Where the heck are we? Tourist photo-ops,

Dance troupe, whale shark statue on Isla Mujeres

We’ve all done it, posed beside a large decorative sign with a recognizable name.  The signs are memory joggers for photo buffs, those of us who snap hundreds of pictures on a two-week holiday, trying to capture all of the excitement, all of the beauty. The signs remind us of the location of a fun experience, a quirky building, or an interesting street scene.

Sunrise side of Isla Mujeres

Recently, we have seen an increase in bright, cheerful signs simply proclaiming – Isla Mujeres. 

We think the signs have been installed to help combat TCS, tourist-confusion-syndrome. Symptoms of TCS include an inability to distinguish between one city and another. Sufferers of TCS are usually oblivious to their surroundings due to the overuse of selfie-sticks and alcohol. 

Conversations with a visitor who suffers from TCS can sound something like this:

“This is my favourite part of Cancun,” the bikini-clad woman said. 

“Cancun?”  The islander asked, his eyebrows lifting, questioning. Then he noticed the woman was wearing an identification wristband from an all-inclusive resort located on the Riviera Maya.   

“Yes, we are on a day trip from the hotel zone.  This is my favourite part of Cancun.”

“Actually, this isn't Cancun.” He patiently replied, “We're a separate community. This is Isla Mujeres.”

“Oh! I’ve never heard of it,” she said.

Arriving on Isla Mujeres

If you are here on a day-trip, the first indication that you aren’t in Cancun is the enormous metal sign spread across the top of the Ultramar passenger ferry terminal – Isla Mujeres. Snap a phone pic of that one to help you remember where you were. 

Or just a few steps from the boat, at the head of the wharf, is another photo opportunity – an anchor, a painted wooden sign, and the beautiful blue ocean. During the Christmas holidays, an enormous inflatable, woolly bear complete with Santa hat and scarf sits beside the anchor. It is an ideal stop for a memory-jogging photo.

Whale Shark statue at night

If you rent a golf cart to tour the island, there will be several other visual clues that you are not in Cancun, you are on Isla Mujeres. 

There is a large whale shark statue, suspended over a sculpture of a small fishing boat, a panga. It is located about five minutes south of Centro, on the western side where the Malécon runs along the water’s edge. The statue is a popular place to stop for a touristy photo. Driving past this area can be interesting when golf-cart drivers suddenly brake and swerve to the curb, pointing excitedly at the statue with their selfie-stick.

Isla on the winter solstice, December 21st 

Back in Centro on the eastern shoreline, the sunrise side of the island, there is a newer, yet already rusting, large sign proclaiming the name of our small community: Isla Mujeres, Island of Women.  The sign is located behind the Casa de la Cultura.  Abasolo Avenue will take you right to the sign – but please remember the Malécon is a walkway.  It isn’t a place to play dodge-em with dog-walkers, joggers, and parents walking small children. The Malécon narrows and ends at a wall, leaving you, the obviously-not-an-islander, red-faced and reversing to extricate yourself from the jam. 

For the folks who are only visiting for a few hours and plan to walk around Centro, one of the newer tourist stores on the double-wide Rueda Medina Avenue, Plaza Don Agustin, has a perfect place for a memory-jogging photo inside their store. 

On the wall is a depiction of a whale shark along with the name of our community.

In the same neighbourhood is the Miramar Restaurante, located on Rueda Medina Avenue and across from the Señor Frog store. After enjoying a snack, or lunch, or perhaps a cold beverage, you can walk out on their dock for yet another Isla Mujeres photo op.

Islanders try their best to help cure TCS, tourist-confusion-syndrome.

Now, if someone could convince the souvenir salespeople to stop selling Cancun-branded t-shirts and touristy gee-gaws, maybe we could make some real progress.

Cheers, Lynda, Lawrie, and Sparky

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

or

Death in the Vineyards

Spectacular! The Pueblo Magico Murals, Isla Mujeres Mexico

Artist Jose Luis Torres Sanchez

Jewel-toned turtles and colourful sailfish. Opulent frogs and silly iguanas.  

Mythical creatures from indigenous legends. People riding pelicans.  

Fish transporting houses. And a beautiful woman, with half a head. It’s a wild collection of images.

Alex Lechuga - hiding from the afternoon sun

Faces hidden behind balaclavas, and heads covered by an assortment of sombreros and hats, the artists worked feverishly in the scorching afternoon sun.   

Using spray bombs, brushes, rags, and paints, they created beautiful outdoor masterpieces for everyone to enjoy.

Artist Chugs

Last week, the western perimeter wall of the airport was given a stunning makeover by painters sponsored by the municipality of Isla Mujeres in conjunction with World Art Destinations from Cancun; artists such as Alex Lechuga, originally from Puebla and now living in Cancun.  

Or Liz Rashell, co-founder of World Art Destinations based in Cancun and co-producer of Seawalls for Oceans.   

Then there is Capitan Klavis (Geovani Klavis Delgado), Chugs (Juan Chuger Herrera), and Dherzu Uzala also based in the Playa del Carmen – Cancun area.

Joint effort by several artists, Welcome to Isla 

And Jose Luis Torres Sanchez, who is from Guadalajara on the western side of Mexico.

These are the same artists who created the welcoming mural on the northern end of our island airport, across from the car ferry. It’s a delightful collage of whale sharks, manta rays, a lighthouse, and the goddess Ixchel.

Artist Capitan Klavis

We have photographs, dozens of photographs of the artists, of them working, and of the final paintings, but this week’s blog article is a little light on words.  

We chatted a bit in the hot afternoon sun, then emailed, and ‘friended’ on Facebook, but in the end didn’t gather much information.  

Jose Luis Torres Sanchez turtles and sailfish mural

The exception being Jose Luis or Frase, as he signs his works, he was willing to answer my Google Spanglish inquiries.

Jose Luis is originally from Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.  

He has been painting murals for over twenty years in many locations, including Mexico City, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí, Chiapas, Durango, Leon, Puebla, Morelia, Acapulco, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Tulum, and Cancún, to name just a few.  Jose Luis has also participated in events in Paris, France, and Fortaleza, Brazil. 

Artist Dherzu Uzala

A graphic designer, a sculptor, and a creator of clothing, Jose Luis is a multi-talented artist who focuses on representing the indigenous roots of the Wixarika, Maya, Otomi, and Aztec.  

He has worked on projects to prevent violence and crime with young people from marginalized neighborhoods of the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Durango, Queretaro, Acapulco, and San Luis Potosi.  Among his other talents, he has also been a coordinator of urban art and graffiti for organizations such as Social HABITAT.  He now collaborates with other members of the Mexican HONGHIKURI Urban art project, creating murals in public spaces.  

Liz Rashell, Co-founder of World Art Destination

For those lucky folks who have experienced the delightful hospitality of Steve Broin at the Casa Sirena Hotelito, you will see a commissioned work by Jose Luis, a voluptuous new mermaid for the top-floor lounge. 

Have a look at the posting on YouTube at Casa Sirena Mural 6 hours of painting in 2 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s-_ZOKQVgc&feature=share

Enjoy!

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas the Cat

Capitan Klavis silly iguanas

Alex Lechuga 

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

Or 

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries