We’re signing off - with heartfelt thanks to everyone.

Us - a long time ago, 1980!    

It is time for us to take a break.

Our weekly blog Notes From Paradise started as an email sent in June 2009 to twelve members of our immediate families.   

Over the next two years, the list of followers grew to 500, and then in September of 2011 we switched over to an internet blog page. 

We have had almost 630,000 page views, since 2011.  About a year ago we changed the name to Notes From Isla Mujeres Mexico, to make it easier for new readers to find us.

Hacienda Mundaca Park

We’ve written blog posts highlighting the island’s intriguing history and the enchanting Mexican culture. 

We’ve introduced ourselves to many of the old-time islanders to listen to and to recount their fascinating stories. 

We've traveled to several cities in Mexico and written about their history, culture, and attractions. 

Izamal near Merida 

We've described the lavish and laughter-filled quinceaños, weddings, and the baby's first birthday-baptism parties.

We’ve narrated some of our more memorable experiences like watching the chaotic Carnaval parades, or trying to stay awake for the New Year’s Eve bash in Centro only to be outlasted by the three-year-olds. 

We have written several times about being Mickey and Minnie Mouse in both the annual Christmas Golf Cart parade and the Day of the Kings festivities. Putting happy grins on the kid’s faces is the best reward.

Mickey, Minnie, and Sparky 

We've bragged about Isla’s sugar-white beaches and the endless sun and then grumbled about tropical storms and hurricanes. 

We’ve written about swimming with whale sharks, the sea turtles nesting on our beach, helping friends rescue a trapped mama turtle, the roaming crocodile, and our lounge of lizards lounging in our backyard. 

(Apparently, a group of iguanas hanging out is called a lounge of lizards. I love that expression!)

We have promoted many of Isla’s hardworking charity groups, such as Isla Animals, HALO (Helping Animals Living Overseas, Isla Has Talent, the diabetes clinic, the free dental clinic, Helmets for Kids, Ruben’s Kids, Plogging for Isla – exercise and trash pickup – and many more.

If we liked a new business or restaurant we happily gave them a free ‘plug’ in the blog. Neither one of us ever asked for anything – no discounts, no freebies, nothing. We enjoy the successes of our fellow islanders.

We were told several times that we should ‘monetize’ our blog and make some cash off of the advertisements, but quite honestly we couldn’t be bothered with writing articles that pleased our advertisers. 

We wrote what interested us. We did however try Goggle Ads, and are happy to report that in total we made about $109.00 in revenue!  Woo-hoo! Impressive!

 The Adventures of Thomas the Cat

The discipline of writing a weekly article has given me (Lynda) the confidence to self-publish four books. My first book was a bilingual book for children, The Adventures of Thomas the Cat, followed by the three Isla Mujeres Mystery series, Treasure Isla, Trouble Isla and Tormenta Isla. Book #4 Temptation Isla will hopefully be launched late in 2018.

And we’ve tormented our family and friends with being included, photos and all, in many of our weekly ramblings. We have had hundreds of people tell us they really enjoyed reading our weekly articles, but we are signing off with this post.

We would like to thank our families, friends, and faithful readers for your support for the last nine years.

Thank you all!

Cheers from Paradise

Lawrie, Lynda and Sparky

~

Is Living in Paradise Expensive?

Morning in paradise

As expats who moved to Isla Mujeres a few years ago, we were definitely not prepared or well informed on what to expect with regards to the cost of living in Mexico.  All that we had heard was that electricity was very expensive.

Okay, we could deal with that by building our home using energy efficient methods, but we really needed a few comforts such as air conditioning, an ice-maker, wine fridge …. you get the idea. 

We budgeted our money and figured out approximately how much longer we were going to be around, then tried to live well and die broke! (Sorry kids.)

Typical monthly water bill, in pesos

A few of our anticipated expenses fooled us: the cost of our property taxes is $66.00 dollars a year, electricity averages around $75.00 dollars a month, water and sewer about $9.00 per month, wine and beer …. let's just say a whole lot less than Canada.

We have also discovered the Mexican seniors' card, available to residents over the age of sixty. There are discounts galore for movies, museums, parks, buses, and some air travel. Heck, even the passenger fares on the ferries are half price. Health care is also available and the cost per year is an affordable $400.00 dollars for the most expensive category: very old.

2012 delivery of a new refrigerator

On the other hand the ongoing maintenance of our home is more expensive.  It's best if you are a little handy and can do the small repairs yourself. Everything metal or electronic takes a beating from the salt in the air.  

As you may know from previous blog posts we have had to purchase, in the last seven years, three refrigerators, two dishwashers, and countless microwaves.  It's the cost of living on the Caribbean coast.

Neighbourhood day at the movies - VIP Cancun

For entertainment besides frequenting our favourite bar, the Soggy Peso, we can go to Cancun to see first run movies (in English) at the VIP theatre for about $8.00 dollars. The VIP has waiters who will bring you food and drinks, even sushi to your individual Lazyboy recliner. It's a great way to feel totally spoiled.

So after living here for a bit our budgeting went out the window. We have decided we can live to a ripe old age, have lots of fun, and maybe, just maybe have some left over at the end. 

Sunset - March 2015

The bonus is we live in a very healthy environment. Our stress is way down. The food is fresh and tasty. And best of all the humidity seems to make wrinkles disappear.

Yup, it's working for us. Great country, great people, great fun.

Que tengan lindo día

Lawrie and Lynda

Today was Lawrie's turn to write!

You can find us on the web at:

Humerous stories about critters we have known:

http://animalsandfamilymembers.blogspot.mx/

AND

The Adventures of Thomas the Cat: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Adventures-of-Thomas-the-Cat-Las-Aventuras-de-Tomás-el-Gato

You know you’ve picked the right place 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 Trip Advisor 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 - 7 kms by 1 km

As most of you know, Isla Mujeres is a very small, 7 kilometers by 1 kilometer, island situated just 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 the locals are finding reeling in tourists far more profitable than fishing.  Tourism is increasing, more people traveling.  Fishing is decreasing, due to less 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 ex-pat in a foreign country easier are electronic readers that enable us to download the most recent new 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.

Combo mini market and restaurante near Salinas 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 in to 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

Hernando’s Frightful Encounter - updated 2021

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 shell in 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, and 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 spiraled 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 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 re-joined 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 choose 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 and 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 also 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 marked shells with nailpolish

Some evenings Hernando roamed a large area, traveling a very long distance in search of food.  And one time he traveled 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 really 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 still getting bigger every year. 

~

Love, lust, and loot on a tropical island of the coast of Mexico! 

Entertaining reads for the beach, your lakeside cottage, 

or cabin in the woods.

Available as e-books or paperback on Amazon. Grab your copy today!

Questions, questions, questions

Paradise - Isla Mujeres QR 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?”  Actually, Mexico makes it relatively easy for foreigners to own property.  Inland, you can hold a direct title to your Mexican real estate.  

2007 Paperwork done!  The lot is ours.

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 twenty-five to forty-five years.  The bank will handle the government forms that need to be filed yearly, for a fee of course.  The trust can be transferred or sold.  

Do a little off-shore fishin'

“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 for 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 for any reason.  The same applies to Mexican cities. 

Searching for pirate treasure with family members.

“What do you do with your time?”  Ah, well, 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 a bit of Spanish, do a little off-shore fishin’, take photographs, and write two blogs.  

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

X-Rays for the Knee-Doc, he fixed my knee

“What do you do for medical?”  This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions.  As Canadian 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.   Some of our friends have had stellar treatment at any one of the three first-class hospitals in Cancún with their American-trained doctors.  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 under a one hundred-and-eighty-day visitors permit, yes you do have to leave, but you may return again.

“Can I work in Mexico?” Sure, once you obtain the necessary permits and permissions.  A number of the island restaurants, real estate offices, and stores are owned and operated by people from other countries.  


And finally:

Lots of good friends and family members on this island

“What do you miss the most of all?”  I miss very little except the close proximity of my immediate family.   I do, however, wish we had a better comprehension of the laws, rules, and regulations.  When a person grows up in a certain culture be it Canadian, American or European you have an innate understanding of what expected of you.  When you switch to a different culture, life can, at times, get interesting, very interesting. 


I also miss conversing in a language that I am comfortable with.  And before you feel the need to email me and advise me to take lessons – I am sixty-two, 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!

Enjoy every day!  

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

A city of contrasts – Mexico City

Monument to Independence

How can a person really get to know a city of 22 million inhabitants within a three-day span?  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 - with 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 take into account shopping, eating, and people-watching, all very 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 $165.00 pesos per person, or $85.00 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 frequently 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 nine 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 we used the Turibuses two days out of the three, returning to our hotel just before the witching hour of nine at night. 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!  

I must confess.  I enjoy museums – a lot.  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 16^th century Spanish colonial National Palace, to the ultra-modern Soumaya Museum.  

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 the various segments of the country.  

The range of jazzy footwear for the women made me jealous; stiletto heels trimmed with babbles, 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 picture of her parents

Another time.  Another adventure.



Hasta Luego          
Lynda and Lawrie
                     

The Secret Life of a Carnaval Costume

Dazzling headdresses and smiles

The late afternoon sun reflects on the tall sparkly headdresses glistening on the sequins, jewels, and pearls.  The smiles of the women are just as dazzling as they dance along rue Medina in time to the pounding salsa beat.  

It is carnaval time in Mexico!  The dance troupes wear astoundingly beautiful costumes – a new theme every year means new costumes.  This year the theme was Mágica Tradicion featuring oceans and sea creatures. 

Orange and pink and purple 2012

Every year we are astounded by the variety of the designs and the creativity.  So, I asked two of my very bilingual island friends: “How much does the average costume cost?  How long to make them?  What happens after carnaval?”  

Since both of the people that I asked were men – they had to check with their female family members for the real answers. According to the ladies, the cost usually runs around 1500 to 2500 pesos per costume, depending on the intricacy of the design and materials required.  They take a few days to weeks to construct, and are handmade by several extremely talented women on Isla working out of their homes.  Planning for the next year starts very soon after the current event has finished.

Starfish princessa 2013

This year my favourite group included petite starfish princesses and little octopi princes, their older counterparts dressed as fanciful mermaids or mermen.  

Other groups are outfitted as lobsters, clams, sea anemones, seaweed, coral, waves, or dolphins. The colours range from pale green and coral pink, to vibrant blues mixed with sunflower yellows and deep purples.  

One troupe of ladies was dressed in black, blue, and silver with wide brimmed hats that flounced in time to the salsa beat. 

Enjoying the parade 2013

I snapped photographs of several groups during the five-day event only to discover that there were many others that I missed entirely.  How does that happen?  

Well, the parades are never quite organized - invariably starting hours later than advertised and participation of the dance troupes appears to be discretionary, not mandatory.  Occasionally a float or decorated truck breaks down leaving the entire group stranded – unable to join in the fun.  It’s an organizers’ nightmare; like trying to line-up a group of cats.

With three parades the mix of groups changed daily.  Some of the dance troupes were in all three parades, others only appeared in one and other groups never managed to participate in any parade choosing instead to do impromptu dances in various neighbourhood locations on the island.  No matter.  As long as everyone had a good time, that’s all that counts.

The lobster-ladies 2013

And when the five-day celebration ends with the beginning of the forty days of Lent, what happens to the beautiful carnaval costumes?

According to my two sources of information – they are basura, garbage.  Some are stored for a few months in boxes, others are thrown out.  Occasionally the owner will wear it to another costume party before throwing it away.  So that prompted random thoughts of a costume rental company, or a costume museum where one of each design could be displayed for the admiration of others.  

Or another middle of the night musing included the creation of a costume hand-me-down system between the larger cities and smaller communities.  Mexico City to could give their elaborate costumes to Cancún, and Cancún could pass along theirs to Isla Mujeres for instance.  

Friends 2012 parade

Then reality set it. 

On average there are about ten dance groups that participate in the Isla Mujeres carnaval each year, with a wide variety of costume designs.  So, for either the museum idea or the costume rental plan that would mean dozens of pieces that would need to be cleaned, preserved, and protected from a humid, salty climate.  A climate that would rust, tarnish or rot the elaborate outfits in a very short time. 

Plus these beautiful works of art are not one-size-fits-all; they are custom made for the individual owner so a swap or trade system would be difficult to facilitate.  I could just imagine the havoc that idea would cause as people of various heights and sizes tried on costumes in an attempt to find one that would fit.  It just wouldn’t work.

Heading to the parade 2012

Ah well, digital photos will have to help keep the creativity of the seamstresses alive.  We look forward to next year’s artistic expressions.  The colour, the music, and the flashing smiles.

Hasta Luego          
Lynda and Lawrie