My last blog post ended with how much Michal and I loved Puerto Morelos, Mexico and that maybe we’d return in the near future. With our house rented out through airbnb for February break we needed someplace to retreat to. Without more than a second thought, we booked tickets and a place to stay in this sunny seaside fishing village we had come to love.

On Wednesday we said goodbye to the cold and snowy weather in New York and returned here. We were greeted with open arms from our property manager saying “Welcome Home!”. The next morning as we headed for a walk on the beach several locals remembered us, came up and shook our hands and asked where we had been the last few weeks. Honestly, it felt like coming home. This was surprising and emotional to me. I’m pretty attached to upstate New York.

Michal and I have traveled a lot. This is the first time we have returned to a place that doesn’t involve visiting our family. What do I love about Puerto Morelos? Puerto Morelos is a gem. Mexico is probably a scarier country than the US but here in this tiny town it feels safe and protected from the outside world. I’m generally a bit of a baby and do not like to wander anywhere by myself. Here I feel safe wandering the streets and the beaches on my own.

Life is simple here. Puerto Morelos is simple. I crave simplicity. There are no chain stores or restaurants. There are authentic restaurants run by small families and goods made locally in the stores. There’s not a lot of traffic and the streets are walk-able. My favorite, of course, is the white sandy beaches that stretch for miles and miles. It’s not a picture perfect town. It’s imperfections add to the charm. I feel happy here. My soul is calm. It feels like home.

Life is slower here. People smile, take time to talk to you and seem genuinely happy to interact with you. While the locals have been complaining of the cold winter (high 70s, windy, and sunny) we have been informing them of what a cold winter is really like!

Our favorite discovery here is a little produce market just a block from where we are staying. I have no idea how we missed it last time! Everyday there’s an abundance of fruits and vegetables. The best part is there are coolers stocked with all sorts of freshly squeezed juices. This morning I’m enjoying freshly squeezed pineapple juice as I type this.

We have had several adventures since we arrived but those will be in different blog posts. We had been going non-stop but Michal is sick and it’s forcing us to slow down which is not a bad thing. Yesterday we enjoyed Valentine’s Day massages by the sea. We also ate at a new restaurant that had some of the most authentic and delicious food we’ve had here.

Today my plan is to relax and soak up some sunshine and warm weather for all my friends and family who are suffering with another brutal snow storm and ridiculously cold weather at home.

Perhaps all of you reading this will someday have a nice place to retreat to here in Puerto Morelos when you come visit us…