Sometimes a last minute invite can be a fun one!

Late this Wednesday afternoon, Lawrie just happened to check his emails and discovered a message from Marla Bainbridge Martinez asking if we would consider helping out as bartenders at a fundraiser starting at four in the afternoon.

I heaved an unhappy sigh, and stared longingly at my just-poured glass of Malbec wine. Our afternoon plans had included reading a book on the ocean-side patio, with a glass of wine in hand. But it was a fundraiser put on by a group of island friends and business people in support of a badly injured islander. Julio Zapata had recently been in a horrific moto (motorcycle) accident in the nearby City of Mérida. Julio has two young children and a third on the way. He is facing large medical bills for multiple surgical operations.

We couldn’t say no. It’s what people in small communities do – help out. Lawrie and I scrambled to get to the fundraiser for the four o’clock start time, knowing full well that as eager-beaver expats we would be among the first to arrive.

Navy truck in front, providing an armed escort for the ice?

Driving to the venue at the Casa de la Culture via Guerreo Avenue, we trailed behind a golf cart, loaded with bags of ice. Apparently ice for a party is a valuable commodity on Isla Mujeres. Driving ahead of the golf cart was an armed escort in the form of a truck load of Navy marines – presumably protecting against the threat of ice-bandits.

Lawrie and Fernanda all set to sell beer and drinks

At the ocean-side esplanade for the Casa de la Culture busy hands were in the process of setting up the venue. Lights and sound systems installed. Band instruments un-packed. Beer organized in the cooler and covered with the precious ice. Bid pages were arranged for silent auction items donated by several island businesses. And then our favourite beer dispensers arrived: Isla Brewing.

La Banda Sin Nombre

Okay, we’re good to go! Now let’s hear some tunes from La Banda Sin Nombre, the Band with No Name!

The crowd was small but very generous in their donations. Thanks to everyone for helping out. Here’s a copy of Marla’s list of contributors: hopefully no one has been left out.

Javi's Cantina Restaurant Tapas Bar, Bobo's Grill & Bar, Isla Mujeres Bar Card, El Arrecife, Parque de los Sueños, Restaurant Asia Caribe, CARM Tours & Transfers, The Joint Reggae Bar & Grill, El Patio house of music, Gigi Kraycar, Nirit Ben David, Olivia Tastes from the Mediterranean, Catrina Restaurant, BE Wings Restaurant, Nisa Disco, and Michael (no last name given).

Aida signing up for an auction item

La Banda Sin Nombre, and Deejay Dani for the tunes. Cheryl Gabel and Kevin Gabel for running the auction. Isla Brewing Company - Cerveza Isla for showing up last minute. Emilio Fernando Sosa Delgado and Martin Burgos for setting up. Jason Williams and Fernanda.

Some of the silent auction winners include: Phil the new owner of the Bahai Tortuga Restaurant, Mark and Monica Macpherson, Sandra Murray, Tomas Christianson, Terri Huff, Dede Clark, Aida and Patricio Yam.

Phil, Barbara Beck, Chris Shannon, Jimmy Picuri

Between the beer sales, the silent auction items, and an earlier Go Fund Me campaign the group efforts have brought in about $41,000 pesos of the $70,000 pesos needed to pay for the operations. It’s a great start! Donations are still gratefully accepted. Contact Marla at Javi’s Cantina for details.

The weather was perfect, the music enjoyable, and the crowd was happy.

Thank you everyone for your generosity.

 

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

Organizing the silent auction items

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Available as an e-book on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, or Nook. Paperback copies are available from Amazon. If you are on the island you can purchase a copy at  Jenny Penny Beach Boutique or Casa Sirena Hotel. 

Isla Mujeres Mysteries are the perfect beach-read for your next vacation.

Javi’s Cantina ‘Where Flavor Meets Harmony’

Music, good food and cold drinks!  What a great way to spend a Wednesday evening in paradise.  Marla Bainbridge Martinez and Javier Martinez recently held their grand opening event for Javi’s Cantina & Tapas Bar located in centro on Juarez near Abasolo Avenue. 

Cool new sign

Their eatery actually commenced operation in July of this year, but they wanted to ensure they had everything organized and ticking along perfectly before the grand opening.  The several times we have eaten at Javi’s, we have had a beautifully presented and tasty meal.  Practice does make perfect.

Lawrie's favourite - Sliders

The grand opening started off with a blessing from the priest, and continued into the evening with fun, laughter and music.  Until the flashy new sign was installed the cantina was a bit difficult to find.  In case you are still having challenges, it is almost directly across the street from Jeri Roozeboom Mattox and Steve Mattox’s rental property La Vida Dulce, and the Farmacia y Consultorio Similares otherwise known as Doctor Simi.

Spilling out onto the street - Grand Opening

Javi’s Cantina is an intimate and thankfully air-conditioned space, usually holding about thirty patrons, but for this evening they had permission to block off the street and spill out onto the cobblestone roadway.  It’s an island custom for important events, especially funerals when the large extended families can’t all fit inside the diminutive houses.  Javi’s family has been on the island for generations which probably helped in obtaining a street closure permit.  We are glad he did, the large turnout created a festive atmosphere with an entertaining mix of old friends, and new acquaintances all laughing and enjoying the warm tropical night.  And yes, our shivering northern friends, it was a warm tropical night in the middle of November.

Marla singing with the band

The street tables were available for patrons who wanted to drink adult beverages and enjoy the music of La Banda Sin Nombre, the Band with No Name.  The inside tables were reservations-only for folks who wanted to scarf down some great chow like Sliders, or Kabobs, or the Catch of the Day with their drinks.

Some of the menu choices

Most evenings at Javi’s Cantina there are musicians playing great tunes in Spanish and English. Tuesday night’s Hammock for 2 with Marla and Javi singing their favourite songs. Wednesday night Jorge Santoyo. Thursday night Willy Chacon.  Other nights might feature Javi and his dad Toso, or any combination of friends and fellow musicians. 

Grand opening

For the Grand Opening we had made plans to enjoy the festivities with two island friends, and then discovered two more amigos were going to be seated next to us, so we pushed the tables together and became one big happy group. 

It’s times like this that we really appreciate island life, small communities, and upbeat positive chums.

Best wishes for a successful adventure Marla and Javi.

Cheers

Lynda & Lawrie

~

Available as an e-book on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, or Nook. Paperback copies are available from Amazon. If you are on the island you can purchase a copy at  Jenny Penny Beach Boutique or Casa Sirena Hotel. 

Isla Mujeres Mysteries are the perfect beach-read for your next vacation.

Missing! Five Islanders and the Anastacia

Anastacia - before it went missing.  Isla Fiesta photo

They are husbands and fathers, brothers and sons, uncles and nephews, cousins and friends; and they are missing.  Five friends left Isla Mujeres on a 32-foot boat, the Anastacia, Wednesday March 30^th.  They were headed towards the island of Cozumel to fish for sharks.   

They have not been heard from since.

Waiting for news

At the fishing coop where the Anastacia berths the families wait, faces pinched by worry and love, seeking comfort from each other.  

Eyes brim with tears that quickly spill with the arrival of more friends, affectionate hugs, and soft words of solace.  An upset child picking up the unsettled mood, tugs at a sleeve of his mother, plaintively asking: When is papi coming home? 

But each new day is a morning filled with hope and optimism.  “Today is the day we will find them!” 

The search coordinating committee is made up of many islanders including Jorge Fernando De La O Pino papa to Jorge De La O, the captain of the Anastacia.  

Javi, Marla, Jorge Sr., and Jill

Others members are Marcelo Cupul Ku, Rogelio Digurnay Perez, Marcelino Cupul Avalos, Javier Martinez Cen, Marla Bainbridge Martinez, Wilberth Ancona Argaez, Julio Sosa Chuc and Thelmo Burgos Uc.  Jill Hardekopf is also helping out with her American contacts.  

Most of the committee has other jobs that they have taken a leave of absence from, allowing them to devote time to finding their family members.  In the case of Jorge Sr., the opening for his new restaurant has been delayed indefinitely.   Javier Martinez Cen (Javi) and Jorge Jr., have been as close as cousins since birth.  For him, and all of the other families, this search is intensely personal.

Currents - Mexico, Cuba, US

The search grids are based on suggestions from highly qualified experts from around the world and experienced members of the community, fishermen, captains and mates who know the currents and wind patterns.  From early morning to late at night coordinators makes phone calls to authorities seeking assistance, asking permission, planning for the next day’s search grid, raising money to pay for the massive amounts of fuel required, and answering hundreds of emails and Facebook posts.  

All through the day optimistic words of hope are spoken.  Never give up!  We will find them.   Each sunset is the beginning of a night filled with very little and restless sleep, exhausted brains spinning with questions.  Where are they?  Are they okay?  What can we do next?  Where should the search focus tomorrow?

Huachisan III and crew searching in Cuban waters

Deline García Canto talks with pride how his papa Juan de Dios García Povedano (Huacha) and crew aboard the Huachisan III have been given permission to search in Cuban waters.   They are tired, worried and a long way from home, but still searching for their friends.  The Mexican government has initiated the request for assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, and are still waiting on their reply.  

Also out searching

The navy, the harbor master, and the UltraMar passenger ferry have all assisted. Mexico News Daily with a readership of twenty thousand expats carried the story a few days ago, as did a TV station in Houston because Jorge De La O lives there part of the year.  A gofundme campaign has raised thousands of dollars to assist with the cost of fuel for the search boats; more is needed.  

Locals and expats have come together providing basic needs for the five families, waiting without a source of income, for the return of their husbands and fathers.  The search committee is working remotely with the specialized, volunteer Search & Rescue team from the USA.  Their arrival has been delayed, awaiting documentation.

Isla Mujeres is a strongly knit community of locals and foreigners all pulling together to bring the five men home safely, hopefully with an interesting adventure story to tell their children.  But the social media network is slowly picking at the threads of the community, bit by bit, picking and unraveling the fabric of the island.  

Social media is a curse and a blessing.  It is an instant form of communication.  And an instant form of condemnation and criticism.   Why didn’t they do this?  Why don’t they do that?  I could do this better.  Not taking into account the tangled regulations involved with three separate countries – Mexico, USA, and Cuba who hasn’t had a diplomatic relationship with the USA from 1960 until just this year.  Permissions are required to cross, enter or fly over airspace and oceans.  And not taking into account the personal toll on the family members as each new rumor is bandied about as “the truth” while family members are left to wonder: Why wasn’t I told.  I am sitting right here five feet away from the coordinators.  Why didn’t they tell me my son was okay?  And then it’s revealed to not be the truth, but just a fast-moving rumor spreading like wild-fire through the internet searing the hearts of those waiting for news.

Dawn of another day of hope!

Maybe today is the day that they will find them!  

Be strong, stick together, and work to a common goal.  It’s what makes Isla Mujeres such a special place in a complex world.

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

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If you would like to help - please donated to the Find the Anastacia Fund gofundme