Our first month just flew by!

It's hard to believe we've already been in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico for a month.  Time has just flown by, and it's been a blast.  

In the past month, we've concentrated on getting acclimated to our neighborhood and the city that surrounds us.  We've figured out where all the close grocery stores are and where to buy the things we like to eat -- with a few notable exceptions.  Walnuts, coconut oil, and chocolate chips continue to elude us, but we haven't given up hope!  

We negotiated buying cruiser bikes and pre-paid cell phones, all from people who speak no English.  I'm attending a yoga practice twice a week conducted entirely in Spanish. We've eaten our way around the city, finding lots of great food from traditional street eats to swankier places, like the excellent place we ate Thanksgiving dinner.  We've walked and bicycled miles in all directions.  We've checked out the beach, though we actually haven't been swimming. We've purchased many gallons of purified bottled water from street vendors who bicycle by our rental several times a day.  We've figured out how to use a washing machine and microwave oven with Spanish controls.  And we've found a fantastic track where we can run.

Our Spanish (especially reading) continues to improve, though having conversations is going to be challenging for a long time.  We purchased Pimsleur Spanish audio lessons way back before we went to Belize, but we haven't been super consistent about doing them in the past.  Now we are.  We devote some time every afternoon to studying the language.  We've added the free online lessons offered by Duolingo to our repertoire, which help as well.  Our housekeeper and many other people we've met here speak only Spanish, giving us ample opportunity to practice our skills. 
 
And so, to sum up our month of November, I wanted to share some photos that I haven't posted on the blog, though many of them I've posted on Facebook already. 

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Laundry hanging out to dry is a common sight in all the local areas of the city.  I always enjoy seeing it.  (We're lucky to have a private back deck where we can hang ours out too!)

On the beautiful bike path enjoying my new cruiser bike.  It's very similar to the one I rode all the time on Ambergris Caye when we lived in Belize.

Paisley enjoying the sunshine in the garden.

The building where I do yoga.  The studio is on the very top floor and is huge!  

Beautiful mural on the side of a building nearby....

Brightly painted buses that transport tourists to and from Xcaret park....

Coatimundis working the Playacar golf course....

Some of the lovely fruits and veggies we are able to buy here for great prices....

And in the past week, mango season has started!

A couple of Mexican delights I enjoy making:  pickled red onions and guacamole....

This awesome little taco stand is incredibly popular and right outside the "Mega" grocery store, where we buy a lot of our food.  It's a cheap and delicious lunch, and so convenient.

We got a "fruitside" seat for a great breakfast at El Ceiba de la 30.

Paisley always finds the sunshine.  She's done a great job adapting to sleeping on this dog bed rather than the security of her crate, which we had to leave behind in the US.  

Another of my creations:  a burrito bowl!  Hiding underneath are brown rice and black beans, and I made homemade pico de gallo.  We've also been enjoying the crumbly fresh Mexican queso (cheese) on so many things, this included.  And fresh pineapple and avocado too -- yummy!

More street art I loved....

Paisley enjoying the garden...

...and collapsing in the warming sun!

Exotic flowers in Xcaret park, one of the places we ride our bikes....

And last but not least, another thing we like about Mexico!