Playa Del Carmen: An Explosion of Color

It seems that the buzz in Playa del Carmen revolves entirely around the wonderful beaches and finger-sucking gastronomy for most visitors. Fifth Avenue, the “tourist trap”, as some have called it, features bars upon bars and restaurants upon restaurants just a block away from the beautiful and cool Caribbean Ocean.

Vendors of all types are try to sell you everything, from shirts to souvenirs, to carved wooden masks. But what lies beyond the obvious? Many have claimed that Playa del Carmen is fun, but that it is missing something. There is no culture, no art, and no creativity, some have said. Of course, someone who is too scared to wander off the beaten path and retreats to their 5-star resort won’t see it. But in reality, Playa del Carmen is plastered in art.

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Playa del Carmen is a popular and international destination, attracting all kinds of tourists. Amongst these are many artists hoping to leave a mark before moving onto another city. The town prides itself in having such a large and emergent art scene. But, are you missing it?

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Street art – not graffiti – is an art style developed in public spaces; anything from stencil graffiti to flash mobs or street installations is considered as such. Strolling just off Fifth Avenue, onto the more local beaches, you will find an explosion of color and outstanding street art worthy of a mention.

Although the Colosio neighborhood (past CTM, or 46th street and 5th Avenue) has a reputation of being rowdy, both visitors and locals use the walls throughout this neighborhood as canvas, creating beautiful – and sometimes powerful – works of art. While it is still light outside, it is worth a visit. Anytime after 5pm locals are gathered on the streets enjoying a cool beer and reminiscing about their weekends.

Local joggers, dog walkers, and couples hang out on the streets to enjoy the afternoon surrounded by colorful paintings created by ghosts – who are these artists? If you’re trying to gain insight on the actual Playa del Carmen lifestyle, this is where you ought to go. Not only is the area a great spot for people watching and for learning the customs of the real Playa del Carmen people (not the one following you on 5th Avenue trying to get you to buy a tour), but it is also a great display of creativity and imagination.

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As everyone knows, Mexicans are nothing short of colorful, in their customs, traditions, language and art. While we won’t trash on the appeal and attractiveness of the tourist part of Playa del Carmen – it certainly has its charm – we will encourage everyone, or anyone with a passion for unique sightings, to stroll on past what seems the end to find a world that others can only imagine.

If your mind is set on taking a break from being a tourist and wants to venture deep into the entrails of this beautiful city, you know where to go.

Top Mexico Real Estate is a leading real estate company set in Playa del Carmen. Catering to foreigners wanting to invest in a home in paradise, our Top Mexico Buyer’s Representatives are readily available to help you. Feel free to contact us and let us help you find the home of your dreams.

And remember, here at Top Mexico Real Estate

We Make It Happen!

Tipping in Mexico: 5 Things You Need to Know!

Mexico is a beautiful country full of diverse landscapes, a rich cultural heritage and prideful people. One of the things that stand out to many visitors is the joy by which Mexicans live their day to day lives, always with a smile on their face. This is evident when it comes to the staff working in customer service. You will often receive excellent service in Mexico that exceeds your expectations and that is when the question arises…

When and how much should I tip in Mexico?

There are the traditional tips we all give to waiters, bartenders and hotel maids, but there are also many other situations unique to Mexico where a tips are welcome, and it’s important for travelers or foreigners living in Mexico to know about these customs.

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  1. Restaurants and Bars: If you eating at a taco cart where one person is serving, cooking and charging you for the food it is not necessary to tip. If you are dining at a small business and there is a person who brings food to your table and takes care of you, you should leave at least a10% tip based on consumption. If you are dining in a fine dining establishment the tip should be at least 15% and if you receive exceptional service you might want to leave a 20% tip. Many restaurants in Mexico pay their server’s minimum wage and the server share their tips with the other staff members such as the bartenders, kitchen and cleaning crew. Tipping really makes the difference for these people and their families.

2.    Gas Station Attendant: In Mexico, all gas stations have full service attendants, meaning you will never have to pump your own gas again. Many of the attendants work on a voluntary basis and they depend on your tips to survive. For a regular service of filling your car with gas and cleaning your windshield, you can tip 5 pesos, if you need additional services such as checking the oil or the air in your tires, or vacuuming out the inside of your car, a 15 – 20 pesos tip is adequate.

3.    Groceries Bagger: This is another example of voluntary work, where school child or elderly people bag your groceries. If you are buying just a few items it is normal to leave a couple pesos. If you’re doing your weekly shopping you should tip between 5 and 10 pesos and if you need help carrying stuff to your car or to load something, you should tip between 20 – 50 pesos; depending on the size and weight of items.

4.    Musicians: While this is not mandatory to tip musicians at a bar or restaurant, you can leave a tip to show them that you appreciate them and enjoyed their music! Again many of the musicians survive only on the tips they are given.

5.    Outstanding Job: If someone exceeds your expectations and they were particularly helpful or just made your day, it is important to recognize their service and offer a tip. Many times they will insists on not taking your money, you can always say: para tu refresco, which means for a soda, this usually shuts the discussion down and the person graciously accepts the money.

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Mexico is very different from other parts of the world and many foreigners are not aware of the costumes and ways here. We hope this has answered all of your tipping questions and helps you get around in Mexico.

Christmas Celebrations in Mexico: Posadas, Guadalupe-Reyes and Others!

If you are visiting or live in the Playa del Carmen area, be ready to have a different Christmas experience. Many celebrations are still attached to religious dates and traditions, some of them are similar to other countries and some others are very unique.

We have listed some of the holiday celebrations you will find in Mexico, and the meanings of the celebrations; so if you get invited to a Posada, or get the “Mono” in the King’s day bread you know what people are talking about.

Guadalupe- Reyes:

This is the name given to the festivities that surround Christmas: starting on the 12th of December celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe and including Christmas, King’s day (January 6th) and for some people even Candlemas (February 2nd).

The Virgin of Guadalupe:

Christmas Celebrations in Mexico start with the festivities offered to the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12th. The Virgin of Guadalupe is the Patron Saint of Mexico, and has millions of devoted followers, every year in the Riviera Maya you can see guys running or biking on the roads carrying her image.

In the city, you might see groups of people marching in the streets carrying the image of the virgin, and using fireworks before arriving to the church to pray and hear mass. These celebrations go for many days previous and after the 12th of December.

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Posadas:

Mexico celebrates Christmas with a variety of religious events, to commemorate the birth of baby Jesus and one of the most traditional is the Posadas.

Posadas starts on December 16th, and it commemorate the 9 day journey Joseph and Mary took to Belem. According to the tradition, Joseph, accompanied by his wife Mary, walked from the town of Nazareth in Belem to meet their tax obligations. Upon arrival, the Virgin was about to give birth, and they went to inns and homes asking for shelter. After being rejected many times, they took refuge in a barn where baby Jesus was finally born.

Posadas can come in any shape, from traditional style with the figures of Joseph and Mary being carried away from home to home, the traditional song asking for shelter and finally praying the rosary; followed with a party with food, drinks and a pinata.

If you have human contact of any sort, expect to be invited to many posadas a week; they can be organized by work, school institutions, and so on. Not surprisingly, people put on some extra pounds in this period!!!

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Cena de Navidad (Dec 24th):

One of the things that confuse foreigners the most is the fact that Mexicans celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve: there is a big dinner with friends and family, then presents are opened and everyone stays up late!

For dinner, Mexicans have traditional offerings such as: turkey, pork tenderloin, ham or they go for Mexican Christmas dishes such as: Bacalao, Romeritos or traditional Tamales.

Dia de Reyes (King’s Day, Jan 6th):

According to the Gospel of Matthew, the three wise men found the divine child by following a star across the desert for twelve days to Bethlehem. Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar — representing Europe, Arabia, and Africa respectively– travelled by horse, camel, and elephant in order to present baby Jesus with gifts.

In Mexico, this festivity closes the Guadalupe- Reyes period and it is celebrated by joining friends and family and sharing some “Rosca de Reyes”, a traditional bread that has dried fruit on top and a hidden figure of baby Jesus is baked inside. If you get the baby Jesus figurine, prepare yourself to offer a party with Tamales on El dia de la Candelaria!

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Dia de la Candelaria (Candlemas, Feb 2nd):

If you haven’t eaten enough by now, Candlemas brings one last celebration. The people that got the baby figurine in the Rosca de Reyes has to offer a party with Tamales and Atole, and the festivities are finally over!

Celebrating Christmas in Mexico can be surprisingly different or familiar, depending of your country of origin. What is important is keeping an open mind to enjoy everything the festivities have to offer.

Here at Top Mexico Real Estate, we hope you have a wonderful time! Happy Holidays!

Awaken the New Year with Yoga in the Riviera Maya

Every year, hundreds of visitors arrive to the Riviera Maya looking for the perfect getaway: tropical weather, sandy beaches and beautiful turquoise waters!  But there are some that look for something else, a combination between a relaxing holiday and the opportunity to deepen their Yoga practice.

Yoga is very popular all over the Riviera Maya, and hotels and specialized retreats cater to the needs of a growing number of tourists that look for yoga classes, specialized yoga retreats or even teacher training courses.

10 reasons to have your yoga getaway in the Riviera Maya!

There are many Yoga destinations, but something that makes the Riviera Maya so unique is the opportunity to mix your practice with marvelous experiences, such as:

  1. Explore ancient Mayan ruins.
  2. Enjoy the many beautiful beaches throughout the area.
  3. Experience the awe of swimming in an underground river.
  4. Go snorkeling, fishing or diving… you know you want to!
  5. Connect with nature, visit the many nature reserves in the area: Isla Contoy and Sian Ka’an are excellent natural havens.
  6. Wake up early and enjoy the wonderful sunrise.
  7. Look up to the starry night.
  8. Experience the sacred cenotes of the region.
  9. Escape the cold winter back home.
  10. Meditate on the beach.

And above all, experience and learn more about Yoga!!!

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A New Year of Yoga Retreats:

New Year’s Hot Bikram Yoga Retreat

Casa Om in Cancun

December 28th–January 3rd, 2015

Ring in the New Year and cleanse the soul at this hot Bikram Yoga Retreat. This retreat is an excellent way to take care of the mind and body after the busy holiday season and celebrate the New Year. Siri Om, the retreat instructor and owner of Casa Om, has a love for yoga that is effervescent and will inspire you to new heights in your practice. Casa Om is located directly across from the turquoise blue water of the Caribbean Sea. It features a swimming pool, koi pond, ten luxury bedrooms and a gourmet vegetarian kitchen with gluten free and vegan options. The one thing Casa Om suggests that you bring to the retreat is a spirit of adventure and an appetite for fun! Are you ready to ring in the New Year at Casa Om?

PACKAGES INCLUDE:

  • Accommodation (6nights)
  • Breakfast buffet daily
  • Four Gourmet dinners prepared by the exquisite Casa Om’s chef
  • Two yoga classes per day(hot room Bikram and Yoga on the pier overlooking the beach)
  • On-site swimming pool
  • Fun day in Playa del Carmen
  • Transportation to and from the Cancun International Airport

More information:

www.casaom.com

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Revive Your Vibe: Reset Your Mind, Body and Goals

Yoga Adventures of Tulum

January 6th-11th, 2015

Treat yourself to a yoga and meditation retreat in front of the Caribbean Sea with Adesina Dowers. What a great way to start off the New Year! This retreat will help you recoup from the busy hustle and bustle of the holidays and reset your mind and body while focusing your goals for the New Year. Tulum is a yoga paradise with tranquil, crystal clear waters, powdery white sand beaches, amazing yoga, great food, Mayan ruins, and healing powers rooted deep inside the earth. Start the day with an invigorating morning practice, enjoy healthy fresh meals, followed by free time to relax by the Caribbean Sea or explore the wonders of the area. Indulge in a fabulous Mayan spa treatment, cover yourself in Mexican clay to detox and purify your skin, meditate in the sun and then wash it away in the sea. Afternoon practice is a yin or restorative to wind down the day. You will reconnect and rejuvenate yourself in this amazing Mayan land.  You know you deserve it!

PACKAGES INCLUDE:

  • Accommodations of your choice (5 nights)
  • Breakfast daily
  • Delicious and healthy lunch daily
  • Two yoga classes per day
  • 90 minute healing massage
  • Group Mexican mud meditation in the sun
  • Welcome cleansing circle with local shaman

More information:

www.yogaadventurestulum.com

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Hot Yoga Teacher Training

La Calma Resort in Tulum

January 5th–February 1st, 2015

New Years has always been a time for making new resolutions and bettering yourself. If becoming a hot yoga teacher has always been one of your dreams, now is the time to set that goal and accomplish it. You can complete your yoga teacher training in paradise. Spend four weeks at the ideally spiritual La Calma resort and get your yoga teacher training certificate in a picture perfect location. Evolation hot yoga teacher training is a 250hr course focused on teaching the hot yoga Primary Series, originally defined by Bikram Choudhury. You will explore the essentials of yoga philosophy, anatomy and mechanics that underpin this sequence – in an inclusive and intimate training environment. You will also deepen your own yoga practice through intimate posture mechanics workshops, a variety of yoga classes and individual feedback. Are you ready to immerse yourself in an intensive 4 week yoga experience that will change your life?

More information:

www.evolationyoga.com

Are you ready to trade in the cold weather and frozen tundra for balmy weather and a tropical paradise? Balance your chakra in the New Year in the Riviera Maya.