Enjoying life after early retirement, while living in Mexico, traveling by RV in Mexico, getting involved in our Mexican community, and learning new, fun ways to get our daily exercise. Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico!
Jon Golfing in San Pancho Sunday, August 31, 2014
Looking Back at Our Golfing Days ⛳
Golfing was the perfect excuse to take a leisurely
walk through this beautiful, tropical garden/golf course in San Pancho, enjoying the scenery as much as
the game. This was before we officially moved to Mexico, when we were still
living in our motorhome at the Sayulita Trailer Park. It was a favorite period
in our lives, filled with simple pleasures, adventures, and the freedom to come
and go as we pleased. Looking at these old photos brings back wonderful
memories of those days—and reminds me how much life has changed since then.
Terry Golfing at Field of Dreams 03-17-2017
Campo de Golf
Ensueรฑo, Monteรณn, Nayarit
After we purchased our casita in Sayulita, we discovered a
small, inexpensive golf course called Field of Dreams (Campo de Golf Ensueรฑo),
near Monteรณn, Nayarit. It was about 15 miles away by taxi, but that didn't stop
us from making the trip to enjoy a round of golf. Later, when we parked our
motorhome in Lo de Marcos, the course was only about four miles north on the
highway. It was a convenient little getaway and another way to enjoy Mexico's beautiful outdoors.
Now, life has come full circle in a different way. We've
sold our motorhome, and we're selling our RV lot in Lo de Marcos. We're also
letting go of our golf clubs and bags. These things hold memories of years
spent exploring, playing, and enjoying life together in Mexico. It's
bittersweet to say goodbye to them, but we're ready for the next chapter.
Men's
Left-Handed Delta X-4200 Golf Club Set + Bennington Bag – $3,500
Jon's Left-handed Delta X-4200 golf club set and Bennington Golf Bag
Complete left-handed golf set — ready to play!⛳️
Selling a men's left-handed Delta X-4200 golf club set with
a Bennington golf bag.
Includes:
·3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 irons
·Pitching
wedge (P)
·Sand
wedge
·Putter
·3
fairway woods: 3, 5, and 7
Bennington Golf Bag in Very Good Condition
·Bennington
golf bag with Snap-on Hood
The clubs have been lightly used, and the grips are in very
good condition. There is some normal cosmetic wear from use, but
overall they are in good condition.
Men's Left-Handed Delta X-4200 Golf Clubs, Lightly Used
Grips of Left-Handed Clubs in Very Good Condition
The clubs were used by a man approximately 5'10" tall.
$3,500 MXN for everything.
๐
Puerto Vallarta, Col. Emiliano Zapata
Great complete set for a left-handed golfer looking for an affordable set
without having to buy clubs individually.
Carrying the Symbol of My Burden on the Camino Inglรฉs
Before I walked the Camino Inglรฉs from Ferrol to Santiago de
Compostela, I learned about a tradition that touched me deeply.
Pilgrims sometimes carry an object with personal meaning in
their backpack—a rock, a seashell, a bracelet, a photograph, or another small
memento representing something they are carrying emotionally. Somewhere along
the Camino, they leave that object behind.
The symbolism is simple and powerful: You lay down your burden and continue walking.
For me, I decided to carry a rock.
This Heart-Shaped Rock Represented My Burden
Before leaving Puerto Vallarta, I walked along Playa Los Muertos looking
for a heart-shaped stone—preferably one that looked like a broken heart. It
would represent the load I carried, trying to be a caregiver for my husband
with Parkinson’s disease, from afar.
He had moved out of our home over a year ago, yet still asked for my help at times. He
wanted to live independently, but sometimes struggled with decision-making,
especially regarding meals. I was grappling with being a caregiver from a mile
away and still allowing him the freedom he wanted.
As I walked the beach, I found a small, multicolored reddish rock with dark veins
running through it. It was roughly heart-shaped. Close enough.
When I got home, it dried and turned an ugly orange. I
considered going back to the beach to find a better one. A prettier one. A perfect
one.
Then I caught myself. No one would see this rock but me. It
wasn't supposed to be perfect. It was a symbol.
I rinsed the salt off, and as it got wet, something
magical happened. It turned red again.
I watched it dry and change back to its homely orange color.
I smiled. It was perfect after all—a little reminder that things can look
completely different depending on how we see them.
My New Gregory Maya 20L Women's Backpack
I packed it in my new red backpack.
And then I carried that little broken-heart rock more than 120
kilometers across northern Spain, from Ferrol to Santiago de Compostela.
As
I walked, I looked for the right place to leave it.
I saw stones, seashells, and Camino bracelets
piled on top of the granite kilometer markers along the trail. But those places
didn't feel right for me.
This Kilometer Marker had Many Mementos on Top
One day I stood on a hill overlooking farmland and forests and thought
about how much my husband had always loved building homes on hills with a view. Should I leave it here?
View of Farmland and Forests from a Hilltop on the Camino Inglรฉs
But I realized this wasn't about Jon.
It was about me.
So I kept walking. I knew I would recognize the right place when I found it. And if I didn't, I would carry the rock home.
Or perhaps throw it into a river or stream somewhere in Galicia. Maybe into
the Eume River Estuary in Pontedeume on my 70th birthday? Water has always been my happy place.
Video: Camino Inglรฉs—My CaminoTranquilo
Day 3.
The
Eume River Estuary in Pontedeume, Galicia, Spain.
I looked for the right place to lay down my heart-shaped rock every day during the eleven
days of walking my CaminoTranquilo, my slow Camino. I didn’t
feel any place was right for laying down my burden.
When I arrived at the Cathedral de Santiago, still carrying my broken-heart
stone, I thought about leaving it somewhere in the plaza. I walked around the majestic
cathedral several times over the next few days, and nothing felt right. With so
many pilgrims and tourists visiting the popular resting place of St. James, nowhere
was private enough for my personal ritual.
Terry Turrell Arrived at the Cathedral de Santiago
Then, on my last day in Spain, I traveled by bus to Finisterre—the “end of
the earth.”
There I stood before the intensely blue, almost cerulean Atlantic
Ocean, watching waves crash against enormous granite boulders.
Finisterre—the “End of the Earth".
Blue Water of the Atlantic Ocean
And then I saw it.
A tall granite cross, perhaps ten feet high, standing on a pedestal atop
a massive boulder. Around its base were stones, seashells, notes,
and other small mementos left by pilgrims.
The Granite Cross at Finisterre, Galicia
This was one of the places where pilgrims traditionally leave something
behind, to symbolically release their burdens and troubles.
I thought, Is this where I should leave my rock? But somehow, it didn't feel right.
I wandered away from the crowds and climbed onto an enormous granite
boulder overlooking the ocean.
I sat alone in the sunshine, listening to the waves crashing far below.
And suddenly I knew. I pulled my little rock from my backpack.
In the bright sunlight, it looked even homelier than I remembered—orange
with gray veins running through it. I placed it in a bed of greenish-gray lichen on the giant granite
boulder.
My Broken-Heart Rock on a Lichen-Covered Granite Boulder
It looked incredibly small and insignificant against the enormous stone
beneath it.
Then I had an idea. I took out my water bottle and poured a few drops
over the rock. It began to turn red.
I poured a little more. The color deepened.
A few more drops, and a tiny stream of water trickled down the side of
the boulder.
It looked as though my broken heart was crying.
My Broken-Heart Rock Was Red, And Crying
And in that moment, I was ready. I left the rock at Finisterre.
For me, it represented letting go of my need to control someone I love.
Letting go of the constant worry. Letting go of the belief that I could somehow
make another person's choices better.
I could still love.
I could still help.
I could still offer suggestions.
But I didn't have to control.
I walked away feeling lighter.
The Camino didn't magically solve anything. The hard work was still ahead
of me.
The real journey would be learning to become more patient, more
compassionate, and gentler with myself—and with the person I love.
I had walked more than 120 kilometers carrying that little rock.
But somewhere at the end of the earth, I finally realized that I
didn't have to carry it anymore.
Maybe that's what the Camino does.
Sometimes we walk hundreds of kilometers to discover that the burden we
have been carrying was never meant to come all the way home with us.
Ultreรฏa.
Onward. ๐❤️
Terry L Turrell, Author
At the Finisterre Kilometer 00 Granite Camino Marker
"The End of the World", The End of My Journey
My experience on the Camino also brought me back to a theme I explore in my novel Mexico For Better or For Worse: the emotional burden of loving and caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease. In the third novel of the series, Jake and Lindsay face advancing Parkinson’s, suspected dementia, medication challenges, and the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic while trying to hold onto their life in Mexico. Their story is fictional, but many of the emotions surrounding love, caregiving, and letting go come from real-life experience.
In the
third novel of this riveting series, a couple faces insurmountable odds,
battling advancing Parkinson’s disease, access to medication, and other
healthcare challenges in Mexico while the world is gripped by the coronavirus
pandemic.
Jake
and Lindsay fell in love with Sayulita, Mexico. As long-time partners, lovers,
and best friends, they have endured Jake’s illnesses, bipolar disorder,
shifting from manic phases to depression, and Parkinson's disease over the past
few years. But now, a new unpredictable catastrophe has turned their world
upside down.
I’m always looking for new ways to reduce everyday plastic use. Recycling and reusing help—but I’ve come to believe that reducing is what really makes a difference.
I had three more discoveries recently. Almond butter packaged in glass was a challenge, but I found it on Amazon. Buying the M
de Manรญ Almendrina two-pack of the largest jar size is the most economical. Even better, this is made by a Mexican company, so there are no import costs.
Stur Lemon-Lime Electrolyte Packets
Finding ways to avoid purchasing electrolyte solutions and
sports drinks in plastic bottles has been one of my biggest goals. It’s
discouraging to see how many bottles of Electrolit rehydration drinks are
consumed in Mexico, each one creating another piece of plastic waste.
Discovering Stur electrolyte packets was a real win. I ordered it online from
iHerb.
One packet mixed into a 16-ounce reusable water bottle
provides effective hydration with a good balance of potassium and sodium. As
I’ve mentioned before, Clamato is one of my favorite post-walk drinks after
time in the heat—which is why I couldn’t resist sneaking it into the photo
above.
I Switched to Nellie's Dishwasher Detergent in a Metal Tin
I cringe every time I reach for my dishwasher
detergent and pick up that familiar plastic jug of Cascade Dishwasher
Detergent. I try to make it last longer by only filling the dispenser about
two-thirds full, but even then, I know I’ll eventually need to replace yet
another plastic container.
So I was genuinely excited to discover Nellie’s
Dishwasher Powder Tin—a dishwasher detergent that comes packaged in a reusable
metal tin. Even better? It works just as well as what I was using before.
Nellie’s is made in Canada, so importation fees make it a bit more expensive
here in Mexico. I purchased mine through iHerb.
Another plastic-free option is Cascade Complete Powder Dishwasher Detergent,
which comes in a cardboard box instead of plastic. However, it’s also imported
into Mexico and tends to cost more than the standard Cascade Dishwasher
Detergent in plastic packaging.
Thank you so much for reading my blogs and books. If you find them helpful or enjoyable, I’d truly appreciate you sharing them with others. And if you have a moment to leave a review, it makes a big difference and helps other readers discover my work.
You can find all eight of my books on my Amazon Author Page—always free with a Kindle Unlimited membership.
Panoramic View of Banderas
Bay and Puerto Vallarta
From Mirador Cerro de la Cruz
While there are
several routes to the best viewpoint in Puerto Vallarta, I chose to start
walking from my home in the Romantic Zone. I’m training to walk the
119-kilometer Camino de Santiago Inglรฉs in Spain, so the route through Isla Cualeoffered the perfect warm-up with a few gentle hills.
Here are a few
of the views along my route to the hilltop cross. Below, I’ve included a
walking map.
The First
Mural after the Pedestrian Bridge to Isla Cuale
Starting from Tintoque, Aquiles Serdรกn 445
Up the Stairs and Over La Iguana Bridge to Gringo Gulch
Video: Crossing the Rรญo Cuale on the Iguana Bridge
The River View and Steps Toward Gringo Gulch
Gringo Gulch is Beginning
to Look Like Old Spain
At Cuauhtรฉmoc
21, Puerto Vallarta Centro
Puente del Amor (Bridge of Love) on C. Zaragoza
Connecting the
two buildings of Famous Casa Kimberly
Following Google Maps
on my watch, it indicated that I should turn right at C. Zaragoza 399. There I
found another long set of rustic steps climbing steeply uphill, though there
were no signs indicating the way to the viewpoint. To be sure I was headed in the
right direction, I asked a local man while pointing up the stairway, “La
Cruz?”—meaning, “Is this the way to the cross?” He nodded with a smile and
gestured upward. “Sรญ, el mirador,” he said.
Another
long stairway at C. Zaragoza 399.
No sign, but these steps lead up toward
the viewpoint.
I Stopped to Rest
and Appreciate the Views
I Love this Old Wooden Door on C. Emilio Carranza
Pink
Trumpet Tree blooming on Emilio Carranza
I dug my water
bottle out of my backpack while admiring the views along Emilio Carranza and
took a long drink. The temperature was already over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and
I’m no spring chicken. I didn’t want to become a casualty of dehydration or
heat stroke, and realized I should have added a packet of electrolytes to my
water before leaving home.
Then I realized
I was hungry and hadn’t packed any food. That was the second rule I had broken
for hiking. In training for the Camino de Santiago, I’ve learned that finding
food for sale along the way can sometimes be a challenge. Fortunately, I
spotted a tienda, a small store, up ahead and decided to stop in and look for a somewhat
healthy snack.
I was grateful for this tienda on Emilio Carranza
and Alicia
Platanitos, a Salty Crisp Plantain Snack
Finally, a sign that I was on the right path to the Hill of the Cross.
A roadside shrine to the Virgin of the Hill along Calle Aldama
while climbing toward the Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint.
The Last Steep Climb to the Viewpoint—Or So I Thought
This stairway climbs beside abandoned funicular
tracks.
My
First Glimpse of Banderas Bay and the Long Climb Below
A Bench
By the Viewpoint Mural, One Flight of Stairs Below the Cross
I set my
backpack down and leaned my walking poles against the bench—a small sign that I
had reached my destination. From there, I still had two pinnacles to choose
from to finish the climb: the cross or the mirador platform. I chose the cross,
and the final steps were worth it.
It was my first
time making the climb to the cross at Mirador Cerro de la Cruz, even
though I’ve lived in Puerto Vallarta for almost five years. Reaching the
top felt like a small personal victory—and I was proud of myself.
The Cross at the Cerro de la Cruz Viewpoint
Overlooking Banderas Bay and Puerto Vallarta
How Do
You Walk to the Cerro de la Cruz Viewpoint?
My Google
Maps walking map below shows a distance of about 1 kilometer and an
estimated 19-minute walk from Tintoque Restaurant, across Isla Rรญo Cuale,
and up through the hillside neighborhoods to the Mirador Cerro de la Cruz.
Of course, that estimate doesn’t account for the steep climb—or stopping along
the way to rest and enjoy the views. It took me almost an hour to reach the
summit and about 30 minutes to walk back down. If you decide to take this
route, I recommend allowing about two hours so you can enjoy the walk at a
relaxed pace.
A Story Inspired by Life in Mexico
Living
in Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita has inspired many of my stories about
life in Mexico, including my novels. If you enjoy
stories about life in Mexico, you might like my novel, Mexico For Better or
For Worse. The story follows Jake and Lindsay, an expat couple living in
Sayulita, as they navigate serious health challenges and the uncertainty of the
COVID-19 pandemic while trying to hold on to the life they built together in
Mexico.
Complete set of women's right-handed golf clubs — 12 clubs +
bag
Puerto Vallarta, Col. Emiliano Zapata
.jpg "Terry L Turrell, Author Amazon Author Page")
