La Manzanilla

At the end of January, N & I headed down to Mexico with seven of our good friends. This trip had been a long time in the making. My MOH's parents discovered this lovely little town about 30 years ago & have been going down regularly since. Last winter, she looked at this beautiful villa & proposed we plan a trip down.

We jumped on the idea & booked the villa last spring. So we'd been anticipating the trip for almost a year by the time we went down. It turned out to be well worth the wait.

La Manzanilla is gorgeous - the weather was perfect, the villa was beautiful, & the food was the best I've had on any Mexican vacation to date.

The town is full of Canadians that head down every winter so we were in good company as we collectively escaped the frigid temperatures at home. We did, however, lower the average age by at least 30 years. Everywhere we went we got comments about how nice it was to see younger people around. & I have to agree; it was pretty nice. I'd gladly do it again anytime.

Because of all the expats, the restaurant options were amazing. On the beach, we usually ate at little Mexican palapas - enjoying fresh shrimp and some of the best fruit money can buy. Everything was so fresh. I've eaten one avocado since coming home & it was a sad experience after the perfect ones in La Manzanilla. I'm sure I'm not the only one wishing I was heading to Jolanda's tonight for the best fish & chips!

Most of our days were spent eating shrimp, drinking cheap beer & margaritas, & watching fisherman compete with pelicans for dorado. Luca took daily naps on a towel in the sand & got comfortable in the water. The adults boogie boarded, read, & enjoyed the beach every day. It's hard writing this as it's still very much winter in Canada.

This type of Mexican vacation probably isn't for everyone, though. The town is small, the streets are dusty, & there are dogs everywhere. I loved every minute of it. In fact, I think we all did. We've all wistfully talked of returning.

I don't usually do this, but since this post is so photo heavy, you can find the rest after the jump.

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What's going in my bag

We're going on vacation: a week of sun & sand & shenanigans with our friends down in Mexico. I can't wait to go barefoot every day & live in my bathing suit. It's going to be grand.

We've still got some time before we leave, but I've started thinking about what I'm going to bring. I've packed for many a trip & usually leave it to the last minute. Yup, I'm often that person - the one frantically packing at the very last minute. I've forgotten many things while packing for trips, but it generally all works out in the end.

I thought it'd be fun to go over some of the things I love for a week in the sun. Who doesn't like to see into people's suitcases? (Or is it just me who is super nosey? No? Ok, good!). Here's a few of the things I find necessary for a beach vacation.

1. Dresses. I've briefly touched on my dislike of pants. I wear dresses often, especially when it's hot. A few cute, breezy dresses are a must for me on any trip.
2. Cute shorts and bathing suits. Duh. It's hot & I don't like pants. Shorts are a must. & bathing suits, of course. I have a little collection, but this one is brand new & it's been a while since I've bought a brand new bathing suit. I'm excited. (& apparently I really love bright colours).
3. Plane wear. This usually consists of leggings, a comfy shirt, & a scarf for me. It's versatile enough for the temperature jump in either direction.
4. Flip Flops. More specifically havaianas. They're from Brazil and are my absolute favourite brand of flip flops ever. I don't wear anything else. Don't argue with me on this one: these are the best flippy floppies ever.
5. Comfy Runners. This year it's Vans. Last year it was TOMS. Either way, something lightweight and comfortable for the plane or a day of touring around. (although, let's be honest, will I ever take off my havs once we get there?)
6. Sunscreen. I don't wear a ton of sunscreen, but I do have to be careful not to burn. It's kind of a boring travel necessity. I like the sport brand cuz I'm sweaty.
7. Sunnies. Obs. These are just a cheap pair of knockoff Ray Bans.
8. Headbands. I love headbands. Who likes hair in their eyes? No one! Bondi Bands are my favourite, but Lululemon makes some cute ones too.
9. Passport. Super exciting, I know. It's a passport. It's Canadian. Enough said?
10. iPhone. I'll probably bring my DSLR as well, but iPhone are handy for snapping quick photos. I used to bring along a little point and shoot until I realized my iPhone photos were about the same quality. I guess it's either time for a better point and shoot or resign myself to iPhone photos.
11. Makeup. I don't usually wear makeup at the beach, but I do like to put a bit on at night. My essentials include BB cream, Bobbi Brown Gel Liner, & mascara.
12. Books & Journals. I always pack a good book (I haven't started this one yet, but I've heard good things. Fingers crossed!) & my journal. I love these Moleskine Journals & have been using them for years. It's nice to be able to have some kind of record of trips, even if I just manage a couple entries.

Obviously, this isn't everything I'll be bringing with me, but a few things that will definitely be making it into my bag. Inevitably, I'm sure I'll wind up with too many shoes (I'm still contemplating birkenstocks & a dressier pair) & more dresses than is ever necessary.

Now to get through a few more days of work. We're in countdown mode at home & it's making the time crawl.

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