Becoming a 'Residente Permanente' in Mexico wasn't exactly a well thought out plan, but from what I've learned from many lovers of Vallarta that our story is a familiar one. We're seasoned travelers and we decided to come south from the Pacific NW in late October 2018 to escape the wet and cold and also to enjoy Dia de Los Muertos. The trip was only meant as a wee sojourn to check out long term rentals for the next winter before our 'planned' trip to Costa Rica in February.
Within three days we became the proud and astonished owners of a beautiful condo with a view of Bahía de Banderas and the city that still takes our breath away. This completely unexpected and exciting purchase changed all our plans for the immediate future. The first, of course, was to cancel the bucket list trip to Pura Vida Land and make swift plans for the synchronicity of living on Calle Costa Rica in Vallarta.
We love all the same things about Puerto Vallarta (and Mexico in general) that most immigrants and vacationers do. These include the amenities of a mid-size city, the wonderful climate, the rich culture, the ocean and clean air, the locally grown food, fresh fish, the appealing lower cost of living, the opportunities for service and the sense of community that binds transplants like ourselves, and especially the warmth and generosity of the Méxican people who have welcomed us into their families.
But there are two other characteristics about living here that we actually cherish as much even though they drive many ex-pats loco. These are the fluid essence of Mañana Time and the quirky nature of Casi Perfecto. Being retired, we quickly adapted to a mañana lifestyle. Adopting casi perfecto as a mindset brought us a more profound sense of ease and relaxation. We've now perfected the art of accepting almost perfect when it comes to almost anything.
Embracing fluid time while enjoying Vallarta's quirky ingenuity of construction or remodel projects, Bustamante sculptures, folkloric murals, cobblestone Calles, the daily chorus of birds, roosters and barking dogs, even the loud midnight musical interludes from the streets make our life here an ongoing adventure and a gran alegría.
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