Merida has been lovely in all ways. We came, we wandered, we browsed, we bartered. The people are friendly and the Yucateca food is tasty. When we weren’t working, we explored, mostly. Up and down the old, stone streets, on the narrow sidewalks, barely enough room at times for both of us to walk side by side ...
Read MoreThis video is a recent piece for a client on Isla. A fun job with all the perks I can think of – working in the sunshine, coming up with creative ways to capture our new home on film, finding new vantage points from which to admire the Caribbean. And I’ve been noticing that our productivity is much higher when there are golf carts involved …
Read MoreWelcome to our Mexican Asian Kitchen. Spicy, colorful, zen (for the most part). We haven’t grown tired, per say, of Mexican food. We simply find ourselves a little (okay, a lot) homesick for the Asian dishes that we enjoyed regularly in Seattle. While there are very few Asian restaurants on the island (two, maybe three?), there are plenty of grocery stores. I had heard tell that Superama in Cancun had an “Asian” aisle, and so last Saturday, clutching my trusty “purse” (ziplock bag full of coins and 20 peso notes), I set out on the ferry to find out if it was true ...
Read MoreOne thing we have learned since moving to Mexico? No matter what happens, life goes on and it does so with fervor. Economies crash. Death carries loved ones away. Hurricanes bear down. And yet, here in our little neighborhood, Carlos continues to play his 80’s rock at top volume with singular devotion. The neighborhood dogs play out their impassioned daily version of West Side Story. The Mardi Gras dancers never miss a rehearsal in the evenings at the Taxista, their steps vigilantly counted out as they gyrate to Cher and Britney and Beyonce, “Uno, dos, tres, cuatro!"
Read MoreMexican people are masters of celebration. More specifically—they are experts at manifesting their joy through movement. During Dia del Muertos weekend in Merida, we experienced a heady mix of colors, sounds and tastes, punctuated by the constant sway of dancers ...
Read MoreWe were prepared, yes, for what is now known as Tropical Storm Rina. Supplies stocked, water purchased, batteries charged. But in a moment of whimsy and after watching the the once-category three tempest dwindle by the hour, we decided to leave early for Merida where, we will be working for the next several days and taking in local Day of the Dead festivities ...
Read MoreOn Tuesday morning, Janeen (who lives upstairs) came down and said, “I don’t mean to freak you guys out, but we should probably do some hurricane errands.” And so off we went, into town. Gassed up the moto, bought several reserve tanks of water, pulled money out of the bank, picked up cell phone cards, bought a robust supply of frijoles, elotes and other canned goods ...
Read MoreHaving weathered a busy few weeks, our friends, Janeen and Steve suggested that we all unwind by taking an impromptu trip to the mainland—go for swim in the jungle, a night out in a colonial town. Needless to say, we required very little persuasion … I have had a handful of singular experiences that I would qualify as “magical”. However, few are as utterly blissful as floating on my back in the middle of a cenote ...
Read MoreRecently, we were introduced to Carlos, who lives across the street. Carlos runs un reciclaje de metales, a metal recycling business. Some days, all is quiet on Carlo’s eastern stoop. Other days, he is going to town—wailing on something with a mallet or a buzz saw or some other bang-y implement. And the best part? He really likes his 80’s dance music. As in: muy, muy mucho ...
Read MoreLife comes to your door in La Gloria. Not exactly in a neat little package, but delivered, to be sure. Starting at 6:30 AM, a slow parade of vendors begins to roll by, some on bicycles, some on foot, others on motos or in trucks. They trickle off sometime after dark, but often it's late by the time they disappear completely for the night. This week, we’ve slowly been learning to differentiate between everyone’s honks, cries and whistles ...
Read MoreIt goes without saying that moving to a foreign country comes with a unique set of challenges. Foremost among them: acclimating to living full time in totally foreign surroundings, including a new language, new climate and a new culture. During our first three days in Mexico, Tor (who has not lived or traveled beyond the US and Canada) reported that he experienced waves of anxiety that varied in intensity and duration ...
Read MoreWe are here! It’s been quite a journey, but we have arrived in Mexico. As for our landing en paraiso, in paradise? It’s hard to sum up briefly, but I’ll do my best ...
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