I can't get her out of my mind.
She was my first love in Mexico. I knew I loved here even before I came here.
I met her on the internet. The home of electronic Xanadus and Rosebuds.
Her photographs were stunning. How could beauty like that be real?
And the prose was crafted from gossamer wings.
So, I flew to Mexico. Everything was almost as expected.
But reality has a way of fading our dreams. And this one ended as all fervent romances do -- with cooling coals.
Today, Jiggs and I drove over to see her again.
My first true Mexican love: La Manzanilla.
You can read about that first trip in a travel log in search of an editor.
The house that drew me to La Manzanilla is still on the market. It sits high on a hill with a view of Tenacatita Bay -- one of the loveliest spots on the face of the earth.
And it is listed at a price that would only get you three good Hondas. As I sat in the truck with Jiggs, all of those feelings I felt back in 2009 came welling up. It was just like seeing an old love. Because I was seeing an old love.
And it was the dilemma we have all faced in our lives: your mind says, it will not work; your heart says this is your dream.
You all know of my saga in Melaque. This summer of heat and bugs has taught me a lot about myself, and I have certainly had an opportunity to exercise my humor.
Add that to the other problems that exist in La Manzanilla: jungle growth, ejido land, lots and lots of steps, water issues, and infrastructure limitations.
This is the beautiful woman with twelve children, personal debts, five prior marriages (none resulting in legal divorces), who has several outstanding arrest warrants. But she assures you, with love you can work it all out.
The relationship where your friends start collecting money for deprogramming sessions.
The head should be a clear winner on this one. But, as I drove back to the house, my head and heart were having a WWF slam down.
My head won. It is hard to live a dream when the only thing keeping the bugs away from you is a river of sweat.
La Manzanilla and I have an understanding. We can't be just friends.
We will be ex-lovers.
