Cultura Cruisers, food, exercise and culture. What a great idea!

Getting ready to roll with tour guide, Jose.  

Hop on a bicycle and hit the road with Cultura Cruisers to discover the charms of Isla Mujeres in a very intimate way. 

You will experience amazing traditional Mexican foods and learn about the Maya culture. It’s a win-win situation. 

You can nosh your way around the island and work off the calories at the same time. 

Golf cart food tour with guide Jose

The adventure is a hundred times more fun than staring at a television or checking social media posts while your legs repeatedly pump the pedals of a stationary bike in your local gym. 

However, if you are not keen about the cycling idea, they also offer the less strenuous version of touring in your own golf cart with a bilingual guide. 

We originally met the very personable creators of Cultura Cruisers while we were enjoying a yummy dinner at Javi’s Cantina on Juarez Avenue. 

The partners explained their vision of building relationships, educating people’s taste buds, and contributing to a sustainable economy for the islanders. Their passion is connecting the love of people to the love of food and culture.

Tacos barbacoa, enchiladas verde, salbutes con pollo 

We think the following quote nicely sums up their business model:

“We often write #morethanjustafoodtour because Cultura Cruisers is more than just a tour; it’s more than just eating the foods; it’s bigger than that." 

"It’s an experience."  

"It’s about exploring the colonias, on a bicycle or in a golf cart, with a local tour guide who will share the authenticity and beauty of Isla Mujeres; who will explain the history, ingredients, and flavors.”

Hacienda Mundaca  for history

“Bellies and hearts will be full as our guests eat delicious, traditionally made foods. Isla Mujeres is magical, such a rich culture with incredibly beautiful and kind people, so we hope our guests come cruise on the roads less traveled with us, enjoy the vibes, and taste the flavors of Isla Mujeres. The tour guides also stop at various historical/cultural spots to share their knowledge and the history of the island.”

“In our world today, Cultura Cruisers feels it is crucial to connect and learn from others while building authentic relationships.  

Although our tour guides are bilingual, food is a language without barriers and an awesome way to get to know people, places, and cultures that differ from your own.”

“Cultura Cruisers is about contributing to the numerous locals who are part of the Cultura Cruisers team; everyone from our bike mechanics to our tour guides, the local who stores the bikes to the local owner of the papeleria, (the stationary store) who makes the weekly photo copies of paperwork, the numerous cocina economicas (inexpensive eateries) who prepare the delicious foods to the locals who share their homes and their kitchen tables with our guests to the panaderias (the bakeries) on the tour; it's truly about community.”

Here’s the link to their website: www.culturacruisers.com

You can also find them on Instagram @culturacruisers, Facebook, and TripAdvisor!

Chucho doing routine maintenance

What a great way to experience paradise.

All of the photos in this article are courtesy of Cultura Cruisers. 

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, and Sparky

Isla Mujeres Mystery series!  

Available online as e-books or paperbacks. 

Enjoy the adventure.

Plogging your way to a cleaner paradise and to better health

For several weeks, we have been reading islander Kai Creamer’s Facebook posts about the next plogging day on Isla Mujeres.

“Plogging?” I asked, “What the heck is that?”

According to Kai, it is a movement that started in Sweden, and the name of the activity comes from the Swedish plocka up or pick up. 

The activity combines picking up trash with jogging to create the fun and memorable name of plogging.  Many islanders had already incorporated the idea into their daily exercise routines, but now they can also join the group for a laughter-filled workout. 

I’m sure some of the items that are found along the streets can be pretty gross, and others quite entertaining. I have on occasion discovered discarded underwear, male and female, that I did not pick up, but pondered the possible scenario that led to the removal of their underwear among the scorpions, spiders, and ticks.

But back to plogging. Every Wednesday, the next weekend's route and meeting place are posted to the group’s Facebook page. The distances range between 1.5 and 2.5 kilometers. 

The participants meet at 8:30 in the morning and are provided with gloves, recycled plastic grocery bags for the trash, and water refills for their personal water bottles from a larger twenty-litre Garrafon. 

Many members bring their own grabbers, those handy devices that were originally designed for people with mobility challenges to reach and pick up items. 

The biggest challenge for the group is getting a supply of affordable trash grabbers. In Mexico, they are hard to find and are expensive. 

If any travelers from the USA or Canada have room in their suitcase for a few of the dollar-store variety grabbers, the group would really appreciate your assistance. They each cost around $1.00 to $1.25, although the better-made variety, costing around $10.00 each, would probably last longer. 

As Kai says, the speed of the activity depends on the amount of trash to be picked up. Sometimes the group is stationary in one area, picking it clean before moving on. They generally stop by 11:00 in the morning and convene at one of their local sponsor restaurants. 

Both Mango Café and La Tarima offer a complimentary refreshing lemonade for the ploggers. Some of the group will often linger longer at the restaurant to take advantage of the group members' discount and enjoy a well-earned late breakfast or early lunch.

On average, the plogging events attract around fifteen people, but on occasion the group has swelled to as many as forty participants. Kai and the group members are planning a second route for Wednesday afternoons for folks who can’t participate on the weekends or in the mornings. 

Here’s your chance to have a few laughs, get some exercise, and help our island in paradise. 

Here's the link to their Facebook group page for more information.
Photos courtesy of Kai Creamer.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2023592277901903/?ref=br_rs

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, and Sparky

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It's time to take a breath, Isla Mujeres

Just breathe!

Put your feet up, breathe in, breathe out, and relax! 

The high season crowds are starting to thin out, giving everyone on the island a much-needed break. 

Schools are back in session in Canada, the USA, and Mexico, reducing the thick masses of families traveling to sunny locations for the annual spring vacation.

Dropping off friends at Ultramar boat

There were many afternoons this year when we avoided Centro between the peak hours of eleven in the morning to four in the afternoon, when the fleets of golf carts are at their busiest. 

Sunburnt day-trippers from the Cancun hotel zone pour off the tour boats and are caught up in the swirl. Typically, most first-time visitors rent a golf cart, tour the island, snap a hundred selfies, and get back on their assigned boat by late afternoon. 

It’s a good way to get an overview of the island, but there is so much more to discover than white sandy beaches and spectacular viewpoints.

Even though the many islanders employed in the hospitality industry love the increase in tips, by the time high season starts to wind down, everyone is exhausted and longing for peace and quiet. 

The tempo will ramp again in late June when summer holidays bring North American and European families to the island to snorkel, dive, and swim with the manta rays and the whale sharks.

Participants of the procession

Last week, just as we were dropping friends off at the Ultramar passenger boats to begin their trek back to their summer home in Canada, we got caught up in the annual re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 

At least two or three thousand worshippers followed the actor depicting Christ, who was dragging an enormously heavy cross. There were Roman Centurions, the Roman judges and officials, and a crowd of followers, many of whom were dressed in period costumes. The event began in the morning and encompassed all three of the larger Catholic churches, and ended around three in the afternoon at the large church in the square.

Umbrellas for participants

It’s a fascinating contract to see the participants of this solemn religious procession trekking six kilometers under the blazing sun and at the end intermingle with scantily-clad tourists. Just one of the many oddities of living in a tourist destination.

For a few weeks, everyone can take a breath, spend time with their family and friends, and rest up for the summer onslaught.  April and May are our favourite months on Isla. The weather is usually hot, sunny, with little or no rain and the streets are somewhat quieter. It’s a perfect time to enjoy our island paradise.

The almost-famous Sparky

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, and Sparky

Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

Available as e-books and paperbacks, 

in online book stores

On a deadline today! Book #3 Tormenta Isla

Paleta (popsicles) salesmen after a long day

Happy Friday, everyone, from paradise.

I'm on a tight deadline to get Tormenta Isla Book #3 of the Isla Mujeres Mystery series up and running by tomorrow. 

Today's blog is a few of my photos of how people earn a living on an island in paradise.

Felipe and Santiago - fixing a leak in our a/c

Tortilla salesman starting his day before sunrise

Late afternoon, cleaning up the boat for morning

Beach cleaning crew

Making tortillas at the Chedraui grocery store

Firefighters disposing of a nest of angry hornets

Hasta luego, Lynda, Lawrie and Sparky  

Isla Mujeres Mysteries

Death in the Vineyard Mysteries

The fun differences between Mexico and Canada!

Lawrie and his brother Freddy Medina! 

Mexico, as a nation, is politically incorrect. Here, greetings between acquaintances, friends, family members, or co-workers are a hug and an affectionate kiss on the cheek. 

It’s the culturally acceptable greeting.

Between men, the greeting is usually a hand-slap fist-bump and then an arm around the shoulder guy-hug. Handshakes are rare and usually reserved for formal, first-time introductions.

 Birthday party

Many of our Mexican male friends have no idea what to do when a foreign woman shoves her hand out for a handshake, instead of leaning in for a kiss. I experienced many limp, finger-tip shakes before I realized I was, in their view, behaving oddly. 

Now I just hug and smooch ‘em! 

Lawrie has always loved hugging, but in Canada, he was afraid that he would be accused of sexual harassment, so he seldom indulged in affectionate greetings. Here in Mexico, everyone loves to hug, which makes Lawrie a happy man.

Another day, another birthday party!

To our Mexican friends, family is everything. Life revolves around living with or close to your family. If you don’t have children, parents, siblings, cousins, aunties, uncles, and grandparents underfoot, you are to be pitied because you are alone. 

The average family home is noisy with animated conversations, loud music, and unrestrained laughter.

Faith defines life in Mexico. In the G-8 countries, the USA, Canada, Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Germany, and Italy, your job and your income define you. Here, what you do for a living is not important.

Quinceaños, complete with entertainers.

Education is valuable, but human dignity counts for more. Manners and respect for others are important as a means of peacefully co-existing in a boisterous and frequently crowded household. 

Education focuses on culture, art, tradition, and history. Learning to play an instrument, or to sing and dance, is far more important than an expensive degree that enables you to serve coffee at Starbucks.

You are responsible for yourself. No high-priced lawyers are suggesting a huge lawsuit for a personal injury if you trip on an uneven sidewalk, scald yourself drinking hot coffee, touch a live electrical wire, or fall into an unfenced swimming pool.

Dress well, eat well.

Canadians and Americans tend to lean more towards volunteering their help and financial assistance to local charities, with an expectation that local celebrities contribute their fair share.

In Mexico, it is not as prevalent; people rely on close-knit families to help out in a financial or medical crisis.

Appearances matter, but people are not obsessed with being young, thin, and beautiful. Being well-dressed and eating good food are far more important.

Lupita's Quinceaños.

And most importantly, family events such as engagements, weddings, a child’s first birthday, baptisms, a young woman’s fifteenth birthday, known as quinceaños, birthdays for any family member, and wedding anniversaries are celebrated in grand style. 

The fiesta may last all night and includes amazing food, drinks, decorations, beautiful cakes, music, dancing, and possibly fireworks.

Mexico is a very special place, and we love our life.

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, & Max

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Book #2 in the Isla Mujeres Mystery

Isla Mujeres, Mexico’s luckiest island!

Sunset looking towards Cancun.   

Luckiest island? Just because we are blessed with amazing beaches, fabulous restaurants, and gracious people?

Yes, but also because this year we dodged several natural disasters that devastated our surrounding neighbours. 2017 has been a hyperactive hurricane season in the Caribbean Sea with seventeen named storms, including Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Irma, Jose, Katia, Lee, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, and Rina.

Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Nate were projected to ride right over our little sandbar of an island. Thankfully, both storms changed their travel plans, leaving us in peace. Our neighbours in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Cuba, Belize, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico were unfortunately subjected to the wrath of several big storms this year.

Earthquakes in September 2017

In September, Mexico suffered a series of devastating earthquakes on the Pacific coast and in central Mexico. Hundreds of people died in the huge quakes. The communities are still in recovery mode, with unstable buildings and damaged infrastructure. 

Thankfully, we don’t seem to be in an earthquake zone here on the Caribbean side of Mexico. 

Most of the quakes are concentrated further out where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean, near Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Virgin Islands.

Local policewoman and her daughter

On the more personal side of living on Isla Mujeres, we have a very low crime rate. Most of the problems are crimes of opportunity. A purse snatched. A pocket picked. A camera or electronic device taken from tourists in a rental property. With 16,000 residents and two million visitors a year, the opportunities abound for thieves. They prey on people who assume that since this is a small island, they do not have to worry about any crime. Well, you do have to take precautions. Keep track of your valuables. Use the safes supplied in your accommodation for your passports, extra cash, and electronic devices. Lock your doors when leaving your lodging, even if you are just going out for a few minutes. Don’t leave any small electronic devices out on display. Someone will take them.

Sunrise on the eastern side of the island

And sadly, you should be aware of the possibility of sexual assault. Twice in recent weeks, a young woman has successfully fought off an attacker.

But on the upside of living here, the weather is nearly-perfect, the environment is healthy, and the municipality tries to provide a variety of cultural experiences for everyone. 

There is an abundance of beaches, restaurants, and bars, plus ethnic activities on most weekends in Centro. The Artist Fairs, located at the Casa de Cultura, are back in operation starting this week. The plan is for every second Thursday, but will likely change to weekly as the high-season tourist traffic increases.

Folk Dancers in Centro

We have a reasonably good police force, and the large comforting presence of the huge navy base across from the passenger ferries. 

It’s nice to know those folks live here year-round, providing extra security, search and rescue for lost boats, and occasionally emergency medical evacuations. 

The two navy drug-sniffing dogs and their handlers frequently greet the passenger boats or car ferries, checking for contraband. We enjoy watching the dogs work.

Navy dogs and handlers at the ferry terminal

So yes, we think Isla Mujeres is the luckiest island in Mexico. 

It’s a beautiful island with friendly locals and resident foreigners. 

(That’s us! Resident foreigners.)

Cheers from paradise

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Max

Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

Here's the link to Mujeres Mystery Series - L. L. Lock