Friday, 5 January 2018: Celestun

Another magnificent sunset in Celestun

Thursday, 4 January 2018: Celestun

The girls left today.  They were certainly ready to leave Celestun behind and continue their journey.  We enjoyed visiting with them and getting to know them a bit.  Milly is a musician and she shared her music and her passion.  Emily is studying to be a vet tech.  Their mishap will put them a few steps behind but they will be back on their feet in no time.  The house certainly seems more quiet with out them here.

I've started going to salsa exercise classes on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.  It is quite a workout.  The class was initially billed as salsa dance class but it is actually an aerobics class.  Sandra is Cuban and I've just told her that white girls backsides just don't move like that.  I have fun and I guess that is what counts.  Grelty, one of the ladies that works for Peter, goes to the dance classes too.  Expats Carol and Cindy often go too.  Sometimes there are only three or four people other times, we are much more crowded with eight.  

Monday, 1 January 2018: Celestun

Jonathan stopped by to say "Feliz ano Nuevo" while Milly

and Emily were making jewelry they hoped to sell in Cancun

New Year's Day

The weather channel indicated that it was -21' with wind chill today in Brussels.  Justin and I are wearing short, t-shirts and flip flops  Ain't life grand!

We ate our greens in the form of spinach in an omelet and we had black eyed peas made into Texas caviar.  Yes, I had planned and travelled with a can.  I made a chili verde with pork and tomatillos.  I followed an Aaron Sanchez recipe and it was a keeper.  

Milly, Emily  and Paula joined Justin and me.  Abraham went back to his village of Tetiz to be with his family.  It was rather overcast most of the day with a bit of drizzle periodically.  It was a perfect day for a bit of binging of "Designated Survivor."

2017: Our Year in Photos

January - on the beach in Mexico on Justin's birthday

February - sunset in Celestun

February - Flamingoes in Celestun

March - Bluebonnets in Texas

March - sunset on the Bay

March - Welcome to our world Willow 

March - Mr. Miller, Bring down that wall!

April - new driveway

April -- Captain Grandpa meets Finn

May - Paula is close to perfecting Shrimp 'n' Grits

May - There is nothing more sexy that a man pulling up carpet!

May - There is nothing more endless that chipping up vinyl!

June - out of the storage unit

June - Justin and Read install new window

July - new sink

July - sunset on the bay

August - Paula's birthday above Door County

September - Jason installs wall beneath bar

September - sunset on the Bay

October -- We were ready for football

November - Paula in Jason's shop

November - sunset on the bay

November - Gemma after her surgery

December -- new Packer friends in Guadalajara

December - sunset in Celestun

Sunday, 31 December 2017: Celestun

Happy Anniversary and Happy New Year!  Feliz Anos Nueva!

We started our special day when Carol came over for coffee.  Caro lives about 50 yards down the beach; she is from Toronto. and spends four or five months in Celstun each year.  She has been coming here for about ten years.  Her husband died a couple of years ago and her house is on the market.  She is asking $320,000 and that is too steep for us.  The house has two bedrooms, a pool and a small casita for guests or rental.    Carol hadn't been to Casa Maria recently and it was interesting to hear her take on Maria and her memories.  With a plan to meet at Peter's for breakfast Justin headed for a swim and Carol and I set out for the local fishery and a few other local sites.  She showed me a few spots to buy seafood (I am just not going to find anything larger than tiny cocktail shrimp here in Celestun since they are not local), her favorite local tortilla factory, and the local version of Macy's which is not more than a local market.  

After breakfast, Justin and I ran a few errands in town and then took a break from the hectic day by having a drink on the beach.  I bought  new dress from a vendor on the beach and Justin and I both bought sunglasses.  I do have reason to celebrate, right?  Today is our fourth anniversary!  The first year we were in Paris.  The second year we celebrated with Xavier and Nicole Flores in Kaiserslautern.  Last year we were in South Padre Island and this year, we are in Celestun.  I couldn't be happier!  

We headed to Las Pompanos, our favorite restaurant on the beach in Celestun for dinner celebration.  Justin had rock crab nd I had lobster thermidor.  What a treat!

Thursday, 28 December 2017: Merida

After a morning swim Justin and I headed to Merida.  The first place we stopped was a car wash.  Our car hadn't had a bath in forever!  After about an hour and about five dollars (with tip) "LaPerla" is back to her splendor.  Our next stops included Covi, the local liquor store, a hardware store, shoes for both Justin and I and lunch at a great little Cuban place.  With a mattress pad and new set of sheets added to the back of the car we headed back to Celestun.

Wednesday, 27 December 2017: Celestun

Paula met two girls on the beach this morning.   One of them, Milagros (Melly) was from Argentina and  (Emily) was from  Spain.  They had bought an old beat up (correction -- "vintage") VW micro bus in Cancun and were camping on our beach.  They went into town later in the day and unfortunately returned to find two guys rifling through their van.  One of the tires had been slashed.  They startled the guys away but they first took one of their bicycles.  Even more unfortunately, the guys took a computer, a guitar, some cash and the papers for the car.  (Justin and I know from our experiences last winter that the papers for the car are ubber important.). They fortunately still have their passports.  

They came to Paula seeking assistance.  Justin took them to the police station along with Paula and Abraham.  They all came back a couple of hours later with precious little success.  The girls (both are in their late twenties) are understandably distraught.  We are probably learning all too much about the local police, their effectiveness or lack there of, and just the way things work around here.  They've moved in to one of our bedrooms; Casa Maria is getting more and more full.

Monday, 25 December 2017: Yucatan

After a wonderful night's sleep on our new mattress, we went for a morning swim before breakfast at La Chevirico.  Justin had huevos rancheros, a dish that is different in every restaurant, while I indulged in a crab and shrimp omelet.  Next, we were on the road to Sisal, a small village just over a hour away on the northern shore of the Yucatan.  The town was named for the sisal fiber that was shipped through this once bustling port-town.  Now, that trade has diminished and the port traffic goes through Progresso.   This has left Sisal to find its way as a fishing village and tourist destination.  Its northern face means no sunsets and like El Cuyo and most of the Yucatan in general, the beaches here are fabulous.  The town seems a bit cleaner that Celestun too.  We drove around and looked at property that was advertised as for rent and for sale.  We saw a guy in a truck at one such location; he said we were welcome to look at the house.  We did and of course that led to more conversation.  We soon learned that Ricardo had been an exchange student at University of Wisconsin in Green Bay!  Who'd a thunk it?  What a small world.  He showed us two properties and told us about one other.  The town is a bit closer to Merida and that is attractive.  No sunsets though.

We had planned to come back to Celestun for dinner.  Long ago I let go of my plans for cooking today and we were going to go to our favorite local restaurant on the beach but we ended up staying in Sisal and visiting Muelle de Sisal (Dock of Sisal) for our Christmas dinner.  Later we learned that this restaurant is owned by the same family that owns La Chivarico and Las Palamos in Celestun -- no wonder the food was good!

Not much of a traditional Christmas day necessarily, but certainly one filled with thanksgiving.  We are so blessed!

Annie was looking forward to a

special Christmas treat too