Playa del Carmen Opens First Wheelchair Accessible Beach in Mexico!

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

Wheelchair accessibility and beaches are not ideas that people would imagine to be very compatible. Yet, a few weeks ago, Playa del Carmen combined innovation, creativity and sound practical thinking to open Mexico’s first wheel-chair accessible beach!

The beach is Fundadores, located right next to the ferry dock in the heart of downtown, which is also one of the widest beaches in the region.

The service offers wheelchairs and walkers specially designed to work on the beach, a wooden board-walk style path going out onto the sand, and accessibility to the beach showers.

Take a look at the pictures:

Fundadores Beach, Playa del Carmen

We’re proud of Playa del Carmen for putting in the effort to make this beautiful beach more accessible and enjoyable for everyone!

-by Bea Lozano

Let Earth Day Inspire You – Eco-Lifestyles in Mexico

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

Earth Day (today, April 22) is an inspiring day for many of us. It reminds us that we need to take action to prevent pollution, live sustainably and protect wildlife and natural vegetation. It also reminds us of the possibility of living in harmony with nature.

It’s one of those things many of us support and think about, but when it comes to taking action and making it happen, there’s always something in the way or a reason why we (apparently) can’t make the leap right now. Sure, we all recycle, ride our bikes when we can and hope the government will cut back on pollution – and those things are great, but it would be nice to have the right chance to just go out and do it.

Here’s something that’s surprising for many people who haven’t lived in Mexico; it’s easier to live an environmental lifestyle here!

But you may ask yourself – why is living in Mexico better for an ecological lifestyle? Consider these points:

Mexico has a huge variety of natural settings, wildlife and biodiversity. In many parts of the country, there have simply never been the resources to develop these areas. Fortunately, as resources have increased with recent economic growth, many large protected areas, such as Sian Kaan, have been created.

Ecological residential developments are becoming increasingly common. Because of the point mentioned above, more residential developments are being designed with sustainable principles. Many are even being designed in a fully sustainable design, integrating nature and offering an ecological lifestyle in very close contact with that nature. (See, for example, Pueblo Sac-Be near Playa del Carmen.)

Eco-lifestyle is supported by a deep-rooted spirituality. Many people who want to live in harmony with nature also seek out the spiritual element of that lifestyle. The strong roots of Mayan mysticism, combined with the recent influence of Tibetian monks and yoga, in the Yucatan Peninsula have created a place where spiritual health, environmental health and bodily health are one and the same. (See, for example, Holistika, a new eco-village in Tulum.)

The cost of living is lower. While an eco-lifestyle is more natural and closer to the basics, up north it tends to cost considerably more. This is often one of the factors that prevents people from taking the dive. In Mexico, the cost of living is considerably lower – even for natural products and lifestyle – leaving people more freedom to choose the lifestyle that is best.

So, don’t be content to put a poster up on your fridge for Earth Day. Let this day inspire you to start something extraordinary! You may not change the world today, but you can start the steps to change your own lifestyle drastically for the better, and inspire others to follow you.

-by Bea Lozano

Playa del Carmen’s International Film Festival Starts Tomorrow, April 21!

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

If you are in Playa del Carmen or anywhere nearby, you won’t want to miss this:

Tomorrow the Riviera Maya International Film Festival starts!

It runs from April 21 to April 27, one entire week. It’s entirely free, and there are nightly drive-in theater showings!

Retirement activities in Playa del Carmen - Film Festival

Patricia Arquette

Some international stars, like Patricia Arquette, will be present! This event is not only a great place to see films, but also to catch some star sightings on the most beautiful beaches in the world!

(This is getting more and more common, by the way. In addition to the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders Tom posted about on Thursday, these days there are almost continuously stars in Cancun, like Salma Hayek and Adam Sandler, who are there right now.)

Check out the schedule for the film festival. It’s in English, as is the main website.

Hope you can make it out there!

-by Bea Lozano

It’s Time to Redecorate Your Home – Oaxaca Style!

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

Don’t you think it would be a great time to redecorate your home? People are always talking about “out with the old, in with the new.” Why not try “out with the new, in with the old” – or the traditional, at least!

Take a look at some of these fine household decorations, arts and crafts that I found at last week’s Oaxaca culture fair. In this first picture, notice the busts of a Mexican president made of the same materials and along side of the ancient pre-hispanic pottery, skulls and animal figures. (I believe the president is Benito Juarez, given recognition in Mexico similar to that of Abraham Lincoln in the U.S.)

You might also want to add a few candles to your new decor, in these clay candle holders, made onsite:

These fans would look nice on the wall, but if you’re living in Playa del Carmen, on the beach, I would suggest keeping them on the coffee table so people can actually use them:

Finally, while you’re in the process of redecorating, you might as well throw out the old pots and pans, and perhaps the dishes too, and try something more “down to earth:”

I love these culture fairs that we enjoy here in Playa del Carmen. I makes it easy to get a taste of other parts of Mexico. While traveling to these places is always the best way to go, it might help you decide which location to travel to first!

-by Bea Lozano

Can You Imagine Dressing Like This?

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

Playa del Carmen is most certainly a laid-back place where no one would be too concerned if an American woman was enjoying a sunny day on the beach or on Fifth Avenue in a traditional Mexican clothing! Of course, many non-Mexicans who wouldn’t go for the dress might feel more comfortable in one of the beautiful blouses.

Whether you choose to try out some of Mexico’s more traditional clothing for yourself or not, the beautiful embroidery work and bright colors are certainly appealing to look at, either on people or even just on display.

Last week’s Oaxacan culture fair in Playa del Carmen was one opportunity to enjoy seeing traditional clothing for women and men:

(If you can’t see the slide shows, click here.)

And there was also a good bit of jewelry:

Tomorrow, we will see some decorations, arts and crafts from Oaxaca as our final post on the culture fair that we enjoyed last week!

-by Bea Lozano

Oaxaca Comes to Playa del Carmen with Delicous Food!

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

As I’ve said before, Mexico is actually a combination of various distinct regions each with its own culture, customs and traditions. One of the benefits of Playa del Carmen is that throughout the year there are culture fairs where artists and vendors from various regions will sell food, handicrafts, artwork and clothing among other items, as well as have presentations of music and dance.

This week, one such culture fair is taking place in the city square presenting the culture of Oaxaca, pronounced “Wa-HA-ca.” Oaxaca is a region which has gained little attention internationally but is fairly well recognized within Mexico as a distinct culture. It is the southern most state on the Pacific Coast, bordering Guatemala.

Over the next few days, I’m going to share pictures of the various items which artisans and vendors were selling. Today, I’ll start with the big #1 – food!

First of all, one of the items that makes a fair like this very difficult for me is the bread – which is almost too good to resist! It is freshly baked, on site, and the smell of fresh, sweet bread fills the air:

Here, you can see the bakers at work:

Mexico retirement - traditional food

Next, take a look at all the different ice cream flavors – it includes some normal ones like walnut and strawberry, but also some more exotic flavors like tequila and cheese. One is “A Oaxacan Kiss” (Beso Oaxaceno). I wonder what that flavor would be!

Mexico retirement - traditional food

The candies – SO MANY delicious candies:

Mexico retirement - traditional food

As you can see, the sweets are my favorites! But, moving to the savory flavors, here are some curious items. This next pictures shows “chapulines” which are roasted grasshoppers. Surprisingly, they’re quite tasty! People eat them like you would roasted peanuts (which were being sold in the bin next to it):

Now, these next two pictures are seasonings and sauces made with the same roasted grasshoppers as a key ingredient:

Mexico retirement - traditional food

And now, one of my favorites – mole! I don’t think we’ve written about this before; it’s a thick, rich, somewhat spicy sauce that is usually served over chicken. As in traditional markets, a fair like this offers many varieties of different colors and sweetnesses:

You’ll notice that this last picture is of “pepian” which is a similar enough, that for the sake of this post, we’ll just categorize as “mole.” In the future I hop to dedicate an entire post to mole.

You’ll also notice that many of the mole stands sell round disks of chocolate. Chocolate is actually one of the key ingredients in mole. Oaxaca is known for its chocolate. These disks are melted into hot milk to make hot chocolate.

Finally, there were a few booths of mezcal, the liquor for which Oaxaca is famous. You’ll notice the packets tied to the tops of the bottles, which have salt mixed with ground up worms – as in the kind you find in tequila:

Mexico retirement - traditional food

One Monday, we’ll see some pictures of traditional toys, followed by other handicrafts.

-by Bea Lozano

Meet Tequila’s Older Sister, Mezcal

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

Retirement living Mexico When the Spaniards arrived in Mexico, they discovered fermented drinks the Aztecs and other indigenous people drank, notably “pulque,” a thick, sourish drink made from the agave cactus plant.

The Spaniards, familiar with the process of making liquor by distilling, soon discovered how to produce a stronger distilled liquor from the same plant, specifically the maguey agave; the Aztecs gave the drink the name “mezcal.”

Retirement living Mexico Over the next few centuries, an important region emerged in the production of mezcal, made from the blue agave instead of the maguey, with a cleaner, easier flavor. This newer, distinct form of mezcal was given the name of the valley in the state of Jalisco where it was invented and is still is primarily produced to this day: “tequila.” (Jalisco is the state where Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta are located.)

The Differences

While it was the tequila variety of mezcal that gained the most popularity throughout Mexico and the world, Retirement living Mexico other forms of mezcal continue to be produced on a large scale. The most significant region for production of the older form of mezcal is Oaxaca.

Even though they are simply two forms of the same drink, people simply call the older form “mezcal” and the one from Jalisco “tequila.”

Anyone who has had tequila will also notice the difference in flavor as well. Mezcal has a fuller, smoky flavor. People say it’s stronger, this refers only to the robust flavor; commercially produced mezcal and tequila have the same alcohol content. Some varieties are sweetish.

Retirement living Mexico Typically, from what people have told me, those who enjoy whiskey will usually enjoy mezcal.

The Worm

In the U.S. and Canada, people often associate the worm in the bottle with tequila. In reality, this custom was started in the 1940s as a marketing gimmick for mezcal, and not tequila.

Mezcal, however, goes a few steps further, and you can find bottles being sold with a scorpion in it! Now, they say you’re supposed to drink the worm – but what about the scorpion?!?

If you like hard liquors, especially stronger-flavored ones, I recommend trying mezcal. It’s not very common north of the Rio Grande, but it’s becoming easier to find. Here in Mexico, you can find it in most liquor stores and souvenir shops. In places like Playa del Carmen, they also have some mezcal bars, right on the main strip so they’re easy to find.

-by Thomas Lloyd

How Did Playa del Carmen Welcome the Spring?

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

Although the true Equinox was yesterday (March 20 this year,) in most parts of Mexico people continue to celebrate on the 21st every year. This morning, across the country, people gathered at ancient pyramids, beaches or other beautiful and meaningful places to welcome the spring at sunrise.

Yesterday, I wrote about Chichen Itza, one of the most exciting places to celebrate the equinox.

Today, let’s take a look at what took place right here in Playa del Carmen on the beach:

Retirement activities in Mexico

Finally, just one more nice picture of Chichen Itza on the equinox, in which you can see the snake shape clearly on the steps, with the head of the snake at the base:

Retirement activities in Mexico

Tomorrow, we will see pictures of celebrations around Mexico.

-by Thomas Lloyd

Do You Know What Mexico’s Favorite Tacos Are?

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

While most of us have seen tacos in the U.S. with ground beef on them, this would be unheard-of in Mexico. People who have lived in areas with a Latin community may be familiar with something more authentic.

Here’s interesting question; do you know what Mexico’s favorite and most common kind of taco is?

From my experience, and according many of my friends who know our country well, the favorite is a very distinct type of taco that northerners are likely never to have seen back home, but are ever-present virtually where ever you go in Mexico:

Tacos al Pastor

If you see how these tacos are made – on a large rotisserie with the meat shaved off the spit – the first word that will probably come into your mind is “shawarma” or “doner kebab.” And, in fact, they have their roots in the shawarma introduced to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants in the mid-twentieth century.

Food in Mexico

The name, “al pastor,” means “shepherd style” and refers to the lamb from which shawarma is made; tacos al pastor, however are made out of pork.

The pineapple on top of the spit of meat helps to soften the meat.

How are they served?

As you see in the picture above, they are usually served on small corn tortillas; on top of the meat, only cilantro and chopped onion are served. Sometimes a thin slice of the cooked pineapple is added. Many people will add thinly sliced radishes and hot sauce. Mexicans will almost always squeeze lime juice onto their tacos.

People enjoy them with just about any kind of cold drink (beer, soda, natural fruit juices, etc.)

Food in Mexico

Where, when, how much?

While they have their roots in central Mexico (where the Lebanese settled mostly) they now seem to be available throughout the country. They are served in a variety of locations, ranging from something that looks like a hotdog stand on the street corner to taco shops. They are usually only available in the evening.

They are always cheap. I have seen anything from about twenty five cents a taco to about sixty-five cents, depending on how big they are, what region of Mexico you’re in, and how nice the place is where you’re eating them.

Here in Playa we have quite a number of good taco shops to find this tasty food, including quite a number on Fifth Avenue. One good and popular location is El Fogon (pictured above) on the corner of 30th and Juarez.

-Bea Lozano

Discover Mexico’s Culture and History at Xcaret (Part 2)

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Thomas Lloyd

Activities for Retirement in Mexico On Friday, I gave an introduction to the beautiful eco theme park call Xcaret, giving an overview and sharing some pictures. (See In Xcaret, Mexico Comes Together in One Place – Part 1 – Intro.) Today I’m continuing this little series on Xcaret to share pictures about Mexico’s culture and history in this park.

The park presents a wide variety of aspect of country’s history and culture ranging from the old estates to the Mayan hut villages, to a traditional cemetery. Take a look.

Throughout Xcaret, you will find traditional Mayan homes and architecture:

Activities for Retirement in Mexico