http://www.gadgetguy.com.au/how-to-evade-the-geoblock-and-buy-mp3s-from-amazon/
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Taking a Detour
Well, we are still headed to the Flamingo Coast, but it may be by way of Brisbane, Australia. Long story. I'll tell it and keep you posted, AND share pictures and experiences of our nine-day exploratory visit in November, but for now I just want to post this tip on how to download music from Amazon from Down Under. I may need this info later!
http://www.gadgetguy.com.au/how-to-evade-the-geoblock-and-buy-mp3s-from-amazon/
http://www.gadgetguy.com.au/how-to-evade-the-geoblock-and-buy-mp3s-from-amazon/
Friday, September 20, 2013
In the Yucatan: Review
At first the book worried me and angered me. Do they still treat people that way in the jails of Mexico? It was pretty ugly. I wondered if the book reflected current or past conditions.
"Oh, past!" I was told. Remember, it's a novel.
Well, the book was published in 2000. Not really so long ago, in my lifetime.... The narrator recounts when he and the Mayan leader, one of the men in the cell, had looked up the Mayan prophecy of the world ending in 2012. He said they would have been 43 when that happened, and they expected to die. That reminds me of when I was a little girl and wanted to know If I'd see 2000. I calculated that I would be over 40, so, yes, I'd probably be alive, but at that age, who cared. That must have been how the young Mayan men felt. That meant they were born in 1957. Right?
Andres Chay became the president of the Mayan village of Sac May when he was 26 years old. That would have been in 1983, right? I looked up Cancho Puerto, who was supposed to have been governor of the Yucatan at that time. Ah that's a made-up name. Cancho Puerto . No hints there. It is a novel, after all. So it could have been anytime between 1983 and 2000. Seventeen years. I don't know when Earl Shorris meant for the novel to be set. And he died last year. I can't even ask him. I'd also like to ask him how much truth is in the novel.
It follows an American attorney through over thirty six days of a hunger strike. Do you know the stages of starvation? It's pretty grim, but it's a journey.
I started out angry, but I was drawn into the relationship between the two strike leaders, and even the relationship with the jailers. Everyone knew someone had to die.....
But the biggest mystery is the narrator. You get many hints but no real answers.
And another mystery is what I'll do with what I've learned reading this book. And how I will live down there, knowing that the reason I can retire in comfort is because so many live in despair and poverty.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Our Yucatan *LOVE*
After reading the first two pages of "Midlife Meatloaf," I stopped and waited to read the whole thing to my husband, although I hoped he wouldn't feel sympathy for the main character who left his wife. I mean, we've recently bought a BWM Z4 too! And have discussed a hot tub, deciding we can wait until we get down there for a beach in our back yard.... and I do feed my husband healthy food and try to get him to take care of himself.
Anyway we both loved the story (Spoiler: Do you love Pina Coladas....and walking in the rain?)
And now, I've started reading "The Maya Queen," but about the time I got to her deciding to come down "Chicken Pizza" on her butt, I stopped that one too. I'll read it with hubby. That's a well-remembered experience of ours as well....
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Blogs and Forums to Read: Homework
We do try to do our homework. After researching Belize, we decided to abandon that potential retirement location. We think we're going to like the Yucatan much better, but we are doing our due diligence. I will eventually create a blog roll with a lot of these links, but for today, here are a few you might want to explore.
If you have a blog about the area, especially about the Progresa/Chulum area, please list it in comments. I'll read it and probably list it.
Also, how do you pronounce Merida?
Imagine Merida
If you have a blog about the area, especially about the Progresa/Chulum area, please list it in comments. I'll read it and probably list it.
Also, how do you pronounce Merida?
English Language News from Yucatan for Expatriates
Merida/Progreso Area Expat Forum
setfreeinmexico.com
Retire Early in Mexico
Expatriate Blog
ProgresoHoy.com
Spanish Language News (Can translate in Chrome)
Imagine Marida/A blog about becoming expats in the Yucatan
Yucatan Expat
English language blog
Welcome to Yucatan Today
Yucatan Today is the leading tourist guide of Merida, Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula and was recently voted the best tourism website in all of Mexico! In our companion monthly magazine, we bring you the information you need to enjoy your experience while you are here.yucatango
I’m based in Mérida, México, though I travel a lot. I like to eat, take photos, talk, and bike. I’m originally from the US and speak English and Spanish.
A blog by a couple planning to move to Merida
http://www.inotherwordsmerida.com/
In Other Words: Mérida
A Literary Magazine
http://www.inotherwordsmerida.com/
More Yucatan/Merida based blogs
- An Alaskan in Yucatán
- Blah…blah…blah…Ginger!
- Carolina to Mérida
- Casa del Gato Azul
- Crazy Gone Native
- Debi in Mérida
- Dispatches from Mérida
- Down Mexico Way — Mérida
- El Gringo Suelto
- Erica's Living in Mexico
- Expat Journal
- From the Snow to Mexico
- Hammock Musings
- In Other Words Mérida
- Lawson's Yucatán
- Letters from Mérida
- Living in Mérida
- Los Colores de Mérida
- Mérida Hideaway
- Mérida Hombre
- Mérida Mikey
- Mérida — Are We There Yet?
- MéridaGoRound
- Moving to Mérida
- My Mérida Life
- Retirement, Say What?
- Set Free in Mexico
- Surviving Yucatán
- The DIY Page
- The Mérida Initiative
- The Truth About Mexico
- Totally Win at Love
- Two Dogs in Mérida
- Una Casa en Mérida
- Writing from Mérida
- Yucatán by Bicycle
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
So Long, Belize
Wow. That was quick. The more I read about Belize, the colder my feet got. I'm sure I'll still visit there sometime...while I'm living in Mexico. One day, after reading a forum with several people who had known people who were killed with machetes there, I asked my husband, "If we have to shop in Mexico, get medical care in Mexico, buy wine in Mexico, etc., why don't we check out Mexico as a place to live?"
So...he said, "Check it out." I think he was getting cold feet too, mostly by looking at the cost of property down there. True, we live in a part of the U.S. where property prices are pretty low, but for a comparable house, we wouldn't be saving much buying down there. And that's not even on the beach.
My SMART college kid son pointed out one reason that's so. Since their currency is tied to the dollar, their prices don't fluctuate in comparison to ours. Makes sense.
Anyway, after ONE DAY looking at Mexico, I was hooked. In Chelem, we can buy a house on the beach with white sand up to the door and a seaside pool for under $200,000. And the music is better. And Merida, a beautiful, culturally rich city is just 20 min. down a paved six lane highway. I don't think Belize every HAS six lane highways anywhere.
Yes, we need to learn Spanish, but you really need to know it to live in Corozal too. And I need to learn Pesos and Centigrade.
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primarylanguages/spanish/
MIT: http://search.mit.edu/search?site=ocw&client=mit&getfields=*&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=http%3A%2F%2Focw.mit.edu%2Fsearch%2Fgoogle-ocw.xsl&proxyreload=1&as_dt=i&oe=utf-8&departmentName=web&filter=0&courseName=&q=spanish&btnG.x=21&btnG.y=9
So...he said, "Check it out." I think he was getting cold feet too, mostly by looking at the cost of property down there. True, we live in a part of the U.S. where property prices are pretty low, but for a comparable house, we wouldn't be saving much buying down there. And that's not even on the beach.
My SMART college kid son pointed out one reason that's so. Since their currency is tied to the dollar, their prices don't fluctuate in comparison to ours. Makes sense.
Anyway, after ONE DAY looking at Mexico, I was hooked. In Chelem, we can buy a house on the beach with white sand up to the door and a seaside pool for under $200,000. And the music is better. And Merida, a beautiful, culturally rich city is just 20 min. down a paved six lane highway. I don't think Belize every HAS six lane highways anywhere.
Yes, we need to learn Spanish, but you really need to know it to live in Corozal too. And I need to learn Pesos and Centigrade.
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primarylanguages/spanish/
MIT: http://search.mit.edu/search?site=ocw&client=mit&getfields=*&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=http%3A%2F%2Focw.mit.edu%2Fsearch%2Fgoogle-ocw.xsl&proxyreload=1&as_dt=i&oe=utf-8&departmentName=web&filter=0&courseName=&q=spanish&btnG.x=21&btnG.y=9
Monday, August 19, 2013
Shipping to Belize via Amazon
I've wondered what it would be like to get items from Amazon in Belize, so today I conducted an experiment. I was looking at a community where we might want to live and it listed an address and phone number. All I needed! So.... I found a book and started the order process.
First, I found that my shipping speed options are very different than here in Oklahoma... I chose Standard. That's an average of 18-32 days. Whew! I'm used to getting books in 2 days. I'll have to learn to plan ahead! I devour books.
First, I found that my shipping speed options are very different than here in Oklahoma... I chose Standard. That's an average of 18-32 days. Whew! I'm used to getting books in 2 days. I'll have to learn to plan ahead! I devour books.
Choose a shipping speed
Standard International Shipping (averages 18-32 days)
Expedited International Shipping (averages 8-16 business days)
Priority International Courier (averages 2-6 days)
So, how much would it cost me? Almost $10.00 for one hardback book. I am an Amazon Prime member and am very spoiled. I don't pay ANYTHING for delivery here. It's cheaper to buy online than to run to the store. And I still don't know what Belizian taxes and duties might be tacked on to this thing. I'm not willing to pay $40.00 to find out right now. I hope to find out more when we go down in Feb. of next year. Maybe I'll ship something to our hotel or something....
Order Summary
| Items: | $29.98 |
| Shipping & handling: | $9.98 |
| Total before tax: | $39.96 |
| Estimated tax to be collected: | $0.00 |
| Order total: | $39.96 |
Please note that your country may charge import duties, taxes and fees that you may have to pay ahead of delivery. Learn more
How do I find items that can be shipped internationally?
Items that qualify for international shipping will feature a note on the product detail page under Shipping that says, "This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S." Go to Search for Items Eligible for International Shipping.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Great Videos About Belize
We've continued to look for sources of information about Belize. Yesterday I found an older, but extremely informative video to watch. Wasn't sure what it'd be like when I found it, but for Prime Amazon members, it was free, so worth a try. I think we hit gold. Watched it over breakfast this morning.....
"World of the Maya," as it sounds, examines the Mayan side of Belize, but as such, it covers areas such as Belize City, Corozal (Did you know it's built on an ancient Mayan city?), Placencia, San Ignacio, and other areas. It even crosses the border over into Guatemala near the end. Those who are serious about learning about the country would really benefit from taking the time to watch this movie.
"World of the Maya," as it sounds, examines the Mayan side of Belize, but as such, it covers areas such as Belize City, Corozal (Did you know it's built on an ancient Mayan city?), Placencia, San Ignacio, and other areas. It even crosses the border over into Guatemala near the end. Those who are serious about learning about the country would really benefit from taking the time to watch this movie.
A couple other videos that you may want to watch (Also free to Prime members at this time) are the two House Hunters International programs set in Belize. These are both set near San Ignacio and feature Macarena Rose. I've recently read they they're doing a third one in San Pedro.
House Hunters International Season 33, Ep. 4 "Canadian Biologists in Belize"
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Can We Make it in Belize?
Obviously, many people dream of Belize, even build or move there, then find out they can't cut it, or don't want to cut it. I'd love to see stats on how many U.S. citizens move there and don't last, or how long the average stay is. And where in the country do they last the longest. I'd love to hear interviews with some who came home. Why did they leave? If anyone reads this who has left Belize or knows someone who did, please post a comment about it.
I had a diabetic scare and started eating "clean" a few years ago. Thank goodness I grew up in the country and know how to cook and preserve food and grow a garden. I can make biscuits or pancakes or grilled flatbead from scratch without a recipe. We don't eat chips (except when the kids are coming over) or use mixes. I pretty much make our own sauces and am learning to make hummus.
We love to eat out sometimes, but eat most of our meals at home because we know what's in the food we prepare, and it often tastes better. We haven't eaten fast food in years (Except breakfast burritos at Sonic when the power was out a few weeks ago). So, in Belize, we wouldn't feel deprived of all the fast food and processed food so many U.S. citizen take for granted.
And why do we think we're different, that we will enjoy the life? Here are two reasons:
We live in Oklahoma.
Places on Earth have hotter, drier weather and places have colder weather and places have extreme storms, but we have it all. The saying goes, 'If you can live in Oklahoma, you can live ANYWHERE." Actually, I have Corozal weather on my phone and compare it with ours often, and ours is often a few degrees hotter. Of course, here we have to switch to winter mode and ice storms in a few months. I could cut my wardrobe in half living down there. Give all my coats to charity.
We already avoid processed food.
I had a diabetic scare and started eating "clean" a few years ago. Thank goodness I grew up in the country and know how to cook and preserve food and grow a garden. I can make biscuits or pancakes or grilled flatbead from scratch without a recipe. We don't eat chips (except when the kids are coming over) or use mixes. I pretty much make our own sauces and am learning to make hummus.
We love to eat out sometimes, but eat most of our meals at home because we know what's in the food we prepare, and it often tastes better. We haven't eaten fast food in years (Except breakfast burritos at Sonic when the power was out a few weeks ago). So, in Belize, we wouldn't feel deprived of all the fast food and processed food so many U.S. citizen take for granted.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Starting Our Education About Belize
Until we really started to get serious about Belize, I knew very little about it. I knew my husband and his two sons had vacationed on Lighthouse Reef back in the early 90s, before I knew them. I knew that Ambergris caye (means orange whale vomit) is a fun tourist spot, and the topic of many trop rock songs, like the Jerry Jeff Walker music video below.
I knew that Belize's official language is English and that off shore is the 2nd largest coral reef in the world (why it's such a hot diving spot).
My husband only knew the country from a tourist's perspective. We had a lot to learn if we planned to actually move there. One of the first things I did was to put together a YouTube playlist of all aspects of Belize. I included many news clips of the crime that can be found most places in the world, but also tourism ads and interviews with citizens, visitors and expats. We learned a lot that way, and had fun watching them, even through quality and content varied greatly. It was a start. The one below is very informative.
We also started looking at real estate to get a handle on prices down there. We want something on or very near the water for around or under $200,000. I think it can be done, but will take some work. For one thing, we found that, unsurprisingly, the prices you see online are "rich gringo" prices. We decided that when the time comes, we'll probably rent for a year before we buy. That way, we'll have a much better idea exactly where we want to live and find out about good local deals. We may build, but many people have invested money in property down there, found they really are not suited to the life and just want OUT! We're hoping to find a great deal. Anyone want a waterfront castle?
I knew that Belize's official language is English and that off shore is the 2nd largest coral reef in the world (why it's such a hot diving spot).
We also started looking at real estate to get a handle on prices down there. We want something on or very near the water for around or under $200,000. I think it can be done, but will take some work. For one thing, we found that, unsurprisingly, the prices you see online are "rich gringo" prices. We decided that when the time comes, we'll probably rent for a year before we buy. That way, we'll have a much better idea exactly where we want to live and find out about good local deals. We may build, but many people have invested money in property down there, found they really are not suited to the life and just want OUT! We're hoping to find a great deal. Anyone want a waterfront castle?
Monday, August 5, 2013
Dreaming of Belize
You may have noticed that I haven't posted in a while. I guess I kind of let go of the dream for a bit, but the dream, and I, are BACK!
But....the dream has changed....a little. Key West is probably going to be too expensive for us to retire to. So now we have our sights set on Belize.
Just a quickie that I wrote to a friend on Facebook about Belize:
Well, Belize is on the Atlantic side of Central America and has lots of cayes. We probably will not be able to afford a place on white beaches, but will, instead, get a place in Corozal, which is on a giant bay, with Mexico on the other side. Near nice water, but not white beaches. Also more protected from hurricanes.
However, nothing is very far in Belize. It's a very small country. They speak English and are a part of the British Commonwealth. Prince Harry visits often. The queen pretty much stays away ever since they fed her a giant rat when she asked for a local dish.
It's an interesting place with mountains, waterfalls, caves, many rivers, ziplines everywhere, and lots of beaches. It's more expensive than many Central American places, but cheaper than the U.S.!!
Here's a map. Belize is South of Mexico. In fact the area we're looking at is only a few miles from the Mexican border...about seven hours driving from Cancun.
And we're taking a trip down there in Feb.! Are you ready for pictures? Video?
In the meantime, we're doing our research. And what better place to post it but here!?!?
But....the dream has changed....a little. Key West is probably going to be too expensive for us to retire to. So now we have our sights set on Belize.
Just a quickie that I wrote to a friend on Facebook about Belize:
Well, Belize is on the Atlantic side of Central America and has lots of cayes. We probably will not be able to afford a place on white beaches, but will, instead, get a place in Corozal, which is on a giant bay, with Mexico on the other side. Near nice water, but not white beaches. Also more protected from hurricanes.
However, nothing is very far in Belize. It's a very small country. They speak English and are a part of the British Commonwealth. Prince Harry visits often. The queen pretty much stays away ever since they fed her a giant rat when she asked for a local dish.
It's an interesting place with mountains, waterfalls, caves, many rivers, ziplines everywhere, and lots of beaches. It's more expensive than many Central American places, but cheaper than the U.S.!!
And we're taking a trip down there in Feb.! Are you ready for pictures? Video?
In the meantime, we're doing our research. And what better place to post it but here!?!?
Let the fun begin!!
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