If you've done any searching online, you know that there are numerous contests where a home is being given away as the prize. So how do you decide which one to enter? Naturally, we think that ours is the best, but why do we feel that way? How about the following:
1. Cost of living is much less than in many other countries.
In September, we ran a small survey of prices at the local Wal-Mart (the markets are even cheaper)and found
Item Price per pound/kilo (in USD)
O. Mayer bacon $6.81 / $14.98
Limes 0.25 / 0.56
O. Mayer deli ham 10.10 / 22.22
Cream (unsweeted) 1.59 / 3.50
Mushrooms 1.58 / 3.47
Green olives stuffed w/anchovies (can) 1.98
Black olives (pitted) 1.22
Tuna (canned/water) .60
Rambutan (like lychees, but better!) 2.00 / 4.41
Dishwashing powder (3.96 pounds/1.8kilos) 2.48
Today, 24 January, we went to the market and bought 2 nice flowering plants for $40 pesos ($3.08). We also bought about 4 pints of mushrooms, 2 small cucumbers, 1 medium sized broccoli and 1 jícama for $37 pesos or $2.85.
Quite often I like to buy these small treats that remind me of slightly sweet pancakes and are the size of a 50 cent piece. A package of 5 costs a whopping 38 cents! Some days, a man sells sweet potatoes and slices of pumpkin that have been baked in a honey sauce (without being nauseatingly sweet) for a long time. They're unlike anything I've ever tried...and absolutely heavenly!
We went back to Wal-Mart to purchase a few items that aren't normally sold at the local tianguis (market). Here is a listing for a few of those items:
Pedigree canned dog food $1.30 (it's cheaper from the local Animal
Shelter who uses the profits to aid
the animals)
Asparagus 3.48 / 7.65
Red grapes (they're HUGE) 2.43 / 5.35
Large box of assorted cookies 2.38
Package of 10 fresh (and large) biscuits 1.54
One my favorite items: locally grown and VERY freshly roasted espresso beans (with many other types available): $3.43 / $7.54
Without a doubt, this beats out Starbucks and any other that I've tried. Coffee is grown in many regions of Mexico and you're going to find yourself spoiled...fast!
Have an item you'd like to see priced? Just drop us a line at questions@chapaladream.com and we'll do our best to add them to this list.
2. The Climate.
We were all aflutter the last 2 weeks because the temperature actually dipped into the 50s and it was necessary to put on a sweater! Today is 24 January and I'm sitting outside in a short-sleeved shirt as I type this. The sun is shining, the dogs are romping and life is good! It's sure a nice change from the miserable, soul-destroying summer heat that I knew while growing up in Illinois.
Today I'm drinking a lemonade with lemons from a tree that is loaded with fruit. Most days I like to drink a limonada (made with limes) since that tree is also loaded, but it nice to have variety! There's another type of lemon that grows (the locals call it "sweet"), but it's an acquired taste. A few days ago I had a grapefruit, also from one of our trees, for breakfast. It was sweet and juicy. The mango tree looks like it's going to produce a bumper crop of fruit in September.
Because of the very mild climate, plants grow like weeds. For some reason, tomatoes don't do well here (I believe there may be some sort of airborne disease that they're susceptible to, but I'm not really sure), but nearly everything else just touches the dirt and...WHOOSH!...they take off. Are you an orchid fan? They're very reasonably priced and grow well here. I've bought a variety since we moved in and found that the lake-view window gives the best lighting (in our dining room).
3. The People.
Mexico is still a country of culture and respect. The first thing you'll notice on your walks in the local villages is how brothers and sisters watch out for each other. You rarely see them fighting. Older brothers will hold the hands of their younger brothers and sisters and make sure they're safe. The younger siblings aren't considered a pest if they want to play, too. The elderly are treated as valued citizens and not as a nuisance.
If you make friends with a Mexican, you have a loyal friend for life. If you show a willingness to learn the language, most will be super-patient as you try to speak and will gently nudge you in the right direction if you garble your words. Many times I've had a conversation with someone only to find, in the end, that his/her English is much better than my Spanish...but he/she will be patient and courteous to allow me to try. How often do we see that in our own country?
4. The History.
Where to begin? The pyramids of Chichén Itzá or Tenotichtlán? What about the local Guachimontones? Want more recent history? How about Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City where Emperor Maximillian met his end?
This is only a small sampling of all that Mexico offers, but we hope you found it helpful. Please e-mail us at questions@chapaladream.com if there are other items you'd like us to cover.