Pueblo chico infierno grande

We were enjoying breakfast on a rooftop terrace overlooking Kool Beach in Playa Del Carmen. I was speaking with a local hostess about the property and the history of the town of Playa. She grew up in a small town and I asked her about various parts of Mexico and how they compared to Playa. Her response was this:

Pueblo chico infierno grande...which she translated for me.

Small town, big hell.


As we get older, we crave that smaller town feel of hospitality and warmth. When we lived in Toronto we barely knew our neighbours. In the town of Brantford it seems everyone knows everyone.

We spent the weekend in quaint Niagara-on-the-lake and inquired into housing prices. Everything was so fresh, so beautiful. People riding bicycles to vineyards, local markets, charming shops and B&B's and of course, everywhere we went we were surrounded by water.

Michael and I looked at each other. Why don't we live here?


The truth of the matter is, every city has it's advantages. I often crave the hustle and bustle the large metropolis's bring but it is always nice to come home to my quiet yard of swaying trees. Sometimes you want to go out and run errands and go unnoticed. When you live in a small town you are always guaranteed to bump into someone you know, even if you are not in the mood. They say to never get too close to your neighbours. It has it's advantages but when things go south, the comfort of home suddenly becomes tense. When you live in the concrete jungle, walls and elevators separate neighbours from friends.

Where is the ideal place to live? Isn't it always true that wherever we are, we wish to be somewhere else? When you're surrounded by people, you often want quiet. When things become dull, you crave the big city.  When I daydream of moving to rustic Italy, Michael often says I would miss the comforts of home. I wonder....would I eventually tire of walking and biking everywhere or would I truly soak up the Dolce Vita?

I guess for now....there's always vacations until we decide where we should end up. We were fortunate to meet so many people from around the world on this last trip who offered (and sincerely meant it) their homes when we visit....Mexico, Vancouver, England, U.S.A.

Where's your dream home located?