[AlanMexicali]

In one of her books, Neill James, the travel writer who came to Ajijic in the 1940s to recover from an accident and died here 50 years later said, "Once the dust of Mexico settles on your heart, you can never go home again."´

It may be an old quote but still has a lot to say why I am here. Everytime I left Mexico in the last 11 years I didn´t feel at peace until I crossed the border back again. The noise, smells and general activities going on soothed me instantly.

 

[lagoloo]

Some entity that studies things like "happiness factor" gave Mexico a pretty high score: much higher than some much more prosperous countries. (I don't think they counted expats in that one) but I think that speaks for itself. Good dust here.

 

[Zorro2017]

The sounds of Mexico are something that people NOB don't realize. In a city that I once lived in, the bread man slowly rode his bicycle through the neighborhood blowing a unique whistle. People would come out to the street to buy the fresh baked bread. The LP gas truck plays a jingle, the guys who deliver tortillas from a scooter have that police siren sound as they deliver tortillas. In Cozumel, the mailman used to blow a whistle when he stuffed letters into the mailbox from his bike.

Life is slower here and I like that.

 

[7711rogerrovic]

alas, can not be understood till one enters the mex zone !

 

[izzenhood]

The sounds of Mexico are something that people NOB don't realize. In a city that I once lived in, the bread man slowly rode his bicycle through the neighborhood blowing a unique whistle. People would come out to the street to buy the fresh baked bread. The LP gas truck plays a jingle, the guys who deliver tortillas from a scooter have that police siren sound as they deliver tortillas. In Cozumel, the mailman used to blow a whistle when he stuffed letters into the mailbox from his bike.

Life is slower here and I like that.

Agreed

I'm a light sleeper, so at home on the outskirts of a small city in Colorado, I run a white noise machine in my bedroom to drown out the rare noises at night. When in Guanajuato I sleep like a baby despite the church bells, fireworks, Callejoneadas, Mariachis, roosters, roof dogs, and gas and water salesmen. Sounds of Mexico.:horn:

 

[Zorro2017]

People in the states keep their windows closed and the AC running, the birds wake me up here.

 

[Haskins]

People in the states keep their windows closed and the AC running, the birds wake me up here.

My most memorable wake up ever was in Real De Catorce, in what used to be the old mint (now a bed and breakfast), thanks to the braying of a mule just outside my wide open window.

 

[citlali]

I lived in the States for 30 years and never had closed windows or A/C , The States are a huge diverse place not everyone live the same way..In San Francisco we had the sirenes and the firecrakers during Chinese New Year as we lived right above Chinatown and in Sonoma we woke up to the birds and went to sleep hearing the coyotes play..

 

[lagoloo]

Blanket statements are usually untrue. That's one of them.

Depends entirely where you lived in the States. On the coast, people left their windows open so they could hear the surf at night.

 

[perropedorro]

Blanket statements are usually untrue. That's one of them.

Depends entirely where you lived in the States. On the coast, people left their windows open so they could hear the surf at night.

Not being able to afford $5 million digs in Malibu, we never lived on the beach in L.A. But when the opportunity arose, we bought a big lot in Colima, bordering on federal land about 80 meters from the surf and built a small vacation house. After prices going up about 15X in twenty years, couldn't afford it now. Took a while to get used to the muffled roar of the ocean and the more crisp sound of an occasional big wave crashing-- one of Mother Nature's powerful symphonies. Now on a visit NOB, it took me a couple of nights to get a good night's sleep in its absence. Can't wait to get back.

 

[citlali]

We used to live on the beach in Northern California many years ago and at first the ocean really bothered me because it never stopped.. then we moved up in the hills in a remote area and the silence drove me crazy.. it all depends on what you are used to..

 

[ojosazules11]

My most memorable wake up ever was in Real De Catorce, in what used to be the old mint (now a bed and breakfast), thanks to the braying of a mule just outside my wide open window.

When I'm first back at our Mexican home after being away, Rufina, the burra next door, will wake me up braying for her breakfast early in the morning. However, after a few days it just gets incorporated into my dreamscape. My husband and neighbours like to say that Rufina "announces the hour" (marca la hora). I check her periodic braying against the clock, and have to admit she's always within 30 minutes of the nearest hour!

 

[ojosazules11]

In one of her books, Neill James, the travel writer who came to Ajijic in the 1940s to recover from an accident and died here 50 years later said, "Once the dust of Mexico settles on your heart, you can never go home again."´

It may be an old quote but still has a lot to say why I am here. Everytime I left Mexico in the last 11 years I didn´t feel at peace until I crossed the border back again. The noise, smells and general activities going on soothed me instantly.

Wonderful quote, Alan. I was 15 yrs old when I first travelled to Mexico with a cousin whose wife is a Mexico City native. We stayed with her family (near the Chabacano metro stop). Back in the 1970's in D.F. I guess it might have been the smog instead of the dust that settled on me! Either way, the effect was the same. My cousin still likes to take the credit / blame for my life-long love of Mexico.

I have a meaningful vocation, good friends, my own home, etc. in Toronto, which is a very livable, diverse and safe city. Yet it's getting harder and harder to come back after visits to our home in Mexico. People ask me what it is about Mexico that makes me so content when I'm there, and so longing to return when I'm not. It's hard to put onto words, but like you say, Alan, "the noise, smells and general activities going on soothe me instantly".

 

[AlanMexicali]

Wonderful quote, Alan. I was 15 yrs old when I first travelled to Mexico with a cousin whose wife is a Mexico City native. We stayed with her family (near the Chabacano metro stop). Back in the 1970's in D.F. I guess it might have been the smog instead of the dust that settled on me! Either way, the effect was the same. My cousin still likes to take the credit / blame for my life-long love of Mexico.

I have a meaningful vocation, good friends, my own home, etc. in Toronto, which is a very livable, diverse and safe city. Yet it's getting harder and harder to come back after visits to our home in Mexico. People ask me what it is about Mexico that makes me so content when I'm there, and so longing to return when I'm not. It's hard to put onto words, but like you say, Alan, "the noise, smells and general activities going on soothe me instantly".

Thanks. I too wonder what is is that has me entranced when I have being coming to Mexico for 37 years living in San Diego married to my Ex who is from Mexicali where her whole family lived/lives. It was very dusty back then as most of the side streets were dirt especially after it rained and the vehicles tracked mud onto the main streets that were paved.

I think it has to do with not wanting to be constricted by rules that don´t allow people to express themselves or allow them to make money to live on when setting up a street side stand or in a pickup selling fruit and vegetables or pan dulce from the back of a car etc. The rules are not there sometimes, lately more are though, or if they are are flexible.

I always saw myself enjoying the throngs of people busily walking, bussing it, chatting on corners, small kids in the steets unafraid etc. that I only see very few doing in the US. If it is the congestion and activites I should have been overloaded with it by now but I am not so it must be something greater than just what I see everywhere. It must be what I feel everywhere and the activites are just the outcome of those feelings Mexicans have and always had since the first time I crossed the border 37 years ago. I don´t exactly know for sure.

 

[horseshoe846]

Well some of the noise in our lives can perhaps be painted as 'romantic'. We live near a horse stable, we have cows grazing not too far away, there are also lambs/goats.

I don't pay any attention to the packs of dogs barking in the night any longer. We live near a cemetery. They shoot off cohetes from the church (a couple miles away) to the cemetery. (The first couple months of the year the death rate was down around here but has picked up since - apparently). Then - the richer you are the more musicians you have at your grave site - which actually is nice for us. There must also be a custom to re-visit the grave the (early) morning after burial and sing/play music once again at dawn (sometimes intense wailing).

We live outside the city - and the city is growing out towards us. They are filling in land and building. We have two very close Mexican friends who have moved away from our area because of the recent noise from the new cantinas. One woman (Mexican/French) was fortunate to sell her house in about two months time to another French couple. Another woman is fortunate that she is wealthy enough to have purchased another house while she waits to sell her house. We are fortunate in that we kind of live 'around the bend' from the bulk of the noise - but if the wind is blowing right we turn on the fans in the bedroom to drown the noise out.

 

[Haskins]

Well some of the noise in our lives can perhaps be painted as 'romantic'.

Well I don't know if it could be labeled romantic, but a couple of weeks ago while staying at a downtown CDMX Airbnb, I was awakened by a 3 AM mariachi rendition of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance"! lol

 

[horseshoe846]

Well I don't know if it could be labeled romantic, but a couple of weeks ago while staying at a downtown CDMX Airbnb, I was awakened by a 3 AM mariachi rendition of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance"! lol

So - Guanajuato - we are looking for a two night outing. I was thinking of the Holiday Inn (free parking/free wifi/free breakfast). Friends are insisting of the Camino Real (free nothing).

Also - on a first trip to that part of the world is Quetero any better than Guanajuato any better than San Miguel ?

 

[Zorro2017]

Back to the sounds of Mexico, listen at 32 and 52 seconds.

 

[circle110]

So - Guanajuato - we are looking for a two night outing. I was thinking of the Holiday Inn (free parking/free wifi/free breakfast). Friends are insisting of the Camino Real (free nothing).

Also - on a first trip to that part of the world is Quetero any better than Guanajuato any better than San Miguel ?

Holiday Inn is way outside of town and there is absolutely nothing interesting nearby. For a few pesos you can get breakfast at a zillion places in the centro.

When friends would come to visit us and there was no room at our house (which was actually only a few hundred meters from Holiday Inn), we would recommend El Meson de los Poetas and they were thrilled with it. The location is fantastic and the vibe is very Guanajuatense. Breakfast included.

Is Queretaro better? Now that is a tough question. On pure charm Guanajuato wins hands down. As a place to live, ask me again in 18 months!

 

[ojosazules11]

Back to the sounds of Mexico, listen at 32 and 52 seconds.

COMO HAGO EL CHAMOY ( tipo navolato ) facil y rapido by angy - YouTube

Heard the roosters! Also throughout the video you can hear other birds chirping/singing.

I know not everyone likes chamoy, but I actually do. Now I know why - I like all the ingredients (plums, flor de jamaica, apricots and chile) - and now I have a recipe! Thanks, Zorro.

I also noted Angy's accent is different than what I hear in Morelos, Puebla, Edo Mexico. More "cantadito" or "golpeadito" so I thought she might be from further north - apparently she's from Sinaloa, a part of Mexico I've never been to. Hopefully some day!