. A few stray blossoms had begun to fall, drifting towards death.

Fountain of Cibeles

At a third stop, in the historic centre of the city, we prowled past the imposing Metropolitan Cathedral, the Museum of the Great Temple and the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

The variety of architecture in the city is amazing, showcasing styles from the 16th-century Spanish colonial National Palace to the ultra-modern Soumaya Museum.

Lawrie, Time Out !!

After a few hours of gawking and taking photographs, we had to take a time-out. We sat in a café with a cold beverage, letting the humanity stream past us in a never-ending river of colour, sounds, and body shapes.

People-watching is one of our favourite pastimes. In Mexico City, the residents wear a wide range of conservative business attire. A few wear casual western jeans, checkered shirts and polished leather boots, and others are dressed in colourful traditional clothing from various Mexican states.

The range of jazzy footwear for women made me jealous; stiletto heels trimmed with bobbles, glitter or fur, in a rainbow of colours, versus my serviceable sandals.

Shoe envy!

And, then it was time to leave. Three days seemed long enough when we planned this getaway.

But it sped past quickly, and we were left with the certainty that we had missed many interesting sights in this huge and culturally diverse city.

Young photographer taking a picture of her parents

Another time. Another adventure!

Hasta Luego
Lynda and Lawrie

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