Waitin' on the African Queen

Abandoned boat  near  El Cuba Ron Restaurante

Relaxing on with a cold beverage on a dock-side bar we watch the boats slip past; there are colourful fishing pangas, and charter boats, and whale shark tour boats returning for the evening. Lush vegetation overhangs the languid blue-green water. 

Laughter. Tropical heat. Music. 

It could be the movie set from the 1951 movie, The African Queen, staring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn.

Colourful panga-style fishing boat

That movie was made the year I was born, and was considered to be “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" by the US Library of Congress. 

That's an unusual honor considering in the movie Humphrey Bogart was portrayed as being a quirky and cantankerous Canadian while Katherine Hepburn was a proper, well-mannered Englishwoman.

View from new upper deck at El Cuba Ron

However, on this particular afternoon Lawrie and I are sitting on the new upper deck of the Varadero, also known as El Cuba Ron Restaurante, on Isla Mujeres. 

According to owner Rafael Burgos Rios the name Varadero means a place where boats are built, maintained, and repaired. His grandfather originally used the waterfront property to build and repair boats for island fishermen.

One of Rafael's family members

Born on Isla Mujeres on Mexican Independence Day in 1957 Rafael has Cuban, Spanish, and Mayan ancestors. His ancestors have been on Isla since 1896. His wife Ana Jimenez, on the other hand, was born in Havana Cuba, moving to Isla Mujeres when she married Rafael. 

When Rafael graduated from school he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, cousins, and uncles – working the boats that circulated on a trade route from Florida to Central America. The sailing ships brought oil, maize, medical supplies, shoes, clothing, and the mail. For the return trip the captains loaded live lobsters and turtles destined for American restaurants.

Ana and Rafael

For the first twelve years of operation - El Cuba Ron restaurante - was located on Guerrero Avenue in the funky old building where Pita Amour is now. Then thirteen years ago Rafael decided to move the business to the family owned property on the canal that leads to Laguna Makax. 

Built on the western side of the island near the big boat repair yard it's a great place to hang out on an afternoon, or to enjoy a tasty dinner later in the evening. 

On weekends a Cuban band plays great music from mid-afternoon to early evening.

Rafael outside the entrance

The menu selections include a number of tasty fish, chicken and pork dishes prepared in the traditional Cuban style. 

We also really enjoy their guacamole and Lawrie is a big fan of their mojitos. Mojitos are addictive and sneaky! They are a refreshing drink made with white rum, soda water, sugar, lime and crushed mint. 

The deceptively innocent taste makes it is easy to forget how many you have consumed.

Guest singer at El Cuba Ron Restaurante

While we were enjoying the sunshine, the music, and the ambiance a couple of large cruisers rafted alongside the restaurant – their passengers eager to join the fun. 

One youngster confidently stepped up to the band leader and asked if he could join the group. Pretty soon everyone was dancing and singing along to the tunes.

Well, the boat called the African Queen never did pass by, nor did we see Humphrey Bogart or Katherine Hepburn but it was still a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

Try it! You'll like it!

Waterside view of El Cuba Ron Restaurante

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

The Textures of Isla

A Canadian friend recently mentioned that Isla has textures, many textures - layers within layers.  He's right.

El Varadero Cocina Criolla - on the inner harbour of Isla

We have had similar discussions with friends while sampling food at restaurants, or relaxing with a cool drink at various locations on the island.  Conversations that start out with; "This is amazing!  You wouldn't even know we were on Isla." 
We might have been sitting at the Cuban restaurante El Varadero Cocina Criolla, hanging out over the water in a scene reminiscent of the 1951 movie African Queen starring Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, waiting, just waiting for the famed boat to putt-putt past.



Bar cente piece at Captain Dulche


Or perhaps we were sitting at the Captain Dulché Museum and Restaurante on the sand-swept west side of the island.  This location with its marine artifacts, metal sculptures from Cuba, numerous Maya antiques, huge palapa restaurant, and rotating bar is so over-the-top-beautiful it could be in any 5-star resort in the world. 

The view towards the Cancún skyline is gorgeous any time of the day, but the sunsets can be downright spectacular.

Today we had a terrific lunch at Zazil-Ha on the north end of the island, tucked inside the Nabalam Hotel complex. 

We gazed out onto Playa Norte, famous for its blindingly-white sandy beaches featured in the Corona beer commercials. 

Lawrie tempted the beer gods at lunch. 
He ordered a Sol beer, instead of a Corona.  Oh,oh!

Sol beer on a Corona beach!

A few million dollars in bad-boy yachts were anchored in the shallow waters of North Beach, allowing guests to swim in the shallow, turquoise water.  Playa Norte is the beach that most of the tourist sun-worshipers prefer with rentable beach chairs or loungers, restaurants, bars and beach vendors all looking to sell their wares. 

It's also a location that topless sunbathing is grudgingly accepted.  Topless, or wearing a thong is not the norm in Mexico as the people are quite conservative.  The women and girls frequently swim fully dressed in shorts, t-shirts, and underwear, while the men will remove just their t-shirts and swim in their shorts.

Enjoying North Beach

A little further around the corner on the northwestern side of the island are the public beaches where most of the domestic tourists and their families gather to enjoy the deliciously warm Caribbean Sea.
 
Across from this beach is Jax Bar & Grill.  Their second floor patio one of our favourite places to hang out and watch the action. 

The entertainment can include watching the locals playing a pick-up volleyball game, or savouring the smells wafting up from the street vendors food carts, or listening to the families enjoying their beach, their island, their country.



Just play!  Don't speak to me!


Sometimes we loaf around at Cocteleria Minino's, discussing the beauty of the island with our toes dug into the soft sand, watching the two eighty-something brothers play the marimbas.  They are still angry, not speaking to each other after a fight several years ago.  Awkward.  They make beautiful music together, they just don't speak. 

On the beach, between Cocteleria Minino's and the PeMex gas station is a worn, wooden booth where the fisherman clean and sell the day's catch.   Mmmm.  Good sounds, good smells.  Just good. Very good.



Birds looking for treats at fish cleaning station



There are many, many more layers of Isla to discover.  We are taking our time, enjoying, savouring every minute.  Waiter, another Sol, please.   
 
Señor, otro Sol, por favor.

 

     _______________________


Walking, camera in hand, is one of our favourite things to do early in the morning, or early evening - snapping photos of the various areas of the island.  In sorting through our more than seven thousand digital photos of Isla, it is a chore to decide between photographs.  This photo or that one?   Have I overused that particular photo?  Does this one show the flavours, textures, layers better?  

Ah, well, there is always next week to show you more about our little Caribbean paradise.    To be continued .......