Chilling out in Mexico

Mexico is a fantastic place to lay back, chill out and enjoy life. Why? I think it is the mixture of people’s attitudes, the culture as a whole, the warm temperatures, and the surroundings ... I can certainly attest to the chill out mode first hand as I haven’t even been writing blogs lately!

(Yes, that is me in the picture in Bacalar. What a life eh?) What day is it anyway? Actually I jest; I still have one son in school and I do have several life coaching clients so I do usually keep track of the days.

The point I have been pondering lately is how often do we allow ourselves to get caught up in one of life’s ever evolving dramas and then get all stressed out? Maybe none of the stress is necessary. It surely all works out in the end.

It is a choice. It is all a choice. It is much like my decision to move to Mexico in the first place. What I will always remember is that I moved to Mexico to enjoy a different way of life ... a different view of life ... and to embrace something new. No matter where we live, creating stress is optional.

The Mexican word mañana can be interpreted in many different ways. In my life it makes me remember that rarely is anything so important that I have to spoil my current moment to jump up and do it - later will be just fine. Mañana you say? Why argue with something that works? Embrace it. It’s a choice.

Only in Mexico you say?

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Lost in translation

We spent last weekend in Bacalar which is about 3 hours south of Playa del Carmen, here in Mexico. It is a tiny little town, much like I expect Playa del Carman was about 15 years ago.

I always enjoy spending time in Bacalar as I find it peaceful, tranquil and serene.

We visited Cenote Azul which is right in town this trip. There is a restaurant there and great swimming in what is said to be the largest and deepest open air cenote in the Yucatan.

You used to be able to dive off the roof of the restaurant into this beautiful blue cenote. However, it appears that has changed ... as you can see by the sign (click on the picture to enlarge)... no shoving is allowed either. I think they meant no diving ... but technically if I dove and didn’t shove would that be okay?

Only in Mexico you say?

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Surviving the rain in Mexico

Well we are back to talking about the fact that it is rainy season in Playa del Carmen.

It rained all night and now all day. My towels (washed yesterday) are still hanging on the line going through a continual rinse cycle. I like to think of it as natures fabric softener.

So anyway, what do we do on rainy days in Playa? Here are some suggestions....

- Go in the pool anyway. Wet is wet.
- Same applies for cenotes and the ocean. We can call it natures wet and wild.
- Buy an umbrella and walk around in the rain... splash in the puddles.
- Find a restaurant street side and watch the people go by.
- Take in a movie. Our cinemas are excellent and inexpensive.
- Stroll one of our malls. We have Las Americas and Centro Maya.
- Visit an arcade. Both malls have them. Be a kid.
- Head to a pub and watch a game (soccer is pretty popular right now).
- Play some board games or cards under a palapa on the beach.
- Use this as an excuse to make Abuelita hot chocolate.
- Enjoy the day!

I’d plan a holiday to Canada but I hear it has been raining there too so I guess I’m headed for the pool. I have no idea why my dog won’t join me poolside.

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com.m/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Summer in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Ten things I believe about living in Playa del Carmen, Mexico in the summer

If you are thinking of coming down for a visit or to live, these thoughts may help you plan and pack.

- Intense heat and high humidity is good for the skin.
- Living with access to a pool is a necessity.
- Owning two or three swimsuits is important so you always have a dry one.
- It’s fun to change clothes three times a day.
- The calories from iced coffees don’t count because you sweat the calories away.
- Two or three showers a day are usually needed and are also healthy for your skin.
- To work out with no air conditioning in your gym burns lots of fat.
- One should always carry water with them and drink lots and that is healthy.
- Sunhats can be a fashion statement.
- You can wear less clothing and that saves on laundry.

All in all, I am very glad we moved our family here; hot summers and all. Just look at those palm trees! Now excuse me, my hammock is beckoning me and I think I feel a breeze.

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com.

Driving in Mexico. Are you nuts?

Oh I have not talked about driving in Mexico for quite awhile... And driving here is so much fun and so adventurous...

Take what I encountered this morning for instance in the space of 10 minutes (which is how long it takes for me to get home from my new gym).

- A driver decided to try to make three lanes out of two and blocked oncoming traffic.
- Motorcycles simultaneously passed me on my left and right as I was doing the posted speed (and it was not a three lane highway).
- A taxi wanting to make a right created a third lane and almost rear ended a parked bus.
- When making a left you often have to go into the lane of oncoming traffic or the guy behind you thinks your turn signal means to pass you on the left. I had to do that this morning.
- Oh and I passed over 8 sets of speed bumps to give me a no cost body vibration treat.

Crazy eh (Canadian roots)? Now understand that I am not complaining. I am simply sharing the delights of driving in Mexico where driving is never boring. Do you really want to rent that car when you visit?

You know the amazing thing is that once you get used to driving here everything actually flows. Go figure.

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com.

Playa del Carmen is hot and humid!

Well it is summer and Playa del Carmen tends to get this way. After seven or eight years of living here it should not surprise me right?

So to love it or not?
I love it! Well at least I have found ways to love it.

I get to plan trips to air conditioned spots like the mall, the movie theatre, and friend’s houses!
I get to tell my husband ... I can’t work today, it is too hot. I must swim in the pool.
I get to tell my friends that we NEED to play at the beach.
I get to plan trips to Cenotes (fresh water swimming caves).
I get to drink lots of cold drinks with lots of ice in fun glasses.
I get to swim in the pool before bed.
I get to walk around fanning myself with pretty fans and feeling like royalty.
Not such a bad life all in all.

(This picture is my husband and a friend cooling off at a Cancun mall called La Isla ... now you see who inspires me)
What else should I do? I love new ideas. Especially wild and fun ones!


Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Mexican iguanas by the pool

It has become very hot in Playa del Carmen now so yesterday I was enjoying the freshness of cooling off in my pool and a beautiful, bright green iguana tried to poop on my head! (I am showing a picture of the culprit).

You see it turns out he was enjoying his perch in a palm tree above the pool. My husband could not stop laughing as he saw it fall and then he saw my face! It missed me by that much.... and actually landed on the pool noodle I was using. Yuck!

He finally sauntered off but we noticed another of his buddies was also in the palm tree so we figure they probably had a bet on to see if he could get me.

What do we learn from this experience? Don’t plant palm trees too close to the pool as an iguana may climb up and try to poop on you!

Ah the adventures of living in paradise.

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Ek Balam ruins, Mexico

A few weeks ago we went to visit the Ek Balam ruins just outside of Valladolid in the state of the Yucatan, Mexico. It’s only a couple hours from Playa del Carmen.

You see our friends from Vernon, B.C. came to visit and we figured it would be a fun day trip. I’ll recount the fun for you incase you would like to repeat it with your friends.

First you borrow a Honda Pilot from your buddy so that all eight of you can squeeze into one vehicle. Now go pick up your friends from their resort at 8 AM and hit the road! First stop bank machine – teach all your friends how to read a Spanish bank machine and collect cards and PIN codes as you go (HeeHee). Also shuffle around so those that feel car sick can sit in the front instead of being squished in the back.

Next stop for gas … shuffle around again so those that feel squished can sit in different spots. I personally like the coziness of the furthest back corner.

Next stop in Valladolid for breakfast at Hotel El Meson de Marques, a tour of the square, some leather shopping and photo ops. Now on to Ek Balam! Bring water to drink.

After the trek up the pyramid at Ek Balam you will want to cool off so you can visit the cenote advertised right there like we did. It is several Kilometers further in the jungle so you can rent a bike or have a fellow bicycle you in on his trike (each trike takes two people – lucky driver). Try to get a young man as you will end up feeling really bad for the older fellows as they puff you along. Don’t forget to wave to your friends on bicycles as they speed past you.

The cenote will feel cool and delightful – I guarantee it. It is well worth putting that old fellow through the hassle of biking you in. I am sure he likes all his tips and his exercise.

Bike out and head for lunch at Genesis Eco Oasis which is owned and operated by Lee, a lady from Calgary, Canada. Don’t miss the tiny town of Ek Balam or you will miss seeing the most beautiful hammocks being made and the fun of counting all the dogs, pigs, chickens and roosters running loose on the street!

Now drive back for a couple hours to return your friends to their resort at about 8 PM.
A delightful day had by all. I am sure the cramp from being squished in the truck will pass. Go ahead and come try it yourself. Do you want our buddy’s number for the Honda Pilot?


(Pictures on FaceBook)

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Visiting Zirahuen Lake in Michoacan, Mexico

Continuing on our little adventurous holiday …

We found Lake Zirahuen which is located about 70 kilometers from the city of Morelia. This beautiful lake shows amazing water colors which go from a deep blue to a jade like green.

They tell us this lake received its name from the pre-hispanic "Purepecha" language where "Zirahuen" means "Mirror of the Gods". Don’t ask me I can’t pronounce any of it!

Zirahuen is a peaceful fishing lake bordered by farm fields. They even grow blackberries here. They had cabins there so I think one day I am going back to stay in a cabin by the lake because it reminds me of BC. Imagine that!

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Uruapan National Park

My Mexican holiday continues with a visit to Uruapan National Park. It is actually known as "Lic. Eduardo Ruiz National Park".

We found water and more water everywhere. They have so much water flowing naturally through the park that they played with it everywhere. It went up and it went down and it went around and around!

Uruapan by the way is also famous for avocados, macadamia nuts and coffee.

What more could one need?

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Santa Clara del Cobre, Mexico

My husband and I visited the state of Michoacan in Mexico last week. Now I get to share with you all the cool things I saw and did. Let’s start with the fun little town of Santa Clara del Cobre not far from Morelia.

It is the town of copper. We saw men heating and pounding the copper into shapes. Did you know that it can take days to make one bowl or vase? They heat the copper and can pound it into shape only until it gets cold and then they have to reheat it.

All the shops sell copper items; store after store after store. Everything I looked at was beautiful so to honor the town and support the economy I bought copper candle sticks and a wine decanter lined with silver and …… well you get the picture.

By the way, the weather was very cool (they are 6,000 feet above sea level there) and we actually saw at one point in our trip a snow covered volcano.

I love the diversity that you can find in Mexico and once again we encountered the nicest people. I am very happy to live here.

Enjoy life's adventures!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

Living in Playa del Carmen - the 10 things I love the most

Ten things I love about living in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

10. The many beautiful, friendly, hugging, cheek kissing people.
9. The bountiful and beautiful beaches.
8. The laid back culture.
7. The really, really warm weather pretty well all year round.
6. Takis (a spicy rolled corn chip) actually sold all over Mexico.
5. The beautiful, fine, white sand.
4. The beautiful many shades of Caribbean blue ocean.
3. Fresh seafood – especially shrimp tacos.
2. Great restaurants!
1. The fact that my husband is with me.

Interestingly sometimes the same things I love can drive me nuts – like the laid back aspect is a challenge when you need something done! But that brings us back to our focus. How do we choose to look at things? And what is really important?

I better also add the fact that Mexico makes me ponder life (which I love). What do you love about your favorite area of Mexico or about wherever you live?

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/.

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/.

More sand in Playa please

Playa del Carmen’s beaches are being rebuilt!

It’s delightful, just delightful. The beach is now wider, more spacious and grander!

Again this fits in perfectly with my desire to take more beach time.
I can feel the sand between my toes now. Oh, is that a pretty shell?

Maroma Beach watch out as Playa del Carmen is looking better than ever and feeling even better on the feet. I feel so lucky to live here.

Enjoy the Adventure!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/.

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/

More Maroma Beach

Fifteen minutes drive from our house is one of the top 10 beaches in the world – Maroma beach.
I have written about it before but I have to mention it again. You see going back is part of my New Years resolution to spend a little more time on the beach.

We went again on a Sunday so that all the activities were not running and we could have some quiet time. Our plan worked perfectly as there was also quite a breeze happening so not many others decided to visit this beautiful beach at all.

We had the finest of sand blowing about hardly noticeable until you get home and shake out your bags, towels and clothes! It is a good thing we consider sand a symbol of living the good life because I think we still have some hanging around.

Enjoy the Adventure!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/

Mexican sand on your feet

Got sand?
Got sand between your toes?

My husband and I live in Playa del Carmen with the benefit of beautiful beaches a short walk from our house. We moved to Mexico because we wanted warm weather year round, a different culture, palm trees and the beach. Yep, simple needs.

You know what can happen when you live in paradise? You can get caught up in a day to day routine of things that need to be done (especially when you are not retired here) and forget some of the very reasons you moved here – like the beach!

When you live here – don’t let this happen to you!

Our slogan around our house is … if you don’t have sand between your toes, you are not spending enough time at the beach. We welcome sand in our pool, sand on our floors and sand on our car mats.

Sand on your feet equates fine living to us.

Enjoy the Adventure!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/

Our Mexican Gingerbread Castle

Every year the kids and I create a gingerbread house – it is tradition. We missed this tradition for a few years when we first moved to Mexico because I was positive ants would eat it!

The kids persisted and I relented. It turns out that Mexican ants must not like molasses and gingerbread because it has never been a problem.

This year our gingerbread house turned into a castle. This was our first try at a two tiered gingerbread creation.

Interestingly, this year’s rock hard gingerbread turned soft within a few days. The castle stood up but the reindeer fell asleep.

Nothing mattered though as my son’s only goal once it was built was to eat it.

Enjoy the Adventure!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/

I live in Mexico by choice

I can relate the following incident to my life in Mexico.

Over the holidays my computer crashed – several times. I would take it to be fixed and get it back and it would crash and I would have to send it to be fixed again.

It was the holidays – I didn’t really want to be on it anyway as all my family was home (our daughter goes to University in Michoacán, Mexico). However I did have some blogs to post for my ‘Live Your Dreams’ life coaching practice which I could not post as they were all trapped in my non functioning computer. I had to chill. Mexico often reminds me to chill.

Now I am sure I would have had the same computer challenges no matter where I lived but not having my computer brought me back to many of the reasons I moved to Mexico…

Enjoying the beach … enjoying my family … chilling out … to be more laid back … to stress less …
I did without my computer and life went on and I was still happy. There are many things I have chosen not to have in Mexico and I am still enjoying my life tremendously. I don’t have TV, I don’t have a clothes dryer, I don’t have a blow dryer, and I don’t have a dishwasher to name a few. We may have everything available to us but we can always choose what we put in our lives and how we spend our time.

I got my computer back yesterday and all seems well. I may not however spend as much time on it now. Mexico often calls me to focus on other things and I think I’ll choose to listen more.

Enjoy the Adventure!

With great love, Suzanne

Suzanne Marie Bandick
Live your Dreams Life Coach

P.S. My ebook: Only in Mexico You Say? The Humorous Side of Living in Mexico is available now on my site http://www.onlyinmexicoyousay.com/

Would you like help to visit or live in Mexico? Visit http://www.liveyourdreamscoaching.com/

Are you looking for a way to earn money so you can live in Mexico? Maybe these ideas can help.

Would you like to own property in paradise for only $40,000? This is my husband's development in Bacalar, Mexico http://www.losflamboyanesbacalar.com/. We are planning a house there.

My husband's Playa del Carmen Real Estate office – http://www.onestopmc.com/