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Mexico How-To

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We Wish Someone Had Told Us (Part 1)

We wish someone had told us to make sure, before moving to Yucatan, to have our plans for a car sorted out before arriving. If you are contemplating a move, it is absolutely critical that you either:

Drive your own car down from the States, or
Arrive with enough cash on hand ($10k or so should do [...]

17Jun2010 | Malcolm | 4 comments | Continued
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Caveat Empty or Let The Buyer Be Where?

In case we haven’t mentioned it lately, our house is friggin’ awesome. That’s why we named it Casa de Awesome, duh. Maybe it’s snowing where you live but here it’s a lovely 77 degrees with a light breeze, lots of bright sunshine and a true blue sky. Our living room windows and sliding glass doors [...]

24Mar2010 | Jillian | 0 comments | Continued
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My Sweet Dog, The Town Slut

It isn’t her fault. But it isn’t really ours either. We brought Olivia to be spayed when she was a puppy. And yet she is currently in heat. Again. It is the fault of one woman alone. Carmen is a terrible veterinarian. She should not be allowed to practice pet medicine. She is a danger [...]

17Mar2010 | Jillian | 2 comments | Continued
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Reviewed: Hotel Ibis in Merida

Having stayed in our share of small Mexican hotels that are trying to copy the larger chains, usually with limited success, we had been regarding the newly-opened Ibis Hotel with a bit of a raised eyebrow. An overnight in “the big city” is not uncommon for us; we book a hotel room at the drop [...]

26Feb2010 | Malcolm | 2 comments | Continued
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Loading Up the New Living Room

In this post, which I estimate will interest approximately four of our regular readers, one of whom will be my mom, I wanted to take a moment to show off how the living room is shaping up, now that we are loading it up with furniture.
The fact is, shopping for furniture here is TOUGH. We [...]

11Mar2009 | Malcolm | 20 comments | Continued
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The Fussy Bus

On the unlovely busride to Playa Malcolm and I were joking that there should be a cross peninsula service for overgrown babies that offered sleeping draughts and Lazy-Boy recliners. Little did we know it already exists and once again becoming fluke millionaires slips through our fingers. On the way back over to Merida I inquired [...]

19Nov2008 | Jillian | 3 comments | Continued
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All By Myself (dont want to be)…

Alone in Mexico. All alone. Sadly, tragically and temporarily alone. Except for all the people and the 5 dogs I am hopelessly, existentially, maudlinly alone. Except for this beer swilling American on my left and that little guy reading The Bali Post to my right I am shipwrecked, abandoned, solo and sad. I used to love [...]

23Jul2008 | Jillian | 3 comments | Continued
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This Week´s Big Idea

I´ll never get around to implementing all my brilliant ideas so here´s one that´s up for grabs. Consider it my gift to you.
What: a 1950s American kitch style soda fountain, serving milk shakes and patty melts, etc. It will appeal to expatting baby boomers as well as locals. Keep the menu simple and make the theme the [...]

18Jul2008 | Jillian | 0 comments | Continued
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Positive! Positive Positive Positive!

I have a tendency to forget. Why I wanted a break from the States and why being here was at first so enthralling. There are things I really love and appreciate about living in Mexico. Lets see if I can name a few…
As mentioned in a previous post, I cherish the personal freedom to treat myself [...]

18Jul2008 | Jillian | 2 comments | Continued
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Veil Dropping In Merida

My first attempt at belly dancing class – in which, I chucked a U-ie on the Circuito Colonias where, apparently a U-ie ought not be chucked, and subsequently talked myself out of a ticket and ergo was escorted with lights flashing to a dance studio in the neighborhood of, but not precisely where class was being held – [...]

18Jul2008 | Jillian | 0 comments | Continued
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That Must Not Mean What I Think It Means

Mari couldn’t come to the house today because of a scheduling conflict: there is a junta at Marieli’s school that she was expected to attend.
Unless the Progreso mothers are planning a violent overthrow of Candelaria elementary, that word must have a slightly less camouflaged coup d’etat meaning than I had previously thought.

29May2008 | Jillian | 2 comments | Continued
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What You Get For…$50.00 Pesos

1 banana
1 cantaloupe
1 mamey
1 pineapple
2 mangoes
7 ciruelas (tiny plums)
8 limes
1 coco, bien fria, with straw
Everything but the sipping coconut came from the Progreso mercado. The Ciruelas pictured are sweet and amazing but others I sampled, with yellow skin, were more sour and hard. Mamey is an acquired taste, to mine like cream pie and Jergen’s [...]

9May2008 | Jillian | 1 comment | Continued
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