Cynthia:  Transitions from one expat destination to the next are always our most difficult days, but the trip to San Miguel de Allende got off to an especially rough start.

Edd:  Beginning before we even got to the Cancun airport. We checked out of our Airbnb early to give ourselves plenty of time. It’s a good thing we did because an accident caused a massive traffic backup. Our 15-minute ride took more than an hour.

C:  We had a choice of two airports to fly into—Querétaro or León-Bajío. They’re both just over an hour’s drive from San Miguel. We took the second choice because it was cheaper, but can’t give high marks to our first experience with Viva Air.

E:  This airline is one of those low-cost carriers where the flight is inexpensive, but the add-ons can, well, add up. The agent at the ticket counter was trying to nickel-and-dime us with stuff like, “Your bag’s too heavy—your bag’s too big—if you don’t pay me now it will be much more expensive at the gate.” 

C:  This wasn’t o...

Cynthia:  Our day trip to Isla Mujeres was so different from anything else we’ve done during our months in Mexico exploring expat destinations.

Edd:  For sure. Starting with live music on the ferry from Cancun. Early morning classic rock including a ZZ Top cover?? That was certainly unexpected.

C:  “Unexpected” was pretty much the theme for our entire visit. Since lots of people told us we had to go there, we decided to just show up with minimal research and see for ourselves what was special about this place.

E:  Something that wasn’t a surprise was how touristy a little island near Cancun is. As soon as we stepped off the ferry we were approached by locals hustling diving tours, golf carts, and souvenirs. 

C:  No time for any of that because we needed to find the coffee shop where we were meeting a local expat. Isla Mujeres has been his home for seven years, and he was happy to get together to share some interesting insights into the expat community there. 

E:  He thought ...

Edd:  We had vacationed in Cancun before but arrived with no idea what it would be like to live abroad there.

Cynthia:  You’re right. On an anniversary trip years ago we only left the property where we were staying for one night. And even then we remained in the hotel zone.

E:  Cancun’s development began in the 70s, around the same time the area where we live in Cuenca called New Town started to be built. We were caught off guard to experience how similar downtown Cancun felt to our neighborhood.

C:  Especially after weeks walking throughout historic Mérida where the walls and doors are built right to the edge of the sidewalks. Then the contrast of countless mid-rise condos with rooftop pools in Playa del Carmen.

E:  Of all the places we’ve been so far, who knew we would feel the most at home in Cancun of all places!

C:  Not only because of the architecture, but also by the small family-run shops and restaurants serving mostly locals that were everywhere. You’re right, Cancun ...

Cynthia:  Playa del Carmen was certainly a different experience from Tulum, wasn’t it?

Edd:  I’ll say. To begin with, the “hotel zone” of Tulum is totally separate from the actual town. The design of Cancun is similar. In Playa it’s all one big happy family.😀

C:  Generally speaking there’s the beach area. Running parallel a couple of blocks from the coastline is the famous pedestrian 5th Avenue. Beyond that thoroughfare, the town becomes more residential with businesses to support daily life.

E:  Gotta mention the beach itself. Our review of Tulum was kind of gloomy, so we didn’t even bring up the tons of stinky seaweed there and again at Playa.

C:  It was disappointing to see our second expat destination in the Riviera Maya having the same problem. You’re quite the ocean lover and you never got close to the water.

E:  No way I was going to walk on that disgusting greenish-brown carpet. Seaweed notwithstanding, overall we found a lot to like about Playa, right?

C:  Yes, startin...

Edd:  Since we were only in Tulum for four days and there were heavy rains a lot of the time, we can’t really give the place a thorough evaluation as an expat destination.

Cynthia:  That’s true, but we do have some snapshot impressions we can share. I think it’s fair to say when most people think of Tulum, they picture blue skies, crystal clear water, powdery white sand, and upscale hotels and resorts.

E:  Of course. Tulum has done a marvelous job of packaging its image as an eco-chic destination. But even though we were only there a short time, we quickly recognized there’s a night and day difference between the “hotel zone,” along the beach road, and the actual town of Tulum.

C:  It’s important for our readers to understand that throughout our travels we’re staying where expats might actually live, not in pricey vacation areas. And, boy, the Tulum we experienced was an eye-opener.

E:  I’ll say. As opposed to the yoga studios, high-end boutiques, and fancy eateries at the...

The second destination after Mérida on our Mexico “Magical Mystery Tour” was Tulum. Since the route between the cities passes by two important Mayan archaeological sites, we decided to hire a professional guide to provide transportation and help us make the most of our journey.

The first stop, Izamal, is located just an hour’s drive from Mérida. Overlooking this small town is one of the oldest monasteries in the Americas, San Antonio de Padua. The convent’s prominent position is due to the fact that it was built right on top of a Mayan temple.

In addition to the town’s religious fame, almost every building in Izamal is painted bright yellow. There are various reasons explaining this odd characteristic, and the locals seem to enjoy telling their own version of the story.

Right in the middle of town sit the ruins of a HUGE pyramid called Kinich Kakmó!

And when we say huge, we mean HUGE! See those two dots at the bottom? That’s us.

Here’s what the photos cannot convey and wil...

Cynthia:  Our initial impressions of Mérida were quite positive—tons to do, friendly people, low cost of living. After two weeks exploring the city, has any of that changed for you?

Edd:  Not really. We’ve been so busy every day and there’s still a lot we didn’t get to do. Sadly all the museums remain closed because of COVID. We were really looking forward to visiting several of them.

C:  Let’s get the “elephant in the room” out of the way. The weather…

E:  Oof. No amount of forewarning prepared us for the heat in Mérida. We couldn’t bear stepping outside in the afternoons.

C:  Well, we were there during the hottest time of the year. Plus our bodies are attuned to a temperate climate after 11 years in Cuenca.

E:  Yeah, but as an expat candidly admitted, “Mérida has three seasons—hot, hotter, and hottest!”

C:  So true. It’s easy to understand why the city has such a vibrant nightlife with so many rooftop bars and restaurants. We thoroughly enjoyed the pleasant, breezy evenings, an...

You never know what’s behind the pastel walls of Mérida’s historic neighborhoods.

When we entered the front door of El Palacito Secreto Luxury Boutique Hotel it felt like we’d discovered a hidden treasure. The stunning architecture, mosaic images, and use of hand-made pasta tiles throughout the property reflect an attention to detail that’s rare.

All of the bedrooms are luxurious and uniquely decorated. We stayed in the magnificent Marie Antoinette Suite.

The antique furnishings, gorgeous fabrics, and artwork were tastefully opulent.

The suite’s large, private terrace overlooked the manicured pool courtyard.

A relaxing afternoon at the beautifully designed pool felt like being transported to a private, exclusive manor in the French countryside.

We joked that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Leonardo DiCaprio stroll by.

The lovely spa offered a wide range of treatments that were tempting. Instead we decided to enjoy our terrace and watch the sunset with a glass of...

Progreso is a port town on the Yucatán Peninsula less than an hour’s drive from Mérida.

It’s claim to fame is boasting the world’s longest pier, stretching 4 miles into the Gulf of Mexico!

Since many locals own second homes in the area or visit the beaches there, we decided to take a day trip to check it out.

We hopped on an early morning bus from downtown. Our round-trip fare was so cheap (about US$2 each) we thought we misunderstood the lady who took our money!

Our excursion was on a Mexico election day, and the beach was almost deserted when we arrived.

The government wants voters to have a clear head so no alcohol was being served that day. No problema. We plopped down under a big thatched umbrella with lemonades to enjoy the scenery.

It was kind of sad to see vendors with so much merchandise and so few customers.

We ate scrumptious seafood at a restaurant a block away from the beach. (Insider tip: same food, cheaper prices) Ever seen a shrimp cocktail as big a...

Edd:  We’ve been posting on social media like crazy and blogging our brains out since leaving the States about a month ago.

Cynthia:  What a change, right? During the pandemic we pretty much sat at our computers in Cuenca for over a year. Not a lot of photo-worthy moments.

E:  Now we’ve flung ourselves out there visiting places we’ve never been. Seeing new things and meeting new people.

C:  And doing things we’ve never done. Like traveling to one location after another and living out of what feels like very tiny suitcases. It’s been a huge adjustment from our simple life in Ecuador.

E:  I’ll say. The pics we post show the sunny side of our global adventure, but we’ve hit our share of speed bumps over these first weeks.

C:  Sure have, but keeping it real, we’re making this up day by day and knew that we would have to be flexible.

E:  Ha! Flexible? That’s an understatement. Like the first place we stayed. We thought “shared bath” meant with any other guests. Not the whole family!...