Life in Mexico: Still can't believe this dream is home!

Hi guys!! Sorry for missing a week, a LOT has been happening!! Prepare to catch up :)

Adventures in the last two weeks: 1. Food-borne illness 2. Exploring the mall 3. Acquainting ourselves with Plazuela Machado 4. Buying a house (Oh, and Thanksgiving happened somewhere in all of that, too!)

---

FOOD-BORNE ILLNESS:

Mom and I are both very adventurous eaters. I know that’s not for everyone, but we are. The good news is we discover hidden gems of deliciousness; the bad news is sometimes it doesn’t work out as planned. We’re not really sure what we ate that compromised us, but MAN it was bad. We were out of commission for several days with fever and intestinal upset. We ate crackers, jello, and electrolyte water. The great news is jello and electrolyte water here are DELICIOUS! All of the artificial flavors here taste really close to the real thing. We’ve never had more vibrant and tasty sick food! Also, yellow jello here is pineapple - yum! Anyway, we are back to exploring the gastronomic landscape of Mazatlan. We will not be deterred! :) Also, yes, I spared you pictures of this time in our lives...

---

EXPLORING THE MALL:

We went to the mall to see what that was like. You pay to park (12 pesos/hour) in the massive lot. It has your typical stores like Abercrombie, MAC, H&M, etc., but there were other stores I was unfamiliar with as well. They were starting to decorate for Christmas, which I am dying to see how decked out Mazatlan gets for Navidad. I know I’ve mentioned that they don’t play when it comes to wearing masks so I had to snap a pic with the mannequins in their dresses with an attached face mask paired specifically for that outfit.

---

EXPLORING PLAZA MACHADO:

We are exploring the southern areas of Mazatlan before we move to the northern part. The number one place every person must go to is the Plaza Machado. Let me tell you it does not disappoint. From the gorgeous architecture to the fine dining, it’s amazing. I could not stop taking pictures!

---

WE'RE BUYING A HOUSE!!

We LOVE it! Fingers crossed everything goes according to plan (and that the dollar stops dropping in value)! What we have discovered is that is takes longer to close on properties here. Not because it is that much different or more difficult, it's just that everything is less hurried and more relaxed here.

Mom and I decided that we did not want to be in a condo. After having lived in a condo for over a decade and renting a condo here, we agreed that we were ready to have a house. No more noise from neighbors dropping stuff on their floor above us or construction next to us. No more damaged communal property or pets peeing/pooping in the landscaping despite signs saying to simply walk to the pet area. No more COVID elevator buttons. We had other considerations, too. We had to make sure that it wasn't noisy, that mom would not have to use stairs so there had to be outdoor living space and a bedroom on the first floor (to name a couple).

We went with our realtor to soooo many different properties all over Mazatlan. There are 6 major areas of Mazatlan:

1. Playa Sur: Is the most southern section where all of the cruise ships dock. It is an older area and it is a bit worn down as a result.

2. Historico Centro: Is in the southern part and is the historic center of Mazatlan. Also and older area. While much of it is run down, it is being gentrified. The places where you would want to live will be expensive. Affordable areas are pre-gentrified. There is a healthy mix of both Mexicans and expats in this area. It can be very loud!

3. Golden Zone/Sabalo Country: In the middle of Mazatlan, it is a big expat and tourist area. It is bustling area and fairly quiet. There is a lot of development occurring here. Very fun place to live, but it is also expensive. You can get more bang for your buck a little further out.

4. The Marina: I haven't spent much time here as there isn't much of interest for us. It is also in the middle of Mazatlan and is a big expat area. I only really saw condos available in this area.

5. Cerritos: On the Northern side of Mazatlan, it is the newest area of Mazatlan, which means the roads are really nice. It is not overpopulated yet so it is still super quiet, but it is farther from life. It is about 15 minutes from the Golden Zone and 30 minutes from Centro. That said, it has the best beaches and they are often people-free.

6. Valle de Real: Inland from the coast and where you will find a thriving Mexican community. All sorts of stores and restaurants are within walking distance.

After looking at places all over Mazatlan, we really liked the Cerritos and Valle de Real areas. One house just took our breath away, though! They are selling it completely furnished; the realtor said all we have to do is move in our clothes, which is all we have so that is PERFECT!

It is in Cerritos, is a 10 minute walk or 5 minute drive to the beach. It is double gated: the first gate has a security guard and the second gate is controlled access with a FOB. It was built 2 years ago, has 3 bedrooms (yay for visitors!), 4 bathrooms, a gorgeous first floor patio, and is 10 steps to the pool. The house is freestanding and actually has a little green pathway to the right of it! Okay, enough words - PICS!!

Just this morning Mom and I were driving and she said, "I can't believe we live here now!" Sometimes it still is beyond our comprehension that this is our new life. The way of life here is so different from the U.S. The entire focus is on family, on living life, on enjoying now. Economically, Mexico is definitely in a different place, people work extremely hard for very little, but that is not where they place value and they are genuinely, wholly happy. You know that insincere artifice that we encounter on a daily basis in the States? We haven't encountered that a single day we have been in Mexico, whether it was in Sonora or Sinaloa. The joy is real, the reception genuine, and they will welcome you with open arms as if you were one of their own.

Today, the security guards (Ramon and Gonzalo) texted me to let me know they washed my car. It was in serious need of a wash and I was investigating car wash places, but have been procrastinating. I realized how bad it was last night when I had to roll down my side windows to make a left because they were too dusty to see through and decided to make it a "to-do" today. They beat me to it! I was still in bed when I got the text. They did not ask for nor expect anything in return, they just love me and Mom, and want to make sure we stay safe. They have made us a part of their family. I lived 13 years in Dilworth, knew only a handful of neighbors, and (with rare exception) the most we did for each other was buzz each other up if we lost our keys.

We have so much to learn from these wonderful people. We are learning to relax, be mindful of now, be grateful for what we have and who we have in our lives, and enjoy our time with those whom we love. Every second is a blessing. Today's meditation from Boho Beautiful spoke to exactly this with the beautiful mantra, "My life is filled with blessings and I am grateful." The lesson is that we need to allow ourselves to see the wonderful things in our lives and be grateful for all of the people with whom we get to share it. We get so distracted focusing on what we don't have or what we haven't accomplished yet, we forget to appreciate all of the amazing people and things that we have right in front of us. Even when it is difficult, there are reasons to be grateful; finding and focusing on those gems will help fortify you and make you stronger. Make sure you take some time to reflect on your life and be grateful for the gifts you have right now.

Until next time!

Take a leap; choose joy!

Here are some extra goodies: The marina, a rolling basket at the Soriana (Mexican WalMart), my view as I drive around everyday, they sell seashells at the seashore, a neat-o store, a neat-o chess set, a recycling fish, the batmobile, a mom pic, food, and Mia's puppy palace!