Forget the beaches and the turquoise water, Isla Mujeres is really about the party!

North Beach early in the morning

Yes, the beaches of Isla Mujeres are some of the best in the world, and swimming in the clear turquoise Caribbean Sea is extraordinary, but the island party scene is just good fun. 

Great drinks. Music & dancing, all day and into the early hours of the next day. 

We all have our favourites, but there are literally dozens of places you can find good drinks and great music on the island. Places to spend a lazy afternoon, after working on your tan in the morning. Places to enjoy an evening meal and listen to great music. And places to dance, dance, dance the night away.

Lawrie and my great-nieces and giant Margs

You can’t go wrong with Ballyhoo’s, for food, drinks, and atmosphere. 

Located on the beach, behind the PeMex gas station on Rueda Medina, they have the best sunset location on the island. 

Depending on the time of day or the month, the view includes the comings and goings of a variety of boats: the big and sexy sport-fishing boats, the modest little open deck pangas, the catamaran jet-drive passenger boats or the slow and plodding car ferry. The best way to start a party is with one of their eye-popping big Margaritas.

Soggy Peso Bar & Grill

And of course, everyone thinks of the Soggy Peso when you mention killer Margaritas. 

The big jug on the bar counter-top contains their special recipe, made with four bottles of tequila, four bottles of orange Controy, and the words freshly squeezed lime juice whispered over the blend. The Margs are strong and tasty. 

Typically, customers are happy with one, or if they are feeling frisky, maybe two Margaritas; however, the record is twelve plus two to go. 

Jeff Current, singing with customer, Cathy 

In the winter season, local entertainer Jeff Current gets the crowd dancing to favourite tunes during his Isla Animals fundraiser nights. 

Watch out for the Soggy Peso’s pet (plastic) spider located above the sink!  It likes to drop down for a visit with unsuspecting newbies. 

The Soggy Peso is a perfect mix of silly fun, great songs, good food and killer drinks. When they are at capacity, the gate is closed.

The Joint, an island tour with family

At the southern end of the island near Garrafon Natural Reef Park, is The Joint Reggae Bar n Grill. It’s another good venue for a pleasurable afternoon listening to live music every day from 1 until 4 in the afternoon, plus on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 5 until 8 in the evening.  It’s an enjoyable halfway stop when touring around the island with visitors or on your own. We’ve heard the food is awesome, but we haven’t tried it yet. Just too many choices and not enough time.

Slow Down Food & Art   FB photo

On the windward side of the island are a few more of our favourite places to eat, drink and be merry. (Or is that eat, drink and get married?)  The newest is Slow Down Food and Art, located in front of Antonio Fabre’s intriguing art studio. They have a limited but tasty menu of sliders, Argentine-style empanadas, and salads. It’s a tiny, two-person operation perched on the edge of the road, across from a gorgeous view of the sapphire-blue water. Open from 11 in the morning until 8 at night, except Sundays, or when they are in Cancun getting immigration papers sorted out or when the chef is sick. It’s Mexico, they are open, except when they’re not.

Villa la Bella photo

And of course, don’t forget Villa la Bella for their Cadillac Margaritas with a shot of Grand Marnier on the side. They also serve the prettiest Pina Coladas on the island, or maybe in all of Mexico. 

That’s the place with the well-known ‘beer so cold it will make your teeth hurt’ sign. 

The award-winning bed and breakfast has a bar open to the public, unless they are at capacity, then the gate is closed. The location is spectacular, the drinks are yummy, and the view is killer beautiful.

In the same neighbourhood is Caribbean Brisas Bar and Grill, with its colourful atmosphere, live music and delicious food. We have always enjoyed their amazing menu choices. 

Caribbean Brisas Marg 

A recent addition to their drink choices includes Margaritas made with ingredients like cucumber, chaya, mint, or habanero. Now you can get a buzz while drinking your veggies!  It has to be good for you, right?

There are more, dozens more, but all this talk of food and beverages is making us hungry and thirsty. Time to grab the keys and head out to an old favourite, or maybe try something different.

And when you’ve had just too much fun, you can regenerate your liver cells while soaking up the tropical sun on those sugar-white beaches and gazing at the turquoise sea.

Hasta Luego 

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Max

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

Grab your copy today! 

Hey, when are ya coming back to Isla Mujeres? We're ready for you.

Visions of Margaritas dance in your heads

The annual winter migration begins soon, and Isla is ready for your return. Restaurant owners and merchants have been busy over the less hectic summer months, preparing for your return this winter. It’s the time of year that you leave the rain, ice and snow, and prepare to be pampered under the tropical sun.  It’s that wonderful time of year, when visions of frosty Margaritas dance in your heads. 

Freddy Medina Independence Day at El Arrecife 

Centro has several new places to enjoy an evening out with friends.  In the spring, everybody’s favourite bartender, Freddy Medina, opened El Arrecife – The Reef. The new bar is a joint venture between Freddy and his cousin Manuel Figueroa. It is located across from the municipal square and above the Paradice Cream shop. The entrance to the second-floor bar is on Hidalgo Avenue, behind the big tree decorated with toy monkeys. The Reef serves good fresh food, and all the fun that you can handle with Freddy.  Their street-view bar stools are a great location to relax with a drink and do some people-watching.

Jax Bar & Grill - the big bar on the corner

‘The big bar on the corner’, Jax Bar & Grill at the northern end of Rueda Medina, recently reopened after their annual staff holidays and restaurant refurbishing in September.  

This year’s big project was to redo the upper deck. Good thing! We think our dancing contributed to the old one’s demise. 

Jax is one of our favourite places for a hearty breakfast and tasty fish and chips.

Javi's Cantina 

Another new eatery is Javi’s Cantina & Tapas Bar, located on Juarez south of Abasolo Avenue.  

Javi’s serves up cold drinks and great food in an intimate environment with live music several nights a week. Check out their delicious fresh tuna, ceviche, and nachos.  The sliders look amazing as well. 

(We were recently caught on camera, dancing in the street outside Javi's, by the local paparazzi.)

Amar Cocina Peruana

Over a few streets, across from La Tablita’s and next door to Pleacorp (the pool supply place) is the new Amar Cocina Peruana.  

Owned by Catherine Benson, Amar features Peruvian cuisine and a fabulous selection of ceviches. The food is tasty.

In the same area, on the second floor kitty-corner to La Tablita’s, is Facebar, owned and operated by Luz Del Alba Hernandez and her sister. It’s already of favourite of locals for its cold beer, good prices and a ton of laughs.

Directly below Facebar is the brand new, bar and restaurant named BE. That's all we know at the moment. We happened to be driving past with a camera in hand and discovered that the day before, the windows were still boarded up, and the next day, they were ready to go.

Heading south along Rueda Medina is the ever-popular Soggy Peso Bed & Cocktail.  Closed for September for staff holidays and renovations, they will re-open this week. Bar service is now also available in the lower area, on the beach.  When you fall out of your chair, after two or maybe three of their famous Margaritas, it’s a much softer landing.  (We don't have any photos, as yet, of the new additions.) 

New and expanded Donosusa

And in the colonias a few blocks south of our house, but before you get to the double ‘highway’ at the Salinas Grande, is Bofitos.  It’s a great neighbourhood location to get simple, yummy food.

Another big change is that Donosusa, the grocery store near the tennis courts, has done a huge remodel. Double in size, new shelving, brighter lights, and a touch of air conditioning.  Good pricing for basic packaged goods, detergents, paper products, with a small deli counter, and a cold beer fridge.

There’s probably more, but those are the ones that we’ve noticed.

Counting down the days until everyone is back in paradise.

See ya soon,

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas the Cat

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

Or

Death in the Vineyards

Musicians of Isla Mujeres – part two

Jesús Campuzano

Two weeks ago, we published a long article featuring some of the talented musicians on the island.  

We had so much information that it spilled over onto another article this week. Here, in their own words, are a few more of the talented folks on Isla Mujeres.

Jesús Campuzano (affectionately known as Chucho Ruidos) has been performing his magical music on Isla Mujeres since 2005. His music is the heartbeat of the island. Call it electro jazz or island jam, it is the most uncommon music – music you will never forget. You can find him rocking Poc Na on Saturday and Monday nights, the new Amar Restaurant, as well as at venues all over the island. 

When asked to describe his music, Chucho says: ‘I am an animal playing my instrument and I have always been a rebel.  I try to play the most uncommon music, things that not even a 5-piece band will do. The only certain thing to say about my style is that it is violently genuine.’

Jeff at Barlito's @ Marina Paraiso 

Jeff Current says: I'm from a musical family of six kids; my siblings are all more talented than I. When I was younger, I had a lot of choir, church, and school choir training. At about age ten, I learned to play the guitar, performing with various bands until I finished high school.  

I played solidly in college with a trio doing soft and country rock, up and down the range of Colorado for a few years. I still enjoy performing some of those songs today.  

Can you teach me to be a brain surgeon?

After college, my musical career was mainly light jamming until we discovered Isla in 1993, and eventually moved to Isla in 1999. 

  

I got to know a lot of the talented Isla musicians when we owned the Sunset Grill on North Beach from 2000 to 2005. I have great memories of Javi Martinez, Miguel Hernandez, and Willie Chacon, and occasionally jammed with them just for fun.  

When our dear friend from Isla Mujeres, Ron Brown, learned to play the mandolin, he and I performed as the "Soggy Bottom Boys.’  We played together until his passing in 2009. Twas a hoot, I miss him dearly.

These days, I strum and sing to music backtracks, during the tourist season, at a few of the local bars on the island.  The money we raise goes to our non-profit charity, Isla Animals. The evenings are a real blast, and we all have a bit of fun for a good cause.  

(What Jeff, otherwise known as Jeef, didn’t say is - he has a wicked and occasionally bent sense of humour that slips out during his live performances.  His events are always good for a chuckle.)

And there are more:

Sparky listening to Gregorio Sanchez

Due to challenges with communicating in Spanglish, we are still missing information on a few more of the islands' talented folks. 

We can always add information at a later date.  The wonders of electronic publications!

Gregorio Sanchez sings at Barlito's on Saturday evenings and performs on Hidalgo Avenue on other nights.  

He is a well-known islander, famous for his beautiful voice and his dog song. Our dog Sparky was fascinated by Gregorio's song.

Where to find our island musicians:

Here’s a few of the places that you will find live music.

Adelitas Tequileria – Hidalgo Avenue, centro

Almar Restaurant – Guerrero Avenue, centro

Barlito’s @ Marina Paraiso – Rueda Medina

Caribbean Brisas - Payo Obispo (near Mango Café)

Chichi's n Charlie's Beach Bar – the north end of Rueda Medina

El Patio House of Music – Hidalgo Avenue, centro

Faynes – Hidalgo Avenue, centro

Fenix House of Music – Calle Zazil-ha, next to NaBalam Hotel

Javi’s Cantina – on Juarez, centro

The Joint Reggae Bar – Rueda Medina near Punta Sur

Mamacita's – Hidalgo Avenue, centro

Miguel's Moonlight – in centro

Nash's Tapas Bar – Hidalgo Avenue, centro

Parque de Los Suenos – Rueda Medina near Punta Sur

Sardinian Smiles – Hidalgo Avenue, centro

Soggy Peso – Friday nights in high season

Zama Beach Club – Carretera a Sac Bajo, west side of the island

Sol Rockers at El Patio House of Music - FB photo

Whatever your choice in music, there is someone, somewhere on the island, singing that tune. 

Hasta Pronto!

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas the Cat

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

Or

Death in the Vineyards

Is living on Isla Mujeres, Mexico expensive?

Morning in paradise

As expats who moved to Isla Mujeres a few years ago, we were definitely not prepared or well-informed on what to expect with regard to the cost of living in Mexico.  All that we had heard was that electricity was very expensive.

We could deal with that by building our home using energy-efficient methods, but we really needed a few comforts such as air conditioning, an ice-maker, and a wine fridge. You get the idea. 

We budgeted our money and figured out approximately how much longer we were going to be around, then tried to live well and die broke! (Sorry, kids.)

Typical monthly water bill, in pesos

A few of our anticipated expenses fooled us: the cost of our property taxes is $66.00 a year, electricity averages around $75.00 a month, water and sewer about $9.00 per month, wine and beer …. let's just say a whole lot less than Canada.

We have also discovered the Mexican seniors' card, available to residents over the age of sixty. There are discounts galore for movies, museums, parks, buses, and some air travel. Heck, even the passenger fares on the ferries are half price. Health care is also available, and the cost per year is an affordable $400.00 for the most expensive category: very old.

2012 delivery of a new refrigerator

On the other hand, the ongoing maintenance of our home is more expensive.  

It's best if you are a little handy and can do the small repairs yourself. Everything metal or electronic takes a beating from the salt in the air.  

As you may know from previous blog posts, we have had to purchase, in the last seven years, three refrigerators, two dishwashers, and countless microwaves.  

It's the cost of living on the Caribbean coast.

Neighbourhood day at the movies VIP Cancun

For entertainment besides frequenting our favourite bar, the Soggy Peso, we can go to Cancun to see first-run movies (in English) at the VIP theatre for about $8.00. The VIP has waiters who will bring you food and drinks, even sushi, to your individual La-Z-Boy recliner. It's a great way to feel totally spoiled.

So after living here for a bit, our budgeting went out the window. We have decided we can live to a ripe old age, have lots of fun, and maybe, just maybe, have some left over at the end. 

Sunset - March 2015

The bonus is that we live in a very healthy environment. Our stress is way down. The food is fresh and tasty. And best of all, the humidity seems to make wrinkles disappear.

Yup, it's working for us. Great country, great people, great fun.

Que tengan lindo día

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas (Today was Lawrie's turn to write!)

Grab your copy today!

Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

Or

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

The Adventures of Thomas and Sparky

The twelve days of Christmas on Isla Mujeres Mexico

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Isla gave to me:

Twelve Boats a Bobbing:

Could Santa Claus fit one of these beauties in Lawrie's stocking?

Any Sunday afternoon at North Beach, a collection of yachts and mega-yachts can be seen anchored just offshore while their passengers enjoy a dip in the warm aqua-coloured seawater. These yachts are a fairly recent phenomenon, as Isla was originally a fishing community. Walk any beach on the west side of the island and you will see numerous small multi-coloured panga-style boats pulled up on the beaches waiting for the work day to begin.

Eleven Loungers Lying:

Starting at seven in the morning, the employees of the beach restaurants and bars begin to get organized for the day, setting out sun loungers and umbrellas for potential customers. 

Every business has its own colours to identify its area. Waiters will deliver food and drinks to the loungers, allowing holiday travellers to just relax and enjoy the sun, sand and surf. 

Lawrie tried to train me to do that at our casa.  It didn't work out so well for him.

Ten Taxis Racing:

Even though the island is only seven kilometres long and a kilometre wide, the taxis are always in a hurry to get somewhere, whenever that somewhere is. Taxis are reasonably priced and can usually be flagged down from anywhere on the island. The main taxi stand is located near the passenger ferry docks. It is still best to ask the price before you ride, as the rates can be higher in the holiday season.

Nine Snowmen Waiting:

These nine little donut-snowmen lined up on a baking tray at the Chedraui Super Store made us laugh. 

Snowmen, in the Caribbean? Thank goodness they are not real, and are only in someone's imagination. 

We've done our time with snow: no mas.

Eight Palm Trees Swaying:

Nothing says “the tropics” like a sugar-white beach and stately palm trees swaying in the breeze. Beware – those picturesque, and very hard, coconuts hanging above your head can knock you out if they connect with your softer noggin. 

Usually, around this time of year, the city workers remove the almost-ripe fruit from the tree to prevent injuries. Still, sitting in the shade of a coco tree is just so darn romantic, it's hard to resist – potential head injuries be damned.

Seven Hammocks Hanging:

Swinging in a hammock strung between two coconut palm trees, sipping on a cold cerveza: ah, bliss. 

We recently planted two little palm trees in our small patch of sand on the ocean side of our house. 

We check their progress daily to see if they are hammock-ready. 

Unfortunately, five feet high doesn't quite qualify. We have a few more years to wait. 

Six Massage Tents Ready:

Stressed from gift shopping or flying economy class? Why not hit the beach for a massage? 

Located on the beach, across from Jax Bar & Grill or the Posada del Mar Hotel, are five or six massage tents where the staff will give you a relaxing light massage, guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit.  

Alex, Daniel, Freddy, Inez, Joao, Pepe, and Gustavo

Five Freezing Coooold Beers:

Merry Christmas to our good friends Freddy, Joao Gustavo, Alex, Daniel, Pepe, Inez and of course Sal and Mal Richards at the Soggy Peso Bar & Grill. 

They have the biggest smiles while they serve the best freezing cold beer on the island!

Four Trees in Centro:

The smell, the shape, and the decorations of a real Christmas tree bring back great memories for anyone from northern climates, but I always wonder how a Christmas tree became synonymous with Christmas in the Caribbean. 

As ex-pats, we really enjoy seeing the trees in Centro, at the passenger ferry docks, and on top of the City Hall. It's a beautiful thing.

Three Church Bells Ringing:

Christmas time is very special to the islanders. It is the time of year when many children are baptized or confirmed into the Catholic Church. 

It is also the start of a six-week-long celebration that includes The Feast of our Lady Guadalupe on December 12th, Posadas Navideñas from December 16^th to 29th, Noche Buena on December 24^th, Christmas on December 25th, and ending in January with the Night of the Kings on January 6th. The three large Catholic Churches on Isla Mujeres are beautifully decorated and overflowing with worshippers during the holiday season.

Two Christmas Parades:

There are two Christmas parades: the official Municipal Santa Claus Parade and the Christmas Golf Cart Parade organized by a local carnival dance troupe. Last year, we participated in the golf cart parade for the first time, dressed as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, tossing candy to the crowds of kids. This year, the parade was scheduled for Saturday, December 20^th, but due to the high possibility of rain has been moved to Saturday, December 27^th, starting at 5:30 in the afternoon. It is so much fun to ricochet around the island in a decorated golf cart, trying to follow the lead vehicle when the route is being planned, just as the parade starts. The crowds of little kids waving and yelling hello make it all worthwhile. We'll be there again!  

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas, Isla Gave to Me - One Brightly Lit and Noisy Party Bus:

It's bright. It's noisy. It's fun. Every year around this time, the party bus, or as some people call it, the disco bus, or the funny bus, comes out of storage and begins doing nightly runs around and around, up and down the island.

Loud music. Bright lights. And people have fun. It's become a favourite with Bachelor and Bachelorette party celebrations. 

It drives me nuts when I am trying to sleep, but it has become part of the annual holiday celebrations, so we have learned to laugh and go back to sleep muttering, “It's just the party bus.” We have plans to use it soon, and it will be our turn to be silly.

Feliz Navidad to all, may your Christmas be merry and bright!

Lawrie, Lynda, Thomas, and Sparky

Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

The Adventures of Thomas and Sparky