Pic: Me in my happy place. Got everything — sun, water, wine, … what more can you ask for?
Things have been quiet the last few months, although not uneventful.
Winter here is literally “a breath of fresh air.” January, February and March were truly lovely! The weather was warm during the day and cool at night, making sleeping with the windows open such a pleasure. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long enough! For example, while it is only March, the temps here have reached the mid- to high- 90s! Thats’ 35 to 37 degrees Celsius. Hot, hot, hot! Today, in fact, I was able to take a swim in the pool before breakfast. It was very refreshing!
The nights are cooler, but not enough to sleep without the AC on. But that’s ok! Our electric bill for the last four months has averaged $2 per month. Not bad! So glad we invested in the solar panels!
We did have a couple of weeks when work was way too sparse, but things have picked up. Just this week I went from seven hours of classes per week to 14 hours. That’s quite the jump. I did give up several of my students earlier in the year, which contributed to the downturn. However, you know what they say — when God closes a door, he opens a window. And so it goes! Now I have a full schedule. Let’s just hope the students actually come to class!
I love when friends come to visit!
In early March, my friend Karen and her two daughters, Jess and Sarah, came to Mexico for spring break. I was able to use my timeshare to get us a nice place in Playa del Carmen for five days for a “girls-only” vacay. Karen’s idea of vacation is to lie on the beach and read, which is exactly what we did the entire time! I read three novels in the space of a week — a first for me in many years!
Of course, we also indulged in happy hour (that started at 11 a.m. and lasted til 2 p.m.) 2-for-1 cocktails. There is something about drinking frozen drinks while floating around the pool that is just, so, well, magical! We hung out at the beach and pool until around 5 each day and ended them with a nice meal in one of the many restaurants at the resort. Needless to say, we never left the property! Everything was there — shopping, dining, drinking, activities, beach, pool, etc.
I did attempt to get into the Caribbean, but, alas, that attempt resulted in another broken toe! The shore in Playa is quite rocky, so when a wave knocked me over, I hit my foot on a rock and, wham! Grrrr. I’ve broken my toes now four times in the last three years!
Another real treat during our vacation was the wildlife. We were staying at a resort that was truly “in the jungle” and the wildlife was amazing. One night, about 15 coati showed up to graze under our balcony. Above them in the trees were these amazing birds with luminescent blue and yellow bellies. It was an amazing site to be surrounded by so much natural beauty.
Of course, there were also flamingoes and iguanas and crocodiles (in enclosures, for sure). In fact, one of the guest pools that sat next to a lagoon had several enormous iguanas that hung out right along the edge of the pool. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my phone handy to take a pic (I was in the water!). But I did get a nice close up of another one near the flamingo enclosure.
Another fun aspect of the trip for me was taking the bus from Merida to Playa del Carmen. It was so inexpensive and the buses here are so much nicer than most airplanes. Lots of leg room, individual video screens, electrical and USB outlets, and drinks provided.
If you drive to Playa, there are numerous tolls to pay and it takes about 1.5 tanks of gas. Between the two, you spend more driving than taking the bus, so unless you are going with other people, the bus makes more sense. And, the real bene?… you don’t have to drive! It is a 4.5 hour trip.
Of course now there is the Tren Maya, but it isn’t really totally functional yet. I will definitely be checking that out, though.
Kimbilá
Just last weekend, I went with my friends “the Brendas” — a mother-daughter duo and good friends to me — to Kimbilá. It is a small town about 1.5 hours from Merida near Izamal. Izamal is known for its bright yellow architecture and Mayan culture. Kimbilá is known for its traditional clothing manufacturing.
Brenda Alicia (the mom) wanted to go to buy a guayabera as a gift for someone she was planning to visit. I went along with the intention of not buying anything (oh my), but you know how that goes! The prices were incredible! I ended up buying Lyn a lavender guayabera (a traditional shirt) and myself a beautiful cream colored dress with the traditional flower embroidery. I wear a lot more dresses down here. They are just more comfortable with the heat and humidity. Both the shirt and the dress are linen. Sometimes, they are made with a linen blend, but the linen ones hold up better and are more comfortable for this climate.
Of course our adventure didn’t stop there! We had planned to go to Izamal for lunch, but the car had other plans. It decided not to start! We also called a local mechanic, but after 30 minutes, we decided to take matters into our own hands and asked just about everyone that passed by if they had jumper cables. Eventually we found someone who could help us.
It was decided that it was too risky to go to Izamal for lunch, as we would have to stop again and we couldn’t be sure the car would restart. As a result, we headed straight back to Merida and the Autozone, where the Brendas purchased a new battery. Lunch was at Boston Pizza in nearby Altabrisa, which is always a treat. They have an amazing pulled pork BBQ sandwich that stands up to just about any I ever had living in Virginia. And, the margaritas are cold and tasty. A great end to a fun day.
And now…
Well, that brings us up-to-date. We don’t have anything planned in the next several weeks except work, but I will be sure to let you know if anything changes.
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