Whether your dream is to live a in breathtaking colonial home with tropical gardens, to finally have that place on the beach watching the tides ebb and flow, or a historical hacienda with land for horses, cattle and crops, the Yucatan is likely to be the place for you!
The Yucatan is full of the gentle Mayan culture, here men stand up when a woman enters the room, still open car doors for her and assist her up steep curbs. It is a land full of art, mayan ruins, underground rivers and cenotes, tropical foliage and pink flamingos.
The reports of violence in Mexico heard on the US and Canadian news is not part of the life here in the Yucatan. The local people are shocked and appalled by it. This is a state where you can walk safely down the street in the dark of night and still feel secure. You can attend the symphony, art festivals or enjoy late night dining with no fears.
Take a look at the map below; look how far Merida is from the unfortunate cities of Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez and Matamoras. Even Cancun with it's shimmering turquoise waters in 4 hours from us.
Not really sure about where the beach towns are? Once you find Merida on the map above, here is a smaller version showing the most popular beach towns below.
Here the local people are polite and smiling, the local beauty is seductive and the cost of living is amazingly low compared to many beach front towns and cosmopolitan cities in the world. Fresh exotic fruits are picked fresh all year, local seafood can be bought fresh from the boats and don't hesitate to try the Yucatecan specialities, panuchos, salbutes, queso relleno and more. Learn to slow down and enjoy life's' precious minutes. Don't expect things to be done in the same timely manner as north of the border, this is Mexico, savor it!A local fruit from a cactus this is called "tuna" isn't it beautiful?
Here at the beach we watch dolphins, flamingos and pelicans. This year has been amazing with so many butterflies that it seems they are yellow clouds. I never seem to have my camera or phone with me to catch shots of anything these days except for the pelicans.
A short ride of 4 hours and you can take a weekend break in the Caribbean!
Cenotes seem to be everywhere that you go, from small ones like this to large ones that many people can swim in at the same time.
Sunrises on the virgin beaches here are quiet and tranquil.
And every evening the sunset provides a unique experience.
Your dogs can still play on the beaches and take walks with you, unlike many other beaches in the world.
Mexico also is the closest retirement haven to the US and Canada, this was very important to me, I needed to know if there were a family emergency that I could be on a plane and back home in less than a day. There is an international airport in Merida (MID) and one in Cancun (CUN).Many people are worried about living here legally, believe me it is easier to get a resident visa here than most other countries. I lived in Belize and trying to live there legally was a nightmare! Here you fill out a form on line, print out copies of a few things, have your picture taken, go to the local immigration office where they speak English and you are good to go! You can sign up for local health insurance called IMSS for about $300 USD a year.
I will be writing more about visa's, healthcare, senior discounts and more in my next blog so stay tuned! Until then check out our homes for sale and let me know if you have any questions about the customs here, the area, cost of living or anything else!
For now I'm just "Chillin in Chelem."
