| Manzanillo Real Estate | Perla Del Mar Condominiums

Another Satisfied Customer

December 20, 2010 – 1:28 pm

This note was left for us by one of our very satisfied residents :

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If you can’t read that, here’s the translation:

M and V,

I write this testimonial from the highest most balcony in the suite of a stunning new condo on the beach of Manzanillo Mexico. Perla Del Mar.

I could go on and on about the luxury within the community of this condo with its views of the tugs meeting the ships from what is literally your “own front yard”, the celebrity quality finishing inside and out of every suite and the sincerity of welcome from the staff, but that is only half of the reason to easily call this place home.

All of the accolades are in fact deserving when it comes to the design, security, and quality of the building. Another perspective from a guest with little travel experience is my obvservation of this charming little city and its people.

Everything you’ll ever need is within walking distance of the condo. More than you’ll ever need is a quick, easy, 10 minute drive in either direction. Having rented a car and driven in from P.V.O., we soon found all the local markets and shops and even a few favorite restaurants. The locals are friendly and more than happy to help you along your way. We felt safe while walking or driving in the morning, afternoon, or evening. We felt right at home being completely immersed in what is a true Mexican community. Forget your “all inclusives.” Buy a suite in Perla Del Mar. You won’t regret it!

V, A, D, and K

Come join our community and see for yourself how you can live your dreams!

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Manzanillo Letter October 3, 2010

October 4, 2010 – 11:30 am

There’s certainly major white frost on the pumpkin now. In fact the time between the last spring frost and the first fall frost was decidedly ‘unsummer-like’. If in conversation one uses the word “summer” to describe any part of the Western Canadian period of time between the equinox in Mar. and the equinox in Sept., it’s likely that a listener will say, “what summer?”.

While flowers did bloom in Olds for a short time, it was necessary to give them every possible incentive to do so. Many pots had to be moved to the warmest and sunniest of locations around the house, and fertilizer and water applications were critical. But after enduring frosts this spring, deer nibbling, and just plain cool weather, the shorter days of August were blessed with some colour. There are people however to whom our Western Canadian summers are critically important. These are our Farmers, who need to earn a living in this climate and are now impatiently waiting for any weather break that will allow them to discover whether or not their crop input investments will be returned. The arrival of the end of September with virtually all of the crops still in the field is disturbing for our farmers, and our local communities are with them in thoughts and prayers.

For some reason, that in retrospect escapes us, we drove back to Alberta from Guadalajara Mexico in late August in just four days! Arriving home, we reviewed our trip and agreed that we both enjoyed the drive and really didn’t mind the pace. Really, summer is not the time to be away from home anyway and were it not for work in Manzanillo, we’d not have left. Our Mx. visit did include a trip to Expo Mueble (the big semi-annual furniture expo in Guadalajara) and a review of the construction that is nearing completion in Perla Del Mar.

For many thousands of Americans and Canadians, making the decision to have a home in Mexico is ‘Living the Dream’. It certainly is that for us. We realize how little of Mexico we have seen and how much we enjoy the freedom offered us by the climate, the economics, the services and the culture. As winter approaches our inbox receives emails from people who are making this same decision and who as they ready themselves for departure, are asking the same questions we asked nearly eight years ago. Our website www.perladelmar.com.mx has existed primarily for the purpose of marketing Perla Del Mar. It’s time to move on now and share some of what we have learned and to provide a forum for others to share or gain information - hence a new web address: www.MexicoDream.ca

Please bookmark this site: www.MexcioDream.ca This will in the future be the address for all of the information that has been accumulated to this point in time on the existing website, and of course will be a resource for information sharing in the future. If you would like to contact us, please go to the “Contact Us” section to send us questions or comments. We have a seasoned group of people who are most willing to answer your questions and share information, so we’ve named them the ‘MexicoDreamTeam’.

The goal is that www.MexicoDream.ca will become the web address that those who Dream of a life of carefree living away from northern winters, will use as a resource and a refuge. It’s writers, who may in some cases be you, will share their experiences and advice, making ‘Living the Dream’ a more realistic possibility than ever.

www.MexicoDream.ca will help you discover Mexico with a variety of information, and by linking you to sites we believe provide valuable knowledge. The rich cultural diversity of Southern Mexico and the wonderfully warm people simply come with the deal, and are what truly makes Mexico so attractive as a second home to several hundred thousand Canadians and Americans.

For those who are beginning the journey that will culminate in the ‘writing of the next chapter of your life’, the MexicoDreamTeam is prepared to answer questions by either response email or by posting questions (FAQ’s) and answers on www.MexicoDream.ca.

Some people who are ‘Living the Dream’ begin their next excursion to the tropical south when they meet in Nogales on Nov. 1st. Typically groups meet at Nogales AZ. on the night prior to departure and solidify the departure time the next morning. Last year we had Motorola two way radios which enhanced the communication and made this journey one of fond memories and shared experiences. Most of us have our vehicles loaded to the max. with tires inflated to the limits, sometimes carrying items that we could have bought in Mx. but just happened to see at home. It’s crazy but it happens every year and now we face the reality of transport. If you’d like to join in, it’s a great trip and we’d love to have you along. Just send an email and we’ll make plans.

For those of you on a different schedule but would enjoy some traveling company, send an email with your expected or approximate departure dates and maybe you can partner with someone who may ‘Contact Us’.

Now the photos:

First is a place we visit as often as we can, Sedona AZ. While this is truly a tourist town that hosts thousands of visitors, it is also home to a herd of south-western characters who appear to have either blown in on a desert wind or were just captivated with the place and never left town after their horse died. Everyone appreciates Sedona’s magnificent scenery of crumbling red mountains that whether viewed a sunrise, mid-day, or sunset, hold you in its spell.

Tlaquepaque is always an attraction as it’s streets, shops, good food and special atmosphere are a refuge in the busy city of Guadalajara. The chandelier shown is an example of the iron work that is fabricated in local factories and sold at very reasonable prices. The onyx shades are from the state of Puebla, a possible destination for us this winter http://www.oldandsold.com/articles21/mexico-8.shtml It’s interesting that we northerners will just exclaim that we are leaving on a trip to visit some distant city or area, be gone for 3 to 5 days and come back with the same story every time; that of good hotels, good roads, good food and wonderful people.

I digress: The third and fourth pictures are from our little B&B in Tlaquepaque. The musician played during evening dinner while the little gal in the painting looked on and tempted us to buy. We thought maybe we could find this artist and deal directly, but so far that appears to not be the case. This little gal had evidence of a tear in her eye and had we been traveling toward Manzanillo, she would have probably come with us.

We’re really proud of our staff and think they’re proud to work at Perla Del Mar. The fourth picture is of Marisela and Evanivaldo. Marisela is one of our maids whom Perla’s owners cherish. She always smiles, is totally focused on pleasing, and is a single Mom. ‘Evani’ is a father of three and the most skilled of our three guys. He is currently taking a course on electricity, funded by Perla’s owners, and like all the staff, works 6 days per week.

The gal by herself and sporting her new ‘Perla Del Mar’ outfit, is Bety. Bety complimented us by following us from El Faro, our first condominium in Manzanillo and while we get razed a little by owners there suggesting we stole her, nobody steals Bety. It’s interesting that Bety is professional and proud of what she does, and showed no emotion toward us for several years. We now get big hugs from her when we arrive, and she always does special things in our place when were gone. How can you not love that!

The familiar Pemex sign graces highways and communities all over Mx. Each has washrooms that very in cleanliness from pretty good to just useable. Never have we wondered where the next gas would be available as there seem to be far more stations than necessary. While there are stories about drivers not getting all the gas they thought they paid for, there are simple rules to observe to minimize this risk. Additionally, most of the stories come from or near the big cities leaving us to think that their cities are much like ours.

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We hope you enjoy hearing these stories. We’ll share ‘Living the Dream’ as well as we can and do look forward to contributions from others.

Saludos,
M & V

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Manzanillo Newsletter August 31, 2010

October 4, 2010 – 11:24 am

Dear Friends,

Following is what was once a short letter, but has grown. It has been in the works for some time and will be followed by another with pictures and a special story from our August trip in Mexico.

While there we attended the Expo Mueble and Enart exposition in Guadalajara with some friends (Expo Mueble is a huge semi-annual Guadalajara furniture show and Enart is a Tlaquepaque (tell-’alk-ay-’palk-ay) wholesale exposition of art from all over Mexico).

Guadalajara has many wonderful hotels and B&B’s. Two located in the district of Tlaquepaque that were recommended were: http://www.villadelensueno.com/ and http://www.quintadonjose.com/ Both were very good, but the favorite now is certainly Quinta Don Jose. Tlaquepaque is an upscale district of Guadalajara with great shopping for good quality items. It has special appeal because of its upscale stores, great restaurants, and holiday atmosphere.

The total Guadalajara area claims to have one of the world’s best climates and is home to many successful Mexican families. Certainly because of latitude and altitude, the area does have wonderful year around temperatures which is probably the reason that many thousands of Americans and Canadians make this their temporary or permanent home. It is said that Guadalajara, which includes Lake Chapala and Ajijic, along with some place in Kenya, has the world’s most ideal climate.

We travelers did spend some time sampling summer seafood in Manzanillo, but without the association of allot of northern friends. For many though, Mx has become a second home and our summer arrival is in a way, a welcome home by our Mexican friends and by friends who just simply live all year in Mexico.

A few years ago, when we made an ‘out of season trip’ (a trip that was not a cold escape), we felt somewhat out of place. Now we have friends waiting to see us and planning our time while we’re there. This transition has taken a little time and has affected us in ways we never imagined, but really appreciate. Most who have lived this experience agree that we are all influenced by the wonderful warm Mexican people who have quickly become friends and accept us without question.

Mexicans live more for today than do we. For the most part they are not saving for retirement, do not watch the markets, do not have a favorite stock, do not have a broker, certainly do not want to control any markets, and seem to be content in dealing with tomorrow (manana), when it arrives. They just enjoy today and and the company of others. In addition, they love to serve and will do most anything asked of them. No job is too menial for them and everything done for us, is done with pride. It’s a real lesson in service and one that never ceases to amaze and impress we northerners.

We Canadian-Mexicans and USA-Mexicans constantly try to express our attraction to our second home country, Mexico. The northern media though does a much better job than do we when distributing their story, so the common perception of what we subject ourselves to, becomes a media version of events concerning Mexico’s drug wars and violence.

It seems we have a tendency to overlook what is happening on our doorsteps, and instead focus on what we’re presented and consequently invited to believe. For example, we have an older couple who were traveling in a motor home, missing in Alberta right now, and while we’re all sincerely hoping this story won’t end tragically, the outcome of this could be unfortunate. The fact that this could happen to us or someone in Alberta seems to escape us while Mexico on the other hand, this is seen as an out of control country where only those tempting fate would visit. All of this reminds one of the same staggering black and white dairy cow that the media has used for nearly ten years to illustrate the story of mad cow disease. This probably ‘most filmed distressed cow’ is an example of an animal that very few people in the cattle business or in the world, have ever seen in reality. Currently we are making celebrities of two birds: one, some poor oil covered Alberta duck and the second, a semi-comatose pelican that CNN and others found somewhere on the gulf coast; all this while the governor of Mississippi pleads to tell the world that not on one foot of his state’s oceanfront has any oil washed onto a beach. Of course summer visitors to Mississippi’s beaches are staying away in droves because of what they believe in their minds to be true!

Also a perception is what most of us in our imaginations imagine it must be like to live through a Mexican summer. Summers in Central and Southern Mexico can be warm, but seldom hot. The average Manzanillo daily high temperature in summer is just below 33 C while the average winter highs are just above 28 C. It rains and is usually somewhat cloudy in the summer which moderates the temperatures, but the bigger summer - winter differences are the nighttime lows and the humidity. Summer nighttime lows are near 25 C (perfect for walking around all night in shorts) while the daytime humidity’s on sunny days can reach 65%. To contrast, Manzanillo winter nighttime lows are in the mid teens with humidity’s of 50%.

Following is something called ‘heat index’ which we don’t worry too much about (especially this summer), at least Western Canada (excluding some parts of Manitoba). We do totally understand from a lifetime of personal experiences, winter wind chill. From those accumulated experiences, we can somewhat appreciate what extenuating factors might do to heated air that surrounds our bodies.

‘Heat index’ is simply a measurement of what the body feels when humidity is taken into account, not unlike our winter ‘wind chill index’ which tells us that when it’s -20 C with a 20 kph wind, it feels like maybe -30 C or it just feels darn cold.

While Phoenix summer humidity is in the 15% to 30% range at its maximum daytime temperature, summer high temperatures in Manzanillo can be accompanied by humidity’s of 60 - 70%. Using this chart then, 100 F (37 C) at 20% humidity results in a heat index number of about 99 F (37 C) while 90 F (32 C) at 60% humidity results in a heat index of 100 F (37 C) - not really much difference. On the day that this was part of this letter was written, the short story is that in Manzanillo with a temp. of 32 C, the heat index was 37 C, and while the high temperature in Phoenix was above 40 C, the heat index with its 15% humidity was 38 C.

Of course real heat does happen in the Phoenix summer when temperatures reach above 110 F, and that’s hot no matter the associated humidity.

The following chart shows the health risks as temperature and relative humidity rise:

heatindex

From Manzanillo we drove home via Mazatlan and Nogales, arriving in Alberta on Aug.28th.

Northern Mexico (Mazatlan and north) was hot. Afternoon daytime temperatures were a consistent 42 C on the day we drove through, and we once saw steady light rain on the windshield at 37 C but the highway showed no indication of the same rain.

Our conclusion is that there is no doubt that Central and Southern Mexico have a wonderful summer climate, with Guadalajara being almost idyllic. Farther north the temperatures become more variable with dangerous summer high temperatures and cool winter temperatures. Arriving in Alberta to 8 C in the late afternoon was a dose of reality; a temperature similar to nighttime winter lows in Northern Mexico.

We hope your summer is relaxing and that you’re in good health. Have included a few pictures typical of what summer travelers in Mexico would witness below:

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We are certainly blessed and do appreciate our friends, our health, and our family.

Your friends,
M & V

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Perla Del Mar Construction: Safety You Can Stand By

February 23, 2010 – 1:18 pm

Perla Del Mar is one of the most secure and safe buildings in Manzanillo. We know, because we designed it to be that way. A house is only as strong as it’s foundation, and Perla has quite a foundation! Constructed with a solid steel frame, and the highest quality materials, no expense was spared to ensure that Perla would be singularly safe and stand the tests of time for years and years to come. Since the building is constructed with a steel frame, it weighs a fraction of what comparably sized buildings weigh. This ensures that in seismically active zones (as the entire West coast of North America is) it has the room to flex and move easily without damage while retaining the immense strength to ensure the occupants safety. It is safety and quality that we proudly stand by, and we hope you will appreciate it as well.
Below is a gallery of pictures depicting the construction of Perla Del Mar from start to finish. Since the internal structure is now hidden from view, it is good to see the quality of work that went in to making Perla Del Mar a true pearl of the sea:

[View with PicLens]

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Perla Del Mar Sea Wall Construction

February 23, 2010 – 1:06 pm

Since Perla Del Mar is situated on the coast, there is always a chance that adverse weather conditions could affect Manzanillo. Though rare, it’s always good to be prepared. As we constructed the Perla Del Mar condominiums, we put the safety and security of the owners first, and spared no expense ensuring that Perla Del Mar is one of, if not THE safest condominium building in Manzanillo.

Here is a gallery depicting the construction of Perla’s sea wall from start to finish. Note that first cement pylons were driven deep into the sand, the pit was then filled with large rock and stone, sealed with tons of cement that was vibrated down into the gaps, and then formed with re-bar, steel, and further cement to make a sturdy structure that can withstand anything mother nature can throw at it:

[View with PicLens]

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Letter From Manzanillo: Making Decisions

December 16, 2009 – 1:47 pm

Why Fight Winter?

As this is written at 8:00 am Monday morning, Dec. 14th., the temp. at the town of Sundre (Environment Canada website) which is just to the west of our town of Olds, is -42C. Now that’s cold and if memory serves us right, at this temperature you can carry liquid propane around in an open pail, and it will stay liquid all day. Of course the comparison must be made between this temperature and Manzanillo’s current 9:00 am temperature, which is 25C. The difference is of course 67 Centigrade degrees which translates into 120.6 Fahrenheit degrees.

Having arrived home 2 days ago we are challenged with the question: why are you here? The answer is of course seeing family, the need to put up our tree to prepare for our family Christmas, and of course it’s necessary that we chase down a couple of turkeys. But the bigger picture is that we don’t live in Alberta in the winter anymore. We only visit!

Winter In Manzanillo

What is it that makes some of us pull up roots while others argue that they are quite happy at home and actually enjoy winter. Well neither is probably right or wrong, good or bad, wise or foolish. It seems its just another mystery of the human mind. What else can it be? Differences make us unique and interesting.

There can only be discussions with those who wish to talk about the subject, but here are some of the tangents to which these conversations lead:

1) Comment (C): Mexico is too dangerous! We’ve heard about all the drug problems and violence?

Response (R): Certainly there have been problems in some border towns where rival cartels are vying for control (and usually kill each other). If you ever drive with us however, you’ll discover that Manzanillo is about the same distance from the USA/Mexico border as is Calgary. Manzanillo claims to be the safest city in Mexico and if you visit us, we’ll take you for a walk in the evening through our little community of Las Brisas and you’ll likely agree that it feels safer than where you live now. And you’ll be wearing shorts and sandals!

2) (C): There’s also the swine flu in Mexico.

(R): We’re told that Mexico handled the H1N1 outbreak better than maybe most countries. If you remember, Mexico effectively closed itself down for a week. It appears that this action reduced/interrupted the spread of this virus to the point that the impact in Mexico was minimal. Unlike Canada, we don’t know of a single person in Manzanillo who had or knows of anyone who had the virus.

3) (C): I’d never think of spending that much money to buy a condo or home in Mexico.

(R): Many of us have made what we have from a lifetime of property accumulation and ownership. Property comes standard with a discipline that weighs on us to make the required payments (ie: investing our money) and makes it difficult to sell on a whim, unlike say Royal Bank shares. In addition, property can be lived in or lived on, and touched, also unlike Royal Bank shares. Taking a holiday or a cruise, buying a car or boat, or buying an RV, is spending money with the goal of course being satisfaction. We’d argue that buying property in Mx. or anywhere else is not ’spending money’. On the contrary, buying property is at least somewhat if not totally an investment, and buying lakefront or oceanfront has proven to be one of the best.

4) (C): What you’re doing is for the rich!

(R): These comments quite often come from people who have some valuable property holdings, and certainly from those who have not taken the time to discover and acknowledge what Mexico offers.

All of us appreciate value. For sure, if you choose to spend some time in Mexico, you’ll suffer ‘massive sticker shock’ when you come home.

For example, you can hire a maid for 150 pesos a day (about $12.50 C a day - 12 pesos to the C$ - 12.9 to the US$) or a gardener for 200 pesos per day. These kind people are hard workers and love to please. Why not enjoy fresh seafood in the best restaurants for $12 or less, and if you’re appetite is not what it used to be, split the meal like we do. Have a one hr. massage for 300 pesos or a 1.5 hr. pedicure for 220 pesos. Carefully manage your screened windows and you’ll not have to air-condition your Mexican home all winter. Of course you never have to heat it! Check out this IL link if you’d like an independent opinion that includes Manzanillo and our Las Brisas beach as one of the best places in the world to retire.

http://www.internationalliving.com/Internal-Components/Further-Resources/il-s-2008-retirement-index

It seems then that rather than equating this style of living to being rich, this is more about ones philosophy and what we want to do with our remaining healthy years. It’s not about living on the edge or accepting high levels or risk. It’s also not about spending money. It’s more about moving out of one’s comfort zone and having a willingness to discover. Children have high intense curiosity. Most of us as we age, lose that, and some lose it to the point of becoming skeptics. Maybe a motto for this lifestyle that many of us are selecting could be: choose wisely like an adult, and believe in your decision like a child.

This letter may not be for everyone, and that’s fine. It’s been a latent topic in our minds that we wanted to address for some time now. We certainly do not think that our decision is right for everyone, but we wanted to expose some of the reasoning as we and others see it. And we want to invite you to come to our second home, Manzanillo, and try on a little true Mexican hospitality. If you see this for yourselves, or if you are thinking about it, check out these websites:

A couple of information sites: www.manzanilloblog.com or www.gomanzanillo.com

And Manzamigos, a group of northerners that meet in a different restaurant every Thursday for dinner: www.manzamigos.com

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Cold Winters In Canada

December 14, 2009 – 3:40 pm

This is a recent article from the Edmonton Journal about the winters in Canada. After reading this, it makes us appreciate how very fortunate we are to have a home in Sunny Mexico. See the year round temperature of Manzanillo here.

EDMONTON — It was colder in Edmonton Sunday than anywhere else in North America.

Sunday also marked the coldest Dec. 13 in Edmonton’s history, said Environment Canada meteorologist Pierre Lessard said.

Environment Canada recorded a frigid -46.1 C, or -58.4 C with wind chill, at the Edmonton International Airport at 5 a.m., Lessard said.

The old record of -36.1 C was set last year, he said.

“To break a temperature by 10 degrees is very exceptional,” said Lessard.

The temperature record from Edmonton’s city centre was also broken Sunday, said meteorologist John McIntyre. Environment Canada recorded a temperature of -36.5 C downtown at 8 a.m. Sunday, beating the previous record for Dec. 13 of -32.8 in 1882, McIntyre said.

A ridge of frigid Arctic air has hit all the prairie provinces this weekend, causing record-low temperatures in many parts of northern Alberta, Lessard said.

“Temperatures are very cold over Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. There are some places more windy than the others, especially northern Saskatchewan and the north half of Manitoba are very cold,” he said.

But Arctic winds are normal in the winter and should pass through by the middle of this week, Lessard said.

Some flights scheduled to land at the Edmonton International Airport late Saturday night and early Sunday morning were diverted to Calgary because of the severe temperatures, said Edmonton International Airport spokeswoman Traci Bednard.

There were some delays and a couple of cancellations for flights departing Edmonton as well on Sunday morning because of the cold, she said.

“Different airlines and aircrafts have different operating limits,” Bednard said.

The wait time for a tow truck in Edmonton is 24 hours and eight hours for a light service call, said Alberta Motor Association spokesman Kent Dixon.

Eighty per cent of light service calls have been for boosts, Dixon said.

“Below -15 is when you should be plugging (your car) in. It’s absolutely necessary, it’s not a question,” he said.

Even if people don’t plan on going outside in between parking cars in two heated garages, people should always dress for outside conditions, Dixon said.

“It’s really severely cold out right now, and if, for whatever reason, you get stuck or have to wait in a vehicle or get out, you’re going to be thankful pretty quickly that you were dressed appropriately for outside temperatures,” Dixon said.

Dixon recommends keeping a blanket and an emergency kit in all vehicles.

“Act accordingly, be prepared and don’t put your safety at risk,” he said.

ciltan@thejournal.canwest.com

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

Come visit and experience the beauty of Manzanillo yourself!

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The Manzanillo Acid Test

December 2, 2009 – 9:00 am

Today is one of those Mexican days when we appreciate how fortunate we are and how well everything has turned out. While there is a sprinkling of news from those who are going through some tough times, and we keep those friends in mind, we are enjoying some of the best of times preparing for winter here in warm and sunny Manzanillo.

The topic of this letter, “The Acid Test”, is the best way to tell you about our Perla Del Mar and our opportunity to experience life here. Back in the days of the California gold rush, prospectors and dealers needed to be able to tell gold from base metal. To confirm that a find was really gold, the subject sample was given ‘the acid test’. Since then the expression has become a common phrase used to denote authenticity and legitimacy as well as quality in products, and character in people. For us during this particular week it has meant having one’s child and grandchildren approve of the results of the passion that Perla Del Mar has been for us during the past two years; hence ‘the acid test’.

When retiring from our lifetime careers in Agriculture, we and many of our peers were faced with the exciting task of determining the directions we’d take for the rest of our (healthy) lives. That ’six -oh’ birthday is a real reality check and one that has a profound effect on some folks. Retirement publications advise readers to break down their remaining healthy life expectancy years into groups of five and then begin to fill in the spaces. But for some there is no time for contemplation, just a long list of opportunities from which to choose. Still others are confronted with realities that determine their routine each day, limiting their choices. Hopefully not too many of us get stuck in that rut of not being able to make the decision when we should be making one. We all fit somewhere.

Family is a big part of our lives and has somewhat affected our choices. We’ve been blessed with four wonderful children and a plethora of grandchildren. As we took our first semi-retirement breaths, we thought that a new challenge for the two of us should be the leadership role where we would search for recreation opportunities that our family could then all share. One big happy family with the same goals! We can’t remember how long it took us to shake that notion, but it became clear that charging around the warm part of the world looking for a family utopia, was not a shared goal of our expanding family. In fact, the recreation goals of the total family were quite different and varied. With time we were led to realize that where we had expanses of recreation time, they had to carefully choose the best possible use of limited time. We determined that our competition for time with them was and still is the all-inclusive marketers who offer wall-to-wall managed time with maximum value.

Our first living choice in Manzanillo was a well managed condominium development with great views. All of our children visited us there once, but were to our surprise, not anxious to return. With their muted responses fresh in our memories, we revisited what we remembered to be the best of family times shared together over 40 or so years. It seems that while Manzanillo has a near perfect climate, our previous location was simply missing easily accessible water, sand, and a beach. With these items at the top of the list nearly 3 yrs. ago we chose these 45 meters of oceanfront on fabulous Las Brisas beach in Manzanillo. So we’re now ready for inspection and this is the winter then when our family will give Perla Del Mar, ‘the acid test’.

Last weekend we picked up in Puerto Vallarta, the ‘first to stay in Perla child of ours’, along with two grandchildren. Watching their reactions to what we think is a magnificent location on Manzanillo’s Las Brisas beach, was a tentative highlight for us. We know that pictures and words cannot describe this place anymore than a camera can capture a panorama of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains on a clear day from home. The reaction we observed however, was just what we’d hoped. ‘The acid test’ then was our daughter’s reaction verbalized by comments such as: “I had no idea that Perla was this beautiful; Living here is like living in a dream & Who wouldn’t want to spend every day possible here”. The grandkids seem to have taken root as well between the ocean, the sand and Perla’s pool, spending most of their waking hours outdoors. They even like the local tacos and observing how different life in Mexican families appears to be. If the reports that go home to the other three sound anything like what Mom & Dad are hearing here, this may become a special location for our family for years to come, i.e.: it seems to have passed ‘the acid test’.

There is no doubt about the reaction of visitors and investors who visit for the first time. Perla Del Mar is the premium property in this town. Coupled with the good local feel of the Las Brisas community which includes a gradual expansion of local services and businesses, living here is truly a charmed existence. Waking up to a constantly changing seascape of ships, horizons and colours, morning coffee on the deck in a minimum of clothing, and the arrival of whales today, we thank God regularly for our blessings. With a couple more ‘acid tests’ on the horizon this winter and good responses, we’ll know for sure that we’ve found the place.

Our ‘Perla’ is the center of activity for several very happy couples. We have accumulated a good staff of maids, gardeners and security people, and yesterday interviewed a gal for the position of administrator. This team will look after our needs and ensure that our investments in Perla Del Mar are properly maintained. It’s a good feeling to arrive in Manzanillo at any time and have several people really glad to see you, to discover everything the way you left it, and then to sleep in your own bed with the sound of the surf just a few meters away. It’s even better to have family visit and to share good times together on and around this property.

All of these pictures have been taken recently. It seems that some of the photos are becoming redundant, but each sunset is somewhat unique. Changes to Perla are mostly in the form of details now as we wait for the few lucky people who are still to become owners. The strength of the Canadian dollar has created ownership opportunities for many Canadians who are attracted to warmth, oceanfront, seafood and water activities, and who challenge the cultural opportunities that abound here. Everyone who visits is impressed with the friendliness of the people and the value. The list goes on, but still first is climate. A bold statement? Could be but here it is anyway: For over seven months every year, Manzanillo has perfect weather!

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