SOLAR HAVEN - MEXICO

We spent nearly a year packing and sorting out our entire life's accumulation of possessions in preparation for our big move south of the border. Deciding what we could stuff into a pickup truck and a 32' travel trailer and what we must leave behind for the new owner of Solar Haven or give away was weary work and many decisions agonizing ones. We left Solar Haven for good on February 4th feeling pretty tired with an absolutely indescribable mixture of excitement and being scared to death. We flew to Veracruz, and two friends from Montreal, Jordan and Fred, towed out Airstream the 2000 long miles down to us with our new (used) 2000 Ford F-150. We had never even visited the area that was to be our new home, relying on a long period of research and daily reports and pictures from our buddy John who already lives in Veracruz with his wife Anita and son Julian. His incredible blog on life in Veracruz is not to be missed. Check it out at www.vivaveracruz.com/blog.

After only a month in Mexico, we have to say that the only thing we regret about moving here is that we did not do this years ago! This area of spectacular lush green mountains and warm hearted friendly people meets or exceeds our expectations -- John didn't let us down in his rich, detailed and highly accurate description of life here.

Our trusty 1972 Airstream is now located on a grassy hillside at "Ranch San Gabriel" three miles south of Teocelo, Veracruz. The rental fee is 80 pesos a day (about $8.00) which includes electricity and water. This is really a picnicking place with vast areas of lawns, a sauna and jacuzzi, and seven nice modern cabanas (most with kitchens) which rent by the night for a very reasonable rate but the patron (boss/owner) was completely open to having us park an RV here. Like everywhere we have been so far, folks are flexible and easy about life, not so rule bound as in the U.S. We had written to them in our best but I think considerably fractured Spanish over the Internet first. No one here speaks English that we have met so far except John and Anita who found this idyllic spot for us (discovered while being lost one day which they say they do often and highly recommend as a lot of fun). Rancho San Gabriel has a nice web site: http://www.ranchosangabriel.com.mx/

Out dog Ty and cat Ghost arrived safely with Fred and Jordan if a bit shaken up, however, by such a big change in their lives. Ty is learning to revel rolling in the rich thick grass and has six or so other dogs to hang out with that live here. We are not sure he has ever seen grass before. His best buddy is Rupert, the Basset Hound.

 

If the truth be known, Jim and Mindy are feeling a bit shaken too. We had read a lot in books and on blogs and forums about culture shock and how different life in Mexico is, but nothing prepared us for the reality of life here. Air travel, of course, gives you no sense of real change till you walk out the door of the plane and it all hits you at once. We looked around and everybody was shorter than in the U.S., had darker skin, spoke a different language, and couldn't understand a word of ours. After riding in a rattle-trap taxi at 12:30 AM for 30 minutes into the city of Veracruz from the Airport at break neck speeds over terrible roads, slowing down only enough (but barely enough) in turns to keep from tipping over, and drag racing other taxis from the stop signs (rock music blaring from the radio with much shouting to other drivers), culture shock was for real. All the nice Spanish we had poured into our heads in Arizona just fell out at 1:15 AM trying to negotiate a room rental, a frustrating and lengthy but highly amusing experience for both us and the staff alike.

Our hotel was posh with a nice pool, free computers to use for guests, and a gourmet restaurant off the lobby all catering to wealthy (Mexican) tourists but with steep prices. After two days of swimming and catching up on a little rest we headed by bus to meet John and Anita up in the mountains where they live northwest of Veracruz. We went to a lovely restaurant and had a fine dinner and were delivered to a picturesque place to stay right on the river in Xico. Opening the door of our room in the morning, it was cultural shock all over as I saw at a local "SUV" passing by on the road...

I was thinking that these folks probably don't realize how lucky they are that they can not afford an expensive truck and can walk to work in such a paradise as this indeed is.

 

We proceeded immediately to Rancho San Gabriel through spectacular country and rented a cabana to await the arrival of Fred and Jordan. It was a joyful occasion to see those guys pull in with our little silver casa still in one piece and see the guys so wildly excited about Veracruz and their journey. Both have traveled extensively in Mexico before but said they felt this part of Mexico was the most beautiful they had seen. The last quarter of a mile up the steep road into Ranch San Gabriel they said was the worst part of the trip as the tires were spinning, and they were not sure they would make it up (the road is much steeper than this picture shows)...

Though the guys had to traverse some very rough sections of road on the trip (many) and make it through insanely narrow streets and turns in towns, the Airstream arrived without a scratch. Inside, however, all was chaos..

Err... we really didn't pack it this way this but the rough sections of roads and the continual vibration of Mexico's less than flat road surfaces vibrated screws out and cabinets and book cases came loose, spilling their contents into the isle. There were a few casualties, including my computer which can be seen on the floor in the middle of the muddle! So it has been Internet Cafes (which are everywhere) for us and no computer for a month. We now have a new lap top and our Direcway satellite dish is up and running.

The guys choose to enter Mexico at Juarez which has a reputation as the worst possible place to cross into Mexico. Indeed, they had permit hassles lasting many hours, a full inspection of truck and camper, and got hit with duty on the electronics. But they pulled off a little coup and avoided the duty in a most enterprising and gutsy way. John wrote a blog (February 13th) chronicling this crazy caper...

The guys have headed for Honduras now to take scuba diving lessons. Jordan was going nuts not seeing his lady friend, Josee, so he is flying her down to meet up in Honduras.

We already could write volumes about our new adopted town of Teocelo which is just three miles from where we live as it is so charming and interesting. The long main street with countless tiny stores and shops, the central plaza, and the beautiful Spanish church are built along a narrow ridge top in very mountainous terrain. All other streets fall off the mountain and wind their way into many small valleys. Everyone of these streets is an adventure with new things to discover.

While modest by American standards, the buildings are so well kept up and colorfully painted.

Where are all the people and cars? Siesta time is alive and well in Teocelo. Most of these places are both home and store. Hang out a sign and leave the door open, it's a store. Take the sign in and close the door and it's home again. Mindy bought some bananas from one "store" but the folks were eating dinner in the back. A man got up and accepted 5 pesos (about 50 cents) for a huge bunch of bananas because Mindy couldn't dig out the right change for 7 pesos and sat back down at the table to finish his dinner. She never finds quite the same stores open from the last time she went shopping. It is always changing... No big box stores here. Every place is a "mom 'n pop" place.

Also taken at siesta time is this picture of the lovely church in Teocelo:

Mindy is something of a real oddity in Teocelo as she is the only Norte Americana in town. She is also the only lady wearing a HAT. It appears Mexican women just don't wear hats. People stop and stare, the school kids point and giggle, and some folks shyly reach out and say hello and try to find out a little more about this apparition in their midst. Shopping is taking longer and longer as she gets to know more and more people. These wonderful people take time to socialize and talk with each other and it's time for a short chat with everybody she has met before. These folks are just not in a hurry like so many in the U.S. The other day a lady at the mercado (market) asked her to come meet her whole family who run a little cafe at the back of the mercado. Indeed she got introduced to three generations with all the aunts and uncles and kids and grand kids and asked many a question from, of course, did she have any kids of her own to why she walks everywhere when she shops in Teocelo and doesn't use her truck to go from place to place.

To be continued...