Celebrate the Beginning of Summer in Mexico and around the World!

Posted on by

Summer is here! Woo hoo! While that may not be such a big deal to those who are already settling in the Caribbean, and get to enjoy nice weather all year, it is still a day of celebration and happiness all throughout the northern hemisphere of the world! It is a day to celebrate the sun and enjoy extended light and warmth. So what will you be doing to welcome the summer?

 

Here are some ideas of how many people honor and celebrate this day throughout the world:

 


Chichen Itza and its Mayan mysteries

Probably one of the most important and interesting things to do is to watch the summer solstice at the very moment it happens at Chichen-Itza. We are talking about the exact point where the sun seems to pause and highlight the north and east sides of the temple of Kukulcan while creating complete shade on the south and west sides. If you are in the Riviera Maya during this time this is a great opportunity to be a part of such a historical tradition.

 

It is very popular to go to Chichen-Itza, not only for the summer solstice but also for the winter solstice and fall and spring equinox. The Mayans were very intelligent and without any kind of technology or advancement, that we use today, they had to construct a way to know what day, month and season it was. They were able to use the pattern of light to determine the seasons.

 

Also, for those who did not know this already the Temple of Kukulcan has 91 steps on each of the 4 sides plus one last step up to the top of the platform to equal 365. This represents one step per day. Another thing worth noting is that each season is exactly 91 days apart except for the summer solstice which is 92 all adding up to 365 days. The Mayans were able to determine everything just by paying attention with nature and the sun. Many will flock to Chichen-Itza to watch and partake in celebrations of this wonderful day!

 

How about a little bit of yoga?
If you can’t make it to Chichen-Itza how about a little bit of yoga? I know, this might sound a little surprising if you aren’t already familiar with the summer solstice traditions but it is true that many people across the world gather for special yoga sessions on the morning of the summer solstice. These special yoga sessions are intended to honor the sun. Check out the local yoga studios in Playa del Carmen, Tulum and across the Riviera Maya to see how you can get involved in one of these special sessions. Not in Mexico? Check out New York City where they put on a huge yoga event right in Times Square including free classes, music, performances and lots of celebration.

 

Perfect day for a wedding!

 

This very day is actually one of the most popular days for weddings. June is believed to be a good luck month for weddings anyways but June 21st, or the day of the summer solstice, is referred to as the “wedding of heaven and earth” and draws much attention to those when picking out their special day. In addition, if your wedding is outdoors you can get the most out of your day.

 


Bonfire

 

Another interesting tradition is to hold a bonfire. Make a big fire, invite your friends, cook, and celebrate the day!! I think this goes along with idea and is a good excuse to have a nice gathering with friends and family. Make the most out of the longest day of the year and the sunlight by being outdoors and taking in all the day has to offer. Other traditions include festivals, parades and special ceremonies. Make your own traditions, have a BBQ, go to the beach. Whatever it is you decide to do, enjoy! Happy Summer everyone!

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

Mexico Real Estate e-book

A Large New Mayan Pyramid Site Discovered in Campeche

Posted on by

While recently I wrote about the very sad situation of Mayan pyramids being bulldozed in Central America, here on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula we’re seeing  the opposite – discovery and preservation.

 

Just yesterday, Tim Johnson of McClatchy Newspapers wrote about a new discovery deep in the jungle of the state of Campeche, which share’s the Peninsula with Quintana Roo (where Cancun and Playa del Carmen are located) and Yucatan (where Merida is located.)  Here’s an excerpt:

 

Deep in the jungles of southeast Campeche state, archaeologists have discovered a significant new Mayan site, called Chactun, or Red Rock, that was thrived roughly from 600 to 900 A.D. The site, never reported previously, is “one of the largest sites ever registered in the Central Lowlands,” the National Institute of Anthropology and History said.

 

Led by Ivan Šprajc, a team of Mexican and foreign archaeologists and experts financed by National Geographic came across the ruin a few weeks ago after studying aerial photos. The expedition was also financed by the Austrian firm Villas and the Slovenian company Ars longa. That’s Šprajc in the photos, by the way. “It is one of the largest sites in the Central Lowlands, comparable in extent and magnitude of its buildings to Becan, Nadzcaan and El Palmar in Campeche,” said Šprajc, a Slovenian researcher.

 

And, a couple more amazing pictures:

 

Mayan pyramids in Mexico

 

Mayan Pyramids in Yucatan

 

Read the full article here.

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

Mexico Real Estate e-book

A Romantic Gondola Ride through the Canals of … Cancun?

Posted on by

Now imagine relaxing in a gondola, with a drink in your hand, music in the air, with not a worry in the world.  Where would you imagine you are?  Probably not Cancun … but something like this could be reality here some time soon.

 

I just read that Xcaret, the company that already has 2 amazing culture and nature-focused theme parks in the area, is planning to create a replica of Mexico City’s Xolchimilco in Cancun over the next few years.

 

But wait a minute – what’s Xolchimilco?

If you’re not familiar with Mexico City, you may not know about the beautiful canals in a very quaint and traditional group of villages nestled in the south of the city.

 

Back when I lived in Mexico City, it was one of my favorite outings, both to take friends and family who were visiting and just for  a relaxing weekend afternoon.

 

You might know that back a long time ago, Mexico City was in the middle of a lake. As the city grew and the lake was filled in, canals were left connecting various parts of the city.  Most are now gone, but the most connecting canals have survived are in Xolchimilco, which was only recently swallowed by the ever-growing city.

 

The wide canals, the greenery and colorful flowers surrounding them and the villages they go through offer a charming escape, a place where you really don’t realize you’re in the city.

 

 

Like in Venice, you can hire gondola-like – but far more colorful and cheerful – boats, called “trajineras,” which are pushed along by the driver.  Other boats go by selling drinks and food. There are mariachis.

 

Not all is romance …

On the other hand, there’s a very non-romantic side to the canals of Xolchimilco.   Just imagine enjoying a fine summer afternoon, with boat after boat going by selling beer and other drinks – and not a care in the world!  For this very reason, many of the locals have come to call the trajineras “trajinebrias“- “ebrio” is one of the words for “drunk.”

 

The boats are also larger than the gondolas and you can fit a little party onto them.

 

It’s pretty common that someone has a drink or two too many and takes a tumble into the water …

 

While the result is usually a good laugh – especially for those who didn’t fall in – the water doesn’t flow much and its not the nicest experience!

 

 

Romantic or party?  You can choose.  There’s enough space in the canals so all can enjoy alike!

 

New Canals Cancun?

One of the advantages to the replica to be built in Cancun is that I’m sure they will take waterflow into account. Combining the best beaches to be found with a beautiful resort city and a very charming and unique cultural feature from Mexico’s central heartland.

 

And besides that, it’ll be less than an hour away from home for me.

 

I don’t think it get’s much better than this!

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

Mexico Insurance Kit

How Old Do You Have to Be to Retire … in Mexico?

Posted on by

How old do you have to be to retire? How old do you have to be to retire in Mexico?

 

They are two distinct questions, and have two distinct answers.

 

We all know that in the U.S. and Canada retirement age is on the rise – often due to financial constraints.

 

In Mexico, there are several factors to consider:

 

  • The cost of living is lower, which makes it easier to retire sooner.
  • It’s easy to start your dream business; it costs less and there are fewer hurdles. Mexican bureaucracy can be a marathon, but outside of the government offices you’ll find that it’s easier to get things going. Most people running their business in Mexico just keep doing it – even if they’re financially ready; they just like it so much.
  • It’s easier to be healthy making it easier to choose to keep working or to have an active retirement otherwise.  Warm weather, good and affordable healthcare and easy access to fresh, healthy food have many advantages.

 

When it comes right down to it, you might not think of it in the same way as you do there.  You may just enjoy life here so much, that the distinction between work and retirement blurs and even disappears!

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

\

Mexico Health Care Kit

“Where the Streets Have No Name …”

Posted on by

Have you ever wondered what Bono was singing about in that song?

Maybe I haven’t discovered any in depth meaning to life from U2’s music, but I sure have found a few places where the streets have no name.

 

Consider this working-class community right next to downtown Playa del Carmen:

 

Just two years ago or so, they put up street signs on the 3 main roads.  The little side streets still have no road signs.  Sure, the streets do have names, but you won’t find them marked in any way – and, for the most part, people don’t use the names or often even know what they are.  Landmarks are the way to go.

 

Now take a look at this place in Chiapas:

Here, you might actually have trouble finding any name – official or otherwise – for this road!

 

So, living in Mexico, you will most certainly find places where the streets have no name.  But, unlike Bono, I’m sure you actually will find what you’re looking for.

by Thomas Lloyd

Mexico Insurance Kit

Akumal is Everyone’s Beach!

Posted on by

The Riviera Maya is known for its beaches, so it’s no surprise that everywhere you go you can find cool fresh white beaches of sand and awesome green blue water. But my favorite stretch of beach is called Akumal.

Akumal is about 30 minutes from Playa del Carmen and about 10 minutes from Tulum. It’s a small little beach town that sports only a few restaurants and cabin-like hotel rooms. It’s a perfect spot for a relaxing quiet beach day.

 

The Best Thing about Akumal

Well there are a few things, but first, it’s a great place to go snorkeling. You can swim right off the beach and find turtles and fish within seconds. And not just little turtles and fish, huge ones!

 

Secondly, the beach is spotted with palm trees, so it makes finding a shady spot easy. I love just taking a sarong and sitting under a tree reading a good book or listening to some music.

 

Another great thing is that it is a bay, so the waves are calm and don’t knock you over. You can sit in the water and enjoy the gentle rock of the water.

 

A Place for Everyone

Retirement living in Akumal, MexicoAkumal really is a great place to enjoy the beach on any day. I guess the only negative thing is that on Sunday it’s the place to be and can get a little crowded. You can find all the locals enjoying their surrounds as much as any tourist. The whole family comes down to the beach, with coolers full of drinks and lunch for everyone.

 

It really is nice to see that Akumal is not only a touristic place but also home for so many. Take a trip and enjoy!!!

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

Kit_Ownership

The Pricing Factor – The Even Cheaper Parts of Mexico

Posted on by

Retirement living in Mexico

The colonial town of Valladolid – not far from Cancun, Playa or Merida

Here’s something that may or may not surprise you; regardless of which retirement location you choose in Mexico, regardless how low the cost of living, there are probably many parts of the country that are even cheaper!

 

So, why don’t you pack up and move to one of those places?

 

Well, the answer to that is usually fairly obvious; the more popular expat and tourist locations usually have more modern services, more people that speak English, better airport and highway access, etc. And they’re already so much cheaper than what life back home was.

 

Yet, there are several benefits to these very low-priced parts of Mexico.

 

Travel

 

While you’re home base will be Playa del Carmen or Puerto Vallarta, you can hop on a nice coach bus or rent a car and head out to visit nearby villages. The cost of everything from hotels to icecream to taxis will be low, even compared to the surprisingly los prices you were just getting used to in your new home town. For example, about 2 hours from Playa del Carmen is the charming – yet all but unknown – town of Valladolid.

 

retirement living in MexicoThis makes it easy to spend retirement years traveling, seeing new sights and having new experiences, even if you’re on a tighter budget. One couple who headed out for a trip through some of these quieter villages told me that there full vacationing expenses – hotel, bus, restaurants, etc., – cost them less than their regular expenses would’ve been for the same amount of time back in Canada. Mind you, this couple likes to “rough it” a little, but they fully enjoyed all aspects of the trip.

 

Affordable Help

 

One of the many advantages of retiring in Mexico is that you can afford to hire a maid, a gardener, a handyman for maintenance, etc. and not bust the budget. People coming into the more economically thriving areas from the villages are part of what makes this possible. For them, even the wages which already seem surprisingly low to us seem quite high. Many of them send part of their wages back to the farm where the cash goes a long, long way.

 

Of course, we want to give back to our new communities and not take advantage, but paying the going wages or a bit higher will go a long way for these people. Hiring them offers a double benefit; it’s good for you since it offers you a more comfortable lifestyle for a much better price. It’s good for them because it gives them access to cash and a better life that otherwise they wouldn’t have.

 

So, yes, there are most certainly places in Mexico that are cheaper than the expat town you chose. No, they probably wouldn’t be appealing for you to live in, and yes, there are ways which you can both enjoy the benefits of the low costs there and contribute to the lives of those who live there.

 

-Thomas Lloyd

Staying Active in Playa del Carmen

Posted on by

Playa del Carmen is a town in which we can’t help but to be active on a normal basis. By settling here in Playa, you may actually be improving your health and wellness even if you didn’t realize it. Aside from the fact that you generally do a lot of walking and moving around from one place to the other, Playa promotes many choices for staying fit and the good news is there is something for everyone!

Let’s take a look at some of the options, shall we?

Walk-Everywhere Lifestyle

While the use of taxi’s and cars are a main source of transportation to get from one place to the other it is more likely that you spend just as much of the time walking to your destination. Why not? The weather is nice! So even without exercise in mind we are doing it! And besides, Playa is small and sometimes it doesn’t make much sense to drive. Our feet and the use of bicycles are actually the main form of transportation here therefore contributing to the “subconscious calorie burn”!

Join a Gym!

This is the most typical mechanism as the gyms here offer state of the art equipment for both cardio and strength, on site personal training and group classes.

Yoga

Yoga is HUGE here in Playa del Carmen! There are many yoga studios scattered throughout Playa. It is unlikely that you will not see one as you are strolling through the main streets toward the beach here. Try yoga on the beach or in a studio! There is even yoga on the ocean with the use of surfboard. Give it a try!

Keep that Core Tight!

Holding hands with the same hot demand of yoga is Pilates. There are many Pilates studios here in Playa and some are even teamed up with the yoga studios and gymnasiums.

 

Outdoor Running!

Find the treadmill boring? Well who wouldn’t when you have the perfect setting and nice running/jogging options here in Playa. Try some barefoot running on the beach. It’s easy to forget you are exercising while you are connected with such a nice view. The 5th Avenue is a nice option for a run. The mornings are quieter (and cooler) but if it’s in a busier time of the day make it like an obstacle and weave in and out through the people. Also, it’s a good way to people watch. Consider the track on 10th avenue and 34th street which at the moment is under construction but will be available again soon. And also, try running through different neighborhoods. Switching up your route can prevent boredom.

Don’t like running? Well, all of these options are just as nice for walkers.

Cross fit

Cross fit studios are becoming very popular as well. Living near the beach means that fitness and being strong is a hot topic. Cross fit combines some hard core techniques to get you in shape. It’s worth the sweat!

Tennis anyone?

There are a couple of nice options for tennis courts in Playa del Carmen center as well as Playacar. It should be pretty easy to find a partner if you don’t have one already.

Take a bike ride!

If it’s a nice evening why not take the bike out for a spin. It’s very nice ride through Playacar for example. Also, Playa is building up their bike paths to make it easier and more enjoyable to take a relaxing and safe ride through the town.

Dance your heart out!

Take a salsa or Tango class or just simply find where the music is and dance. There’s plenty of it here so take advantage and let yourself go. Dance is just as great for the mind and soul as it is for your body. Learn a few new moves or use what you’ve got but either way have fun and move!

And with all this being said we have to remember the summer is here and it’s HOT! Stay active but also remember to stay hydrated! Drink water as you are participating in these activities and also throughout the day.

-by Bea Lozano

Mexico Health Care Kit

The Five Senses of Playa del Carmen

Posted on by

Retirement living in Playa del CarmenPlaya del Carmen is an invigorating beach town awaking all of your senses beyond the norm. With so many things to see, hear, smell, touch and taste you are sure to want to return again and again or join the rest of the expats that have made this wonderful place their home. So what’s different? I believe it is the combination of multi culture, tradition, value of simplicity, love and beauty.

 

I See Magic!

The ocean gives a different kind of magic in each time of the day. I enjoy the mornings and evenings because of the quiet and peace that it fills me with. But during the day the ocean is moving. There is energy created by beach-goers making a buzz in Playa.

 

If you venture outside of the beach and up the 5th ave you can see much movement and excitement. One of my favorite things to do on the 5th ave is to have a cup of coffee at Starbucks and people watch. You will see vendors and restaurants busy at work asking you to come try their product. You will see different kinds of entertainment from men dressed as characters, break dancers, street shows, mariachis, etc.

 
Off the 5th you see what real life is like here in Playa. There are lots of people walking or riding bicycles, Couples holding hands, kids playing in the street, workers working, cats and dogs running around without a leash just having fun and doing what is within our nature. Many of these things are very rare to see in the Midwest where I come from.

 

Can you smell that?

Ocean and sand! We all are familiar with the great smell of the beach. It’s a smell that tells us to enjoy, relax and let go!

 

Food! Restaurants, small Mexican kitchens or taco carts are in abundance here. Wherever you go you smell the aroma of food. This is of course why I tend to remain permanently hungry in Playa.

 

Incense! I have noticed that the use of incense is quite popular here and I smell it a lot on the 5th avenue coming from some stores

 

Oh YUM!

This is my personal favorite topic! The food, fruit, and different kinds of drinks here are amazing. There are so many new things to try. From simple to the most exotic kinds of foods, Playa is full of top notch restaurants.

 
And have you tried the cooking from a local Mexican kitchen, otherwise known as a Fonda? If not then please do! It’s some of the best yet inexpensive food you will eat here. Let’s not forget the availability of wonderful fruits, juices and flavored waters. Have you tried Jamaica (HA-MI-CA) water yet? Here you will find the food is National but also very International so try it all

 

Hello I Can Hear You!

Well, one of our most incredible senses is our hearing. Each town and city has their own flare to it. So what is different and particular about Playa? Well, for one back in the U.S. I would have never thought I’d be living next door to a rooster but, well now I have one for a neighbor. He sings his song throughout the day but is never bothersome. It actually makes me feel very nice that I have discovered this simplicity to life.

 

Nature is a noise that you hear often here. The chirping of the various kinds of birds is a common sound. The language! Oh how I love the Spanish language. It sounds so beautiful to me when I hear people talk. I’ve known Spanish for a while, but I still love listening – the new hasn’t worn off! Music is filled in the streets and in the touristic areas day and night including those great mariachis and local musicians.

 

Retirement living in Playa del CarmenIt feels so Good!

The sand in my feet! It’s perhaps one of the most wonderful feelings for me personally is to feel the sand touch my feet and to touch the water.

 

“Fish spa” at a cenote! The little tadpoles swim up and eat the dirt off of your feet. It feels ticklish but very neat at the same time.

 

The wind! Feeling the wind blow against your skin and in your hair is a sweet relaxation.

 

Playa can take the energy all through your body. Connect with nature and the community. Listen, taste new things and enjoy Playa!

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

Livin' Playa video interview