Casa Blanco

Casa Blanco - a few pics of the outside grounds

We're Here and Settled In!

Well, it's been a week since we arrived to our place in Chapala.  A whilwind to say the least.  The long 6 day drive was easier than we anticipated.........the four hounds were like having goldfish in the car - not a peep out of them the entire drive.  Our days on the road were uneventful, stopping every few hours at rest stops for a little break.  At one rest stop just outside of Arkansaw, we locked the keys in the van with three of the hounds in it!  After a call to roadside assistance and a short 20 minute delay, we were back on our way.  The drive thru Missouri was clearly a flood zone!  Rivers where streets use to be.  It was really quite amazing to see.  We crossed through Texas in one day and arrived in Laredo without a problem.  We crossed the border into Mexico at first daylight the next morning and you very quickly realized that "you weren't in Kansas anymore!"  2 minutes after crossing we were greeted by military uniformed men complete with black face masks and holding large rifles.  It was intimidating to say the least.  We then drove 6 hours to our mid way point - Matahula Mexico - we had reservations at a really nice little spot.  We decided to take the next day off the road and stayed an extra night there.  It was a basic accomodations but with a great fenced in area for the dogs to run.  We enjoyed the day using the pool and enjoying the hiking trails around the property.  Just what we needed after 5 solid days.  Left the next morning and continued the adventure through Mexico headed for our final destination.  The toll highways in Mexico are excellent, well marked and easy to travel.  The scenery was incredible, mountains, plains, huge cactus were abundant the entire route.  We pulled into our driveway here around 3pm that day and let the hounds out of the van without leashes for the first time in a week!  Needless to say they went tearing around the property and good ol" Mallie, twisted her ankle.  She spent that evening and the best part of the next day hobbling around and laying with ice packs. 
The dogs love this place.  Lots of room to run and they are enjoying sleeping on the verhandah outside our bedroom at night.  It's simply perfect.
We've accomplished alot this past week - installed a water purification system for the house, unpacked all our boxes, placed furniture, hung pictures, got our internet set up, hooked up our satalite dish for TV, met with a few neighbours, hung draperies, on and on it goes.
Tonight as I type this post, we are finally set up and are really starting to feel like we are at home here.  Driving vs. Flying really makes you realize just how far from Canada you are. 
The weather is pure heaven.  Hot days (85-90 degrees), sunny, a lovely breeze, no humidity!  Nights are cool and perfect for sleeping with just a light sheet.  The rainy season will begin in a couple of weeks and bring with it thunderstorms and rain throughout the night.  Days will remain sunny for the most part but a little cooler.  Average temps once the rains begin drop 10-15 degrees immediately.
As we sit on our verhandah this evening sipping our nice cool margaritas we continue to pinch ourselves that we were fortunate enough to find this little piece of paradise.
More to follow ..............
Adios Amigos
G&L
xo

Crossed into Mexico

Today we crossed into Mexico at the Laredo Crossing.  We have been 5 days since leaving Canada.  This post will be kind of short - tired!  But, wanted to give a little update as to our journey.
We travelled thru the States and saw all the flooded areas that you are seeing on CNN.  It really is something, huge deep rivers where streets use to be.  The state highways were all fine - we had no problems whatsoever on the entire trip.
Tonight we are in Matahula Mexico - this is a small Mexican town  6 hours south of the border.  We successfully found our way from the border thru the many zig and zags until we finally reached the toll hiway.  Got turned around twice but very quickly and easily figured it out. 
We are now only a 6 hour drive from our new Casa in Chapala.  We are planning on spending tomorrow here again at this resort to "take a day off the road and enjoy the pool, hiking trails and relax a little.  With all the media hype about the border towns in Mexico we were on our mark for the day.  All is good and the day went perfectly. 
All the Hounds have been "goldfish" in the car - not a peep out of them for the entire day and days. We have pushed them pretty hard with some days 8 -9 hours in the car.  They never complained, layed quietly and slept in a coma state./  They enjoyed the frequent "rest stop" stops with all the treed areas to roam around in.
Well folks, that's it for this post tonight, we're tired, sweaty and going to open a nice bottle of Merlot and go for a swim in this wonderful 90 degree weather!
I'll post again once we arrive to our new home.
Love U all.
Greg & Lori
xoxox

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On Our Way.....

Our Bags are Packed, We're Ready to Go!

Ok, the packers have been here for the past two days and eveything is packed and the balance of our things are being loaded on the truck .  A very interesting process - first they cardbord wrap, then shrinkwrap everything, it's then loaded onto a truck, taken to a warehouse facality in Toronto, unloaded off and put into wooden crates.  It's all then sealed up, labeled and loaded again into a trailer and off it goes to Laredo Texas.  Once in Texas it's off loaded, picked up by our Mexican Movers and Customs Broker and taken into Mexico.  It all goes into an inspection warehouse, is inspected and finally cleared into Mexico.  Quite the process, we just hope and pray that it arrives in good shape!  Oh Well, too late now to worry about that..........
   We are in the process of loading up the Van, the Dogs, our gear and ourselves and  plan to be on the road to begin our journey early Thursday morning. 
We'll try and post a couple of times while on route but that will depend on internet availability.  Don't worry, we'll be fine and will email all when we arrive to our final destination
Mexico Here We Come!
Will take us approximately 7 days..............
Hasta Luego Amigo's
Greg & Lori
& The Travelling Hounds
xoxo