Our trip to Mazatlan and Queretaro is coming right up! We are going to do our best to interview these cities as potential hometowns – while knowing that a vacation is quite different than actually living somewhere.
Somehow, though, I think we’ll know the place when we see it. When we first saw the property we live on now we had an immediate positive reaction to it – and we knew we wanted to buy it even before we had seen the interior of the house!
When we visited Ajijic several years ago, I knew after a couple of days that it wasn’t a place I could live. There were some wonderful neighborhoods, and we loved the B & B and some of the people we met, but I felt strongly that it was a place that wouldn’t suit me.
So, while some of the features of our new community are black or white, there is a component that is just about how it feels.
Michael Dickson
January 29, 2007Mazatlan is a good place to visit. Living there can be sweaty and buggy, mostly in the summertime.
Queretaro is, on the other hand, one of the nicest places to land in Mexico, in my opinion. It is clean, well-run (for Mexico), ideally located for occasional runs to Mexico City and just about 40 minutes to San Miguel which is also a good place to visit. To visit. And Queretaro has a wonderful Colonial center. And good weather.
You might also look at San Luis Potosi, an overlooked gem. A colonial downtown, good economy, well organized. You will not run into many Gringos in San Luis.
buena suerte.
Paul
January 29, 2007Thanks Michael, we really value feedback from experienced expats. I also really like your blog.
Paul
Jorge Arturo
January 29, 2007When in Queretaro you MUST stay in the Hidalgo Hotel, is really affordable, really nice, clean and is located in the center of the historic downtown, it is next to the super classy and expensive Gran Hotel and next to the ULTRA expensive “Casa de la Marquesa” so it is actually a great location.
Just a few steps away from the main historic attractions.
Paul
January 29, 2007Thanks for the tip Jorge. We are already booked at a bed and breakfast in the centro called Quinta Zoe, do you know it? We will go to El Llave in the Hidalgo for a drink or dinner while we are in Queretaro for sure.
Paul
Malcolm
January 29, 2007C’mon now. We both know Merida and the Yucatan will be home for you. Enough already. I am tired of arguing. See you in 183 days. 🙂
Nancy
January 30, 2007Malcolm, you’ll see us sooner than that as we are planning a trip to the Yucatan in either April or May!
Jose Angel
February 1, 2007Have you considered a northern Mexican town?
Monterrey is a big city with plenty to offer and there are some beautiful small towns around it. To the south there is Villa de Santiago, very turistical and with a nice lake. Allende, Montemorelos, Linares, and all of them have beautiful seens and good weather and all the amenities of big cities like telephone, internet, cable and satellite tv, etc. Also one hour away from Monterrey is Saltillo, a nice and tranquile town, a little cold because it is kind of high.
North of Monterrey you can go to Cienega de Flores and several other nice towns on the way to Laredo TX.
I don’t know, these all might seem too noisy for you.
I am glad you are choosing Mexico to come and live. I hope you make it your home and come to love it the way we do.
Jorge Arturo
February 1, 2007The ministry of tourism web site of Queretaro, so you have a guide:
http://www.venaqueretaro.com/