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Sun shimmering across the tile floor, the doors open as we are greeted by warmth, blue sky and smiling people wanting us to take their mode of transportation.  We are in beautiful Mexico!  Walking around we talk with different folks to help us decide whether to take a taxi, collectivo, this bus or that bus.  Finally, we decide on the ADO bus because it will go down the highway right to the edge of the small village where we will spend the next four months in a rustic Mayan palapa escaping the winter Canadian cold.  I have to admit, even though I love to live in harmony with nature, it is nice to be a snow bird and head south for winter.

We load up onto the bus and are soon heading south to the village.  We get to the bus depot and unload as we catch a glimpse of several taxi drivers waiting nearby.  So, we get a taxi to travel to the palapa.  It costs us twenty pesos, which is two bucks.  One thing I like when traveling to another country or place is to respect their space and to live as close as possible like locals do.

We arrive at the palapa that is hidden away behind the lush jungle of plants and are greeted by a sweet young girl to be shown around.  With the palapa roof, rustic floors and walls plus a gecko or two we settle in to our new home.  This is the greatest space ever for my toddler because he can run free outside since we are in a fenced jungle.

The next four months are fabulous.  We walk to the beach daily and the centre of the village every evening.  There are tiendas (small stores) all around, a market every Wednesday in the centre and trucks that come through the community ALL the time with fresh produce.  When we get our ‘North American’ cravings or want to stock up on unscented toilet paper (which is next to impossible to find) we head out to the highway on a collectivo for four pesos and catch the ADO bus to town.  We did this once every few weeks.

There is the most amazing sense of community here.  It is almost the perfect place to live.  Walking to the local bakery for fresh whole grain bread, the fresh market on Wednesday and dinner at a local scene.  There is a used bookstore packed with great reading material.  I am close to nature yet within walking distance of a village that has common neccessities.  I learn to be like the locals and head out early in the day before the sun is too hot.  There are people of various cultures constantly coming and going, music festivals and the beautiful, festive Mexicans! We open our doors to the local children.  My son begins to learn Spanish and makes friends with the kids.  I never realized how much community meant until living here for these months.  There are many stories of connections that were made.  From the folks traveling around the world with their toddler looking for the ultimate place to live.  To  the local folks that welcomed us with their warm smiles and open hearts.

Over the four months we lived even more green than usual.  No internet in home, no tv, no radio, nothing.  I washed our clothes in a bucket and hung them to dry.  I missed this so much that I bought a special bucket for clothes washing when returning to Canada.  We ate local produce and foods except for a couple very rare occasions.  We supported the local economy almost the whole time.

Our traveling, besides by foot, was very minimal.  Our living space could not have been more green.  With our leaky roof, ants,  ’Mickey, Minnie and the gang’ our rodent friends!  There was a snake or two outdoors and a scorpion that fell from the ceiling one night when I headed to the bathroom.  I moved just in time!

The mosquitos were quite an issue.  That was conquered eventually with a mosquito net and lavender oil blend.  I was very frustrated with the Mexican health department doing mass spraying from trucks which is upsetting natures balance.

Our showers were short with minimal hot water.  When arriving back to Canada with the biting, bitter cold nipping away it was nice to jump in the hot shower, scrub my feet and clean the grit from my sons dreads.  Living green anywhere is fabulous, but living green in Mexico has its perks, especially in winter!

Enjoying a tropical rain & a siesta in the hammock.