Category Archives: Living in Mexico

What to Do on Rainy Days in Playa del Carmen …

Posted on by

I’m going to make a startling admission:

 

There really are rainy days in Playa del Carmen!

 

There aren’t many of them – I’d say over 300 days of the year are mostly sunshine. Even when there is rain, it lasts for a couple of hours at the most, and sometimes much less, and then Playa’s bright sun comes out again.

 

But there really are a handful of days in which it rains all day. And in these cases, it usually rains hard.

 

So what to do on a rainy day in a place where life is out on the beach, a stroll out on Fifth Avenue or breakfast on a terrace?

 

I have to admit, it’s hard to keep stuff around just for a few days a year when the rainy days keep you inside. These are my personal favorites:

  • browsing the web – writing blogs of course (good internet connections around here)
  • watching a moving – there are good movie rentals in English, as well as 2 movie theaters, also mostly in English (with Spanish subtitles)
  • bowling – we just got our first bowling alley a couple of years ago!
  • hanging out at the mall – whether you like malls or not, you won’t find yourself spending much time at them just because it’s so easy to be outside – except on the rainy days! (One has underground parking)
  • a game of chess – you can do that outside too, but rainy days are especially good for it; my 8-year-old son has become quite the pro! There’s a very informal chess club that meets on Fridays at one of the malls.
  • drink hot chocolate – it never really gets cold enough for hot chocolate here, but I always feel like the hard rain makes it taste better
  • read a book – it’s a good chance to catch up on some over-due reading

 

So how will you spend your rainy days here? Well, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t worry too much about it, since it’s so seldom. But on the other, when it happens so seldom, you kind of appreciate it!

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

Mexico Real Estate e-book

This is the Place to Enjoy Nature Near Tulum!

Posted on by

While many people have heard of the bigger theme parks near Playa del Carmen and Tulum, Xcaret, Xplor and Xel-Ha, fewer people know about some of the smaller gems nearby. Kantun-Chi is one of these places.

 

Kantun-Chi is a lower-key nature park, with focus on tours and diving in the underground caves, a small zoo, and a few cenotes to snorkel and dive in. I can tell you, the last time I spent a full day there, it was one of the most relaxing I can ever remember having – and here in Playa there are plenty of relaxing days.

 

A highlight of the park is that they have an a full underground tour where the caves are lit up with colored lights giving a very surreal effect:

 

Here are some more pictures of the park:

 

If one day you just want an active but quiet and relaxing day, where you don’t feel you have to hurry to finish all the activities, this park is the place to go.

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

Kit_Ownership

Today, Playa del Carmen’s Deep Sea Fishing Tournament Starts! – Video

Posted on by

If you love fishing, then Playa del Carmen really would be your cup of tea!

 

This morning, Playa del Carmen’s annual fishing tournament was kicked off.  Take a look at this video from Mexico Travel News:

 

 

This is one of the winners from last year’s tournament, I believe:

 

Here’s a shot of “the big catch” on a boat. (This is not in the tournament, but gives you a taste of what fishing in Playa del Carmen is like:)

 

If you’re around, it’d be great to head out and see some of the prize catches. If not, well you know what you can plan for the next time you’re here in Playa!

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

Mexico Insurance Kit

Mexico’s Charm Comes in Simple Images – A Car in a Village

Posted on by

Imagine this – a traditional Mexican town, with brightly painted homes, an old VW parked on the road …

 

Well, you don’t have to imagine.  Here’s a picture:

 

If you live in Mexico, scenes like this are very common.  Notice the man fixing his own car an the roadside.  Back home, this may indicated some sort of emergency repairs, but here, this is normal; even in repair shops in working-class communities will have a car or two on the roadside while they work on them.

 

Also notice the VW Beetle; “Bugs” (or “Bochos” in Spanish) went out of production 10 years ago, in 2003, so relatively new Beetles can still be found on the road.

 

As I’ve said before, now and then I just like to do a Google search for images on Mexico.  This is the second time I’m sharing some of these pictures, and I think I’ll do some more in the future.

 

– by Bea Lozano

 

Mexico Health Care Kit

Want to Know What an Ancient Mayan Market Looked Like? Try Playa del Carmen

Posted on by

Have you ever wondered what an ancient Maya market looked like?

 

Sure, there are “modern” Mayan markets in the Yucatan Peninsula – they are only “modern” in the sense that they exist in the present age.  But we all know that things have changed over the past 500 – 1000 years.

 

Fortunately, the Mayan’s ancient civilization was well documented, and combined with archaeological research as well as the culture’s own tradition, it has been possible to set up an ancient Mayan market, in Playa del Carmen!

 

Xcaret, a theme park just on the south edge of town, hosted the event.

 

I had the chance to go! Take a look at the pictures:

 

Notice the ancient Mayan garb of the vendors:

 

These are almost hairless dogs that the ancient Mayans and Aztecs kept:

 

If you ever get the chance, go to a market like this one – it’s quite the experience!

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

Mexico Health Care Kit

Colosio Beach in Playa del Carmen is One of Those Quiet Places I Love

Posted on by

As I’ve pointed out recently, I love getting up in the morning, and just going out for a relaxing walk along a quiet, empty beach – I usually do this after dropping the kids off at school.

 

We all love getting into the action and doing stuff.  But we also have those quiet moments just to enjoy the sound of the waves and the feeling of sand on our feet!

 

Luckily for me, I have one such beach just a short walk from my home – Colosio Beach.

 

One of the biggest charms of this beach is that it’s very quiet and natural; you feel you’re miles away from town, but it’s right next to the heart of all the action downtown Playa.

 

Recently, a couple of new hotels and condos have been opened along this beach, but they are a little back from the beach with the natural vegetation still growing next to the sand, preserving the tranquil atmosphere.

 

Take a look at some pictures:

 

Retiring in Playa del Carmen

 

Retiring in Playa del Carmen

 

Notice the crab in the middle:

Retiring in Playa del Carmen

 

Retiring in Playa del Carmen

 

For a full gallery of pictures of Colosio Beach, as well as videos and maps, click here.

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

Mexico Real Estate Testimonials

Visit the Beautiful Silver Town of Taxco in Central Mexico

Posted on by

Mexico Discovery TripsNestled in the rugged hills of central Mexico is the silver mining town of Taxco. Little white homes and shops line steeply sloped streets; the entire town is on a hillside.  Standing above the town is the classic old church, which looks taller than it actually is since it’s located uphill from most of the town.

 

I simply love walking around the town.  It feels like you’re stepping into a different time.

 

The Silver

Than there is the silver.  Taxco has remained true to its mining town heritage with silver shops on every corner, selling necklaces, rings, figures, engravings and much more.  The pure silver is of high quality and prices are low.

 

Whether you a silver fanatic or not, I’m sure you’ll find a few knickknacks to take home.  I always do.

 

As you can see in the picture below, the shops selling silver are much more in an informal “market” style than an elegant jewelry shop.  For me, this is part of the charm.

 


How to Get There

Most retirees tend to settle in the popular beachfront locations in Mexico, or in the two interior towns of Chapala or San Miguel del Allende.  But getting to a place like Taxco is not so difficult.

 

Very cheap plane tickets can be found to Mexico City from the places like Cancun – often under $100 USD round trip.  If you fly to the nearby city of Toluca, you’re even closer to Taxco (as well as the quaint lakefront town of Valle de Bravo) and you will skip out on Mexico City’s traffic.

 

The bus ride is about 2 hours from Toluca.  Mexico City should only be about 20 minutes more by distance, but traffic could add another hour.

 

Now, this sounds like a lot of travel just to get to a little silver town, even though it is picturesque and quaint; however, there are a number of beautiful little gems hidden in these hills, and it’s worth a discovery trip of a few days – or even a week or two – in this part of central Mexico.

 

More Pictures

This is a beautiful view of the town at sunset:

Here you can see how the houses and shops line the steep streets:

Thi is the picturesque town square, right in front of the church, as is always the case in Mexico:

I hope that you have the pleasure to visit Taxco one day in your Mexico retirement!

 

-by Bea Lozano

My real estate - Mexico real estate buyers tools

Playa del Carmen Now Has an Animal Protection Act!

Posted on by

As I noted at the end of Friday’s post about bullfights and cockfights, Playa del Carmen had just passed an animal protection act!  Here’s an excerpt from a local news source, dated Friday, May 17:

Representatives in the [state’s] 13th Legislature unanimously approve the new Animal Protection and Wellbeing Act.  The law presents a legal mechanism which will protect not only pets, but also all species of animals, by establishing new standards to guarantee wellbeing, care and proper treatment, to avoid mistreatment, cruelty and suffering.

The law applies to the state of Quintana Roo, which also includes Cancun, Cozumel, Tulum and Costa Maya.

This is an important step in a series of actions that have already been taking place to help protect animals.

Many expats are involved in animal rescue and shelter as a way to contribute back into the community that has given them their new home.

I’m proud to be living in a part of Mexico that is taking decisive steps in the right direction to protect animals!

-by Bea Lozano

Mexico Insurance Kit

Have You Ever Seen a Bull Fight? Or Maybe a Cock Fight?

Posted on by

Today, just for fun, I did a Google image search for “Mexico.”  The first 10 pictures or so are maps, and then the pictures of Mexico’s distinct cultural traits begin to come up – typical food, traditional clothes, festivals, beaches, Mayan pyramids, etc.

 

Two pictures turned up that reminded me of another side of Mexico that tourists seldom see – the bull fights and the cock fights.

 

The Bull Fights

I don’t think this practice is wide spread, but Mexico City actually has the world’s largest bullfighting stadium with spectacles every day.  I believe the practice has been maintained solely because of its uniqueness and its history.

 

I’ve seen a bullfight or two, just to satisfy my curiosity.  I can’t say it’s my cup of tea!

 

The Cock Fights

This a common pastime in Mexico’s countryside; it is considered an especially “macho” or manly activity.  From what I’ve heard, it’s very violent and bloody.

 

The Moral Question

Of course, these spectacles have huge moral questions behind them and are a nightmare for animal rights.

 

On one hand, I can fully understand why a tourist or expat traveling to parts of the country where these are practiced would want to see them – they’re just so unique and, for some people, captivating.

On the other hand, it’s good to be conscientious of not putting money into irresponsible practices.  In the end each person has to decide on their own conscience.

Yet, approve or disapprove, these practices are well-ingrained features of Mexican culture, especially of the tougher, working class “macho” culture.  And, for better or for worse, they’re probably here to stay – at  within our own lifetimes and well beyond.

 

LAST MINUTE UPDATE: I just found out that Quintana Roo, the state where we live, has passed an animal protection act! It probably won’t affect the bullfights or cockfights since those take place mostly in other parts of the country, but it’s progress!  I’ll write more about it next week.

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

Mexico Insurance Kit