Showing up in a new foreign city for an extended stay we always wonder, “Will we like the food here?” Actually, Edd thinks about that the most.

Since several meals a day are going to be consumed over a period of months, it is a pretty important consideration.

The Colombian peso is currently taking a beating versus the USD, so we knew before our arrival in Medellín that prices were going to be low. A welcome relief after experiencing the runaway inflation taking place in the States.

Note:  When US$1 = 5000 pesos, transactions in this country involve a lot of zeros. For instance, a $500 monthly rent is 2.5 MILLION pesos! Believe it or not, once the shock value wears off, you get used to it.

“Cheap” doesn’t necessarily translate to “tasty,” though (looking at you, cardboard frozen pizza).

No country can match the abundance of food in the States. Would Medellín restaurants have a decent variety of different cuisines? What...

You’ve read our sunny, cheerful blog posts about us visiting cool places and having wonderful experiences. They’re all true, but as much as we travel, it’s inevitable that once in a while a horrible day sneaks in there.

Like our recent travel day from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Medellín, Colombia.

It didn’t start off that badly. Except we’re not in the habit of getting up at six in the morning. We’d arrived in Guayaquil the night before from Cuenca, enjoyed a good (although short) night’s sleep, and had an uneventful ride to the airport.

For some reason we couldn’t check in online for our flight the day before. When we arrived at the Avianca counter we found out why.

“Can I see your tickets for leaving Colombia?” the agent asked.

“They’re not booked yet. We haven’t finalized plans with our family to visit during Christmas.”

“You both have to show a ticket to board this flight.”

...

Spending weeks scouting a potential expat destination gives you time to immerse yourself in the local culture at a relaxed pace. To wander through neighborhoods and savor the cuisine. Enjoy the attractions. And to venture out into the surrounding area for enriching day trips.

From Lisbon we first explored the medieval town of Óbidos. Originally a Roman settlement, the location was next occupied by the Moors before being retaken by the Portuguese in 1148.

Given to Queen Isabel on her wedding day in 1282, Óbidos has since been known as the “town of the Queens.”

Strolling through the narrow, cobbled streets was eerily like being transported back in time.

At the highest point of Óbidos stands an impressive castle surrounded by fortification walls.

Walking around up there was honestly a little scary (no handrails!), but the expansive views demonstrated why this site was originally chosen. Nobody was going to sneak up on you, that’s for sure....

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...

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...

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...

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...