Goodbye for now Mexico! It is bittersweet for us to be leaving Mexico as we so enjoyed our time here and made some wonderful friends in the past year.
This is a country that we will visit again as we feel that we just scratched the surface of fascinating places to visit. I know I have already voiced this but it is worth repeating – everyone, if given the opportunity, should take the time to experience a developing country and immerse yourself in another culture. If you embrace the ways of another country, you may find that you will be richly rewarded and have a greater appreciation for the wealth we all enjoy in the US, even with what is now happening in the political arena and our economy (and I refuse to expound on that).
Here are just a few things that we will miss:
- balmy, sunny weather
- fabulous food and amazing aromas
- lush vegetation
- colonial cities rich in culture and history
- striking churches and historic buildings
- vividly colored buildings and homes
- stunning murals painted by local artists on the sides of buildings
- smiling, friendly locals
- beautiful children playing outside with basic toys (balls, bicycles, sticks)
- multi-generations walking together hand-in-hand
I would be remiss in typing this final tribute to Mexico if I failed to mention a few people we met in Lakeside who touched us deeply:
Our yoga instructor, Ana, was a delightful, inspiring young woman who grew up in the Lakeside area, moved to Canada where she earned her law degree, and walked away from that profession, as her heart and soul drew her to sharing her love of yoga and meditation. She moved with her husband and baby son back to Lakeside, where she hopes to share the local culture with her child. Her spirituality and love of imparting what she has learned certainly fed us during our time in San Antonio Tlayacapan.
Tennis seems to be a sport that is embraced in Lakeside, enjoyed by young and old. Our instructor, Tony, who grew up in Guadalajara, is fun-loving and patient. He encouraged us and pushed us each and every lesson. We were thankful to spend time with him over the past several months.
Lois Cugini, whose picture I unfortunately do not have, is a pint-size little bundle of energy who moved to the Lakeside area 30+ years ago from Boston, MA and who still has the accent. She owns a funky little women’s boutique and wine bar in Ajijic, very well respected by locals and tourists alike.
Lee and Lloyd are a couple from the Houston area who retired to Lakeside several years ago and are still hard at work as realtors and property managers. They were our landlords and are a delightful couple.
Terry happened upon a familiar looking face when he was walking the bicycle path in Lakeside, shortly after our arrival to Mexico. He turned out to be a man who we became friends with back in Michigan 10+ years ago. We both took an exercise class he was teaching and it was great fun rekindling our friendship and getting to know his wife Geri. They have lived in Ajijic for the past 4 years.
We recently house sat/dog sat for them when they returned to the states for a visit. We must admit that we fell in love with their dog Kai and had some withdrawal pains when our house sitting job ended. The house they rent is fabulous so I thought I would share the view from their veranda.
And here is the couple lucky enough to enjoy this view every day!
And last, but not least from this trio, is our buddy Kai. It was love at first sight for me when I met him!
Geri and Dave came into our lives a few short months ago but we felt an immediate connection with them. They come from the state of Washington and were our next-door neighbors for a few months before we left. They are a dear couple and we will miss them greatly.
The next picture I had to include, as it will forever remind me of Dave. His favorite expression is “it just doesn’t matter!”, meaning don’t sweat the small stuff. He has the most positive attitude and we loved spending time with them.
Last, but certainly not least, in our small grouping of friends, is Les and David.
Terry met David when he went to Lakeside on a fact-finding mission the year before we moved to Mexico. He had been following Les’s blog, which I encourage everyone to read http://boomerstomexico.com. David is an accomplished photographer and Terry saw him at a local parade and introduced himself. He said that Terry was the nicest stalker he had ever met!
Les has a quirky, unique sense of humor and a beautiful spirit, and is a fabulous writer. Terry and I are both reminded of Erma Bombeck when we read her blog and she has been told by many that she should write a book. We think this is a must!
When we told them we were moving back to the states for a time, she wrote us the loviest email as she has such an amazing way with words. I will quote a piece of it and mirror back to them the same message, as it applies equally to them:
“We became the recipients of an oh-so-comfortable friendship. The type of friendship that did not need constant attending or constant togetherness. The kind of friendship that made each encounter, chance or otherwise, like the smile a rainbow brings after a gentle rain.”
A few more lines I will take from Les’s email, as I believe it applies to Mexico in general for us: “Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean we’ll miss you until we meet again.”
Adios Mexico!
Paint Your Landscape 
Oh my goodness…Kai is almost as cute as my Frank. He has those sweet gentle eyes when he is looking at you.
Hey Denise,
You are right. Kai looks right at you when you look at him, like he is speaking to you with his eyes. He is a very special boy, just like Frank!
How wonderful that you and Terry have the ability to make such wonderful friendships with people who you feel may be lasting. Soon you will have friends all over the world with whom you will feel comfortable and can visit anytime, anyplace. You are a people magnet, for sure.
Joan,
We did meet some very special people and we have already had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with one great couple from Rockford, IL. It is nice to know that we have people to visit, tucked away in different corners of the world.