SHOPPING IN PROGRESO

Every few days we head over to Progreso to check out the sights, go to the local fruit and vegetable market and just look at the treasures in general. I love going to the market and buying flowers for the house. I can usually pick up a great bouquet for about $5 US. I love seeing the exotic Bird of Paradise flowers, Ginger blossoms and more mixed in with the more conventional Sun Flowers and Lilies.

This week I didn't buy any flowers, I was on a mission to purchase a new mirror for our downstairs bathroom. We are finally getting around to redoing it after living in our current home for nearly a year. Still, I couldn't help but wander around the market a bit.

Check out this beautiful flowers:





The craft items are just wonderful at the market too!

And then there is all of the fresh fruits and veggies, works of art themselves.




Once we finished strolling through the market it was time to get serious about finding the perfect bathroom mirror, we thought we would visit a few of the local gift shops.

Many cool things
Pocketbooks anybody? But no mirrors that matched what I had in mind,

While many parts of the US and Canada are covered in snow, this is what it looks like here at the beach today! A little breezy and about 80 degrees...
I love this guy with his horse and cart. He travels around the Progreso area and sells bags of dirt for your garden.
Progreso beach
However as great as the day is, still no mirror, so off to Merida......... There is a guy that sets up alongside the road and sells beautiful Talavera pottery and home accessories, maybe he will have exactly what I'm looking for,

Many beautiful and tempting things here, but still not what I have my mind set on...


We left the shop and I had a brainstorm, how about Pier One? I have always loved that store and thought they may have something that is just perfect for my bathroom. Pier One is located inside Sears at the Grand Plaza Mall. Got there and found a great mirror! Of course there was no price as is a common practice here. It was made of shells and oval, a little smaller than what I had in mind but just gorgeous! Unfortunately, Pier One was very proud of this masterpiece, about $250. Many things are cheaper here, but when it comes to imported items, you had better sit down when you hear the prices!

Doug and I decided that we could make our own mirror, we already had the one in the bathroom that I didn't like, all I need to do is go pickup some more shells. Soooooo, off I go, heading to the beach with a bucket, pictures to follow soon!

In the meantime, don't forget to checkout our real estate website, find the home of your dreams and live the easy life here in sunny Mexico!

Chillin' in Chelem

WEATHER IN CHELEM

As I am watching the weather back in the states and chatting with clients, I am counting my blessings that I am here in Chelem and not back home! Just in case some of you need some motivation to "come on down," here are a few pictures of plants in my yard today. As I am writing this it is 80 degrees sitting on my terrace with a nice balmy breeze off the Gulf blowing.


I have fallen in love with Bougainvilleas, they seem to thrive here on not much more than neglect, here is one I bought recently to have outside my living room window


Here is another plant that seems to do well, a Hawaiian Ti plant



And of course, who doesn't love Hibiscus plants, easy to care for and the little hummers love them
This is a succulent, I believe it is a Kalanchoe

Another Hibiscus
And more of my current favorites, Bougainvillea

And one in another color

This little guy is an Avocado tree that I grew from seed

Grape tomatoes, once again grown from the seeds of some that I bought in Costco

This is in my neighbors yard, I don't know what it is, if anyone does, please tell me! It is a beautiful tree that has striped leaves most of the year, than starts dropping them in January. After that the most amazing orange flowers open. Every morning, bright and early this tree is filled with little yellow birds, Orioles, Hummingbirds and of course, Grackles
Doug's bar in the backyard, underneath a Dwarf Coconut Palm

Then a few steps towards the beach and this is what it looks like here today


I must say, I don't miss the cold at all! Time to buy your tickets, pack your bags and follow your heart, come and live in the sunny south! Make sure that you checkout our Mayan Living webpage and look at all of our great properties! Lots of new ones, check them out today!

Until next time, we're Chillin' in Chelem!

While the rest of the world is talking about how unsafe it is in Mexico those of us living here continue on as normal, no fear, no more precautions than back in the US. Yes, there are problems here, name me a country without any........... As I just read on another blog, it would be the same as telling people not to shop at a grocery store because one bad piece of fruit must surely mean that all the other stock is spoiled too!

So despite being scared to death LOL, 8 of us ventured into Merida the other night for dinner and to spend the night. We went to Trotters, absolutely one of our favorite places. Here is a picture of the inside dining area:

The bar which offers 2 for 1 drinks from 6pm to 9 pm. Now THATS scarey!

The kitchen area


And yet another shot:Sean enjoying some delicious oysters rockefeller, the were sooo good, we ordered 2 dozen.

Jack thought they were pretty good too!

The table got really quiet as we were all eating.


We also had filet mignon, penne pasta with chicken, mac and cheese, broccoli and cheese and much more. Adult beverages included mojitos, bottles of wine, Johnny Walker and beer. Now you know why we were too scared to drive back to the beach!

There are 4 restaurants all owened by the same family, Trotters, Bryans, La Trato and Panchos. When you visit Merida, you really need to visit one of these places. Divine food!

And now the final thing I am afraid of........coconuts falling off the palm trees in my front yard!

Balmy breezes and cold drinks coming at you from Chelem!

What in the world does an expat do for the holidays in Mexico?

When I first left my home country it was December. As I started on my new adventure, I made sure that I had one final Christmas at home. I mean who knows what Christmas would be like in Mexico? Would I have friends, dinners, traditions? Would this be the best thing or the worst thing that I had ever done?

As a co-owner of Mayan Living Real Estate SA de CV I realized that others may have the same concerns. Therefore I am going to try to recap my holiday season with you, let you get a glimpse of what living here on the beach of the Yucatan is like.

As a December baby, my season really started with my birthday, but I won't bore you with all of that.....

On December 23rd was the culmination of the Chelem Christmas Toy Drive. This is an annual event started a while back with Rick and Star. The two of them along with many other generous expats make sure that every child in our town, Chelem, have at least one gift for Christmas. This takes place in our town square:

Santa and Star

The children and their parents thronged Centro


After a few hours of gift giving, it's time for a beer!
The next day, Christmas Eve, Doug and I headed into Merida for a special night at a great hotel called Casa San Angel, that our friends, Rhonda and Sophia had recommended. It was absolutely gorgeous!

Check out the beautiful painted walls:






Aren't these sinks just sooooo cool?
Next a little shopping downtown:

I love the beautiful churches in Merida

Look at this great Colonial!
Christmas decorations by our hotel


Next day, back to the beach to have an early Christmas with our Mexican family. Yomara loved her new teddy bear, it's bigger than she is!
Now, off to our traditional Christmas Dinner with Sean and Susan!

Susan aka Martha, always sets such a beautiful table!

Steve, Ruth and Doug
Chef Sean
The gangs all here!
A few days of rest and then on the 30th, Steve and Ruth have us all over for a BBQ, unfortunately I forgot my camera, you will just have to picture it in your mind, beautiful backyard, pool, great food and of course wonderful people!

Sunrise morning of the 31st from my bedroom window:

Now, another party is getting ready to start!


Sean and Rhonette
What a great family picture! Our new partners Chad, Rhonette and Andrew.

Jack, Doug and Chad, starting the evening off!

Mary, Andrew, Susan and Chad. Look how nice and warm it is here! New Years Eve and we are all in short sleeves gathered around the pool and palm trees.

Jeff, Barbara and Mary
Time for the Christmas decorations to come down. The house always looks so plain afterwards!

And today, just another day in paradise!

So, if you think that holidays might be difficult for you here, it is all in what you make it! Of course I still miss my boys and wish they were here. However with the state of the economy in the US, they weren't able to take off. Thank goodness I have a great support system and family here in Yucatan, Mexico! For those of you that are hesitant, don't miss out on this great adventure, we only live once!

Happy Holidays to all!

Chillin' in Chelem!