In Mexico's best places, life slows down—and your passions return.

DAILY POSTCARD  | SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2026 Dear International Living reader, For 30 years, Bel Woodhouse's creativity lay dormant. Then she took the chance and moved to Cozumel in Mexico, a tropical island paradise. She now lives her days in a free art gallery. Six-foot murals fill street walls and sides of buildings populate the landscape with color and beauty.  Combined with the laidback lifestyle reducing her stress, her artistic side reawakened and she now lives her life making her own art.  If that doesn't sound like a dream life, I don't know what does… P.S. For the next 48 hours only, you can get our Mexico In-Depth: Close to Home and Close to Perfect bundle—valued at $245—FREE when you join International Living. This offer is only good for the next 2 days. Get all the details here. Mexico Reawakened My Creativity By Bel Woodhouse  My favorite thing about Mexico is the art. It's everywhere. Like a free art gallery, just walking down the street is amazing, bringing me joy. Actually, its beauty has reawakened my creativity and artistic side, which has been dormant for nearly 30 years.  How could it not when huge six-foot murals fill street walls or the entire side of buildings? Take my local supermarket, for example. There is a 20-foot Sea Wall mural Su Vida es Nuestra Vida (Their Life is Our Life), with a powerful message. Part of the Artists for Oceans project, which is present in major cities worldwide, seeing amazing art like this daily has awakened something in me.  Su Vida es Nuestra Vida tells the story of the endangered coati, found only on Cozumel, and its relationship with the ocean. The vibrancy and talent of Mexican artists shine throughout the Rivera Maya region. It's one of the major reasons I chose to live here. That and the laidback island life, which reduced my stress to almost zero, so my creativity could bloom. Instead of rushing out the door and being stuck in traffic on the way to work, now I rush out the door, excited to go for a swim. To dive into that beautiful, warm, crystal-clear Caribbean water and enjoy seeing tropical fish and swaying sea fans. Oftentimes delighted by an angelfish's dance as they circle one another, or that sweet little spotted eel who is always sticking his nose into the reef's nooks and crannies looking for breakfast.  Then, on the way home, I see beautiful street art. Now, wouldn't you prefer to start your day this way?  As I said, spectacular art runs throughout the region. A friend and I popped over to Playa del Carmen last week for some shopping and enjoyed the latest murals in downtown. Vibrant oranges seemed to glow along the streets, an honor to the ancestors for Day of the Dead. Marigolds are associated with Day of the Dead and decorate the beautiful altars as gifts to loved ones. Seeing art like this reawakened something in me. The talent of Mexican artists is staggering. I've traveled through over 50 countries and not seen its equal. And trust me, being an art lover, I pay attention.  But it's more than that. Most people enjoy art. But these artworks shine big, bold, and bright, making you pay attention. Just the other day, while walking in my neighbourhood, an elderly couple were standing in the road, admiring a huge mural covering the side of a house.  We had a lovely conversation when they asked if I knew about this piece. Explaining it was a part of the Sea Wall project, they were delighted to hear its story. Even more delighted to know there were more, they looked up the website there and then, and were off to explore the other murals. It makes my heart smile to know their day would be filled with beautiful art, and it's free for all.   It has the same effect on me. Art was my favorite class in school, and I used to sketch a lot.  Then art got lost in life. I think this also happens to a lot of people. Life takes over, and we prioritize work, careers, making money, etc. Our creativity is put on hold for those rare weekends when maybe we'll find time.  But living in Mexico, the warmth of its culture and supportive artistic people changed everything for me. Slowly, my artist's heart began to reawaken and open. Combining and indulging two of my greatest passions, nature and art, I'm now a botanical artist.  These beautiful botanicals were found on a walk around my neighborhood after Hurricane Beryl. Called Beryl's Beauties, this page was published in Mexico News Daily.  My favorite mornings are those sitting on my balcony with a pot of tea, happily sketching in my botanical sketchbook. On the days I'm not swimming, of course. In fact, walking to swimming is one of my greatest inspirations. Walking along with the Caribbean on one side and the jungle on the other, inevitably, there is something that tickles my fancy. A towering flowering display of a vine. Or the gentle hum of native stingless bees enjoying gorgeous passionflowers. Fun fact, I've found seven different species of passionflower on the island, one of which is slightly sticky and carnivorous, who knew!  Beautiful flowers, amazing native plants, their medicinal properties etc., each page of my sketchbook is dedicated to one. Like this native Mexican poppy: Mexican Prickly Poppies grow along the roadside, delighting me with their cheery yellow flowers. All these wonders make me get out more. I'm healthier because I want to explore the natural world around me. Long rambling walks hold a wealth of treasures. Berries and fruits, nuts and seedpods, they all delight me. An assortment of seedpods in ink delighted the botanical art school ladies. I share a plant a week on the school's site. It's an amazing, supportive community of kindred spirits that love seeing the beauty of the Mexican Caribbean. So thank you, Mexico. Living here in a tropical island paradise has opened my creativity and my heart. Mexico's vibrant artistic culture has healed me in ways I'd never dreamed of. As if a part of me that was lost has nestled back into place, and now I am whole. All by just walking down the street, being surrounded by beauty and art. Editor's Note: Bel's life in Cozumel shows what expat life can look like. And this is just one of the many vibrant areas waiting for you in Mexico. We bring them all to you with our Mexico In-Depth: Close to Home and Close to Perfect bundle—packed with everything you need to know about what life is really like as a retiree living in Mexico. This powerful resource takes you as close to living in Mexico as you can get without buying a ticket, flying there, and getting a private tour guide. And you can get it for FREE when you join International Living here before midnight on Monday. A warmer life in Mexico is waiting for you. Recommended Resource: American's Favorite Retirement Town? No, it's not in the U.S.... It's in Mexico instead. Find out more.     Cabo: Where Desert, Sea, and Opportunity Converge By International Living Inbox too crowded? Don't worry—if you can't keep up with our International Living Postcards every day, click here to switch to the Weekly Best of IL Postcards instead. If you no longer wish to receive IL Postcards, click here to unsubscribe. The mailbox associated with this email address is not monitored, so please do not reply. Your feedback is very important to us, so if you would like to contact us with a question or comment, please click here. © 2026 International Living Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Protected by copyright laws of the United States and international treaties. 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