About living abroad
About living abroad
MAHAHUAL – ,,I actually wanted to start all over again. No sea for a while, just as far away from everything. My fantasy was to start something deep and high in the mountains. Chiapas, for example. But yes, then Carolien called and I couldn't resist helping out.” Gerben Hartskeerl (56) grins a little pained and talks in a deep, smoky voice.…
PLAYA DEL CARMEN – How do you distinguish yourself as a hotel in a very touristic city like Playa del Carmen in Mexico? Francis Deyne goes with his small-scale boutique Bloom! for the personal approach and prepares a delicious breakfast for its guests every day. "I think it's especially important that I get the opportunity to meet them." Personal approach Bloom!…
PLAYA DEL CARMEN - Brabanders and Latinos are quite similar in many respects. That's why relationships between them work so well. Rosan Ouwerkerk (51) from Eindhoven works as a systemic therapist in the Mexican coastal town of Playa del Carmen and specializes in multicultural relationships. Control Her washing machine is malfunctioning. A repairman looks at it and after half an hour of work comes up with…
XOCCHEL - Franky Pons (38) and his soon-to-be Adriana Flores Lopez have been living in the Mexican jungle for eight years, not far from the wonder of the world Chichén Itzá. Their self-built house is far from finished. It may never be completely finished, but isn't the road to it the most interesting? About being one with nature. About the not…
MAHAHUAL – Several cruises dock in Mahahual, Mexico, every day. Then the tiny Caribbean fishing village is flooded with mainly American seniors and the prices of the catering industry on the beautiful boulevard automatically shoot up. But a few kilometers further south you will find almost untouched nature. The rustic, crystal clear blue Caribbean Sea. The palm trees, white beaches, unlimited greenery. Countless birds…
PLAYA DEL CARMEN – Steven Koevoet (52) from Vlaardingen is an all-round tour guide from Playa del Carmen, Mexico. He ended up there 26 years ago during a tour and spontaneously decided to take cave diving lessons. And never left. We agreed to meet at a quarter past six in the morning at the corner of the In Najil Xook school, just outside the town of Tulum. From…
MEXICO CITY – Croque madame, eclairs, meat croquettes or a delicious portion of fries with stew, served with a Brugse Zot on tap. This is Mexico City's popular Condesa neighborhood, where you'll find trendy restaurants to choose from. Glenn van Damme (33) from Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and his Mexican girlfriend Gypsy Lara (29) opened their own restaurant Frituur here on Thursday. Right, the…
NEVADO DE TOLUCA – ,,Honestly: a hike like this is now really an egg for me”, says Coen van den Akker (45), and continues walking with a firm pace. We are on top of the Mexican volcano Nevado de Toluca, at an altitude of over 4600 meters. The thin air makes breathing difficult, but the views make up for it and are literally breathtaking. By…
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE – Not far from the fairytale center of Mexican San Miguel de Allende, is the fairytale palace of Ben (74) and Margaret Gall. The high, robust tower of the house already stands out from the main road, because of its almost kitschy battlements. Once inside the four walls, you will be amazed…
MEXICO CITY – Reinhard Stege (1963) was born in Germany, but has been living in Mexico since 1965. ,,My father is Bolivian and studied in Germany. There he met my mother and found work. That company wanted to expand to Latin America”, he explains the history. They first go to Bolivia, then six months in Brazil and, as Reinhard, two years…