Isla is Booming!

2015 concrete docks, bigger boats, new signs

Our little paradise here on Isla Mujeres is rapidly changing.  We think it’s great.  The focus has been gradually shifting from a sleepy fishing village to a tourist-based economy with more amenities available for everyone.

Fortunately our Presidente Agapito Magaña was way ahead of the curve on this.  A great many of the projects he has introduced have the tourism industry front and foremost, from having our beaches designated as the coveted Blue Flag status, to getting Isla Mujeres chosen as a Pueblo Mágico destination in Mexico.

Of course it doesn’t hurt that Isla has been frequently mentioned in the news:

Old ferry terminal - 2007 Lawrie waiting for friends to arrive

Trip Advisor - Top Beaches in Mexico

NBC News – Best Islands to Live On

Travel & Leisure - World’s Best Islands

Islands – Best Islands for Retiring Early

And as you explore the island on a golf cart you can’t help but notice the construction of new homes, condos, and resorts, including in-filling of vacant lots in the local neighbourhoods.  

2015 Street side entrance to the new terminal

On our street, in the last seven years, there have been twelve new houses built plus several other existing home have undergone major renovations.  Chris Shannon, Managing Director of Mundaca Real Estate, (Isla’s biggest real estate company) told us that it is hard to keep up with the requests to show property.  Their sales team is busy, and it’s a good busy!

At Punta Sam the continental part of Isla Mujeres, a larger car ferry terminal is under construction.  We haven’t heard what the projected completion date is, but it looks like the project is well under way.  Hopefully the new facility will have a better system for selling tickets to drivers.  



It is always amusing if not a bit unnerving to wait, and wait, and wait until mere minutes before sailing time to see if you are actually going to be able to get your vehicle on the ferry.  It’s all part of the adventure of living here.

Feb 2015 - starting to remove tower (right)

At the south end of the island, Punta Sur, the large observation tower that was built shortly before, and severely damaged by, Hurricane Wilma in 2005 was finally demolished and removed in February of this year.  The newspaper report said that there were 100 tons (metric tons probably) of metal to be removed.  The demolition company cut the tower into several slightly more manageable chunks and lowered them to the ground.  

At the present time there are four modern homes/townhouses being built in the same area.  The removal of that towering menace is certainly a relief to everyone living within its considerable reach had it broken off and crashed to the ground.

Oct 2015 Four new homes being built at Punta Sur

Another new project this year was the completion of a new fire hall, next door to the renovated police station and across the street from the soccer fields.  Now the new fire truck has a home out of the weather, and hopefully will last longer than the last vehicle.  The previous vehicle disintegrated into a heap of rust.  As we have often mentioned living on an island surrounded by warm salty water, creates a huge corrosion and rust problem for anything electronic or mechanical, although for humans, it’s a perfect environment. 

New fire hall and new truck

We know some of you will lament the changes to Isla, remembering the sand covered streets, the small tiendas (shops), and the slower pace, but change happens and we can’t go back.  We wouldn’t want to.  We love our large well-stocked grocery store, the new hospital, a second gas station, the larger passenger ferry terminal, reliable electricity, paved streets and sidewalks.  And the internet – well, it works, most of the time. 

The island people have not changed.  They are still the most welcoming and friendly folks you would ever meet, but now they have more employment opportunities to provide for their families.

Isla is changing, and getting better every day.  Enjoy!

Hasta Luego

Lawrie & Lynda

Discovered by the world as a wedding destination

We hope you enjoyed this post.  If you did please feel free to share with family and friends.  

Blue Flag Beach – Going for a Touch Down!

North Beach - Playa Norte

Armed with rakes, shovels and large black plastic garbage bags a dozen or so hardworking ladies gather every morning on the public beaches of Isla Mujeres. It's their job to keep the sand clean. They chat, and rake, and pick up trash while bopping along to music played via their cell phones, IPODS or MP3 players. Their job is a never-ending task.

Beach cleaning crew

The current municipal administration of Isla Mujeres is working toward a Blue Flag designation for North Beach – Playa Norte. The list of requirements to obtain the coveted blue flag is extensive, and the list is reviewed every year before the status is renewed. For example a Blue Flag beach must provide full-time life guards, clean public washrooms, garbage containers, strict control of domestic animals using the beaches, clean drinking water, wheelchair accessibility, and frequent water quality sampling – to name just a few of the conditions.

New life guard tower - not staffed yet

If you have been down to North Beach recently you probably have noticed the addition of three life-guard towers and a big blue tractor-type beach-cleaning machine. The tractor operator sweeps past, combing up debris and leveling the sand very early in the morning before the concession operators set out their loungers and umbrellas for the day.

I often wonder when watching the process if the machine gathers up the lost necklaces, chains and other items that the metal-detector-wielding beachcombers usually search for. I wouldn't mind a turn at driving the tractor. Big machines fascinate me, just ask Lawrie who in the past has rented fun machines like a 32-foot-high-scissor-lift, or a Bob-Cat loader, or a Bush Hog Rotary Cutter, so I could do stuff around our property in Canada.

I want a turn driving this tractor!

However, back on Isla when our low-to-the-ground dog, Sparky, and I are ambling the shoreline giving him an opportunity to swim in the calmer water of Playa Norte I enjoy watching the preparations for obtaining a Blue Flag designation. The addition of clean, public washrooms would be a wonderful thing. It's a bit tricky right now for the crowds of folks who use the beaches. Many of the nearby restaurants are frustrated by the situation and have posted signage: restrooms are for the use of paying customers only. So what do the beach-users do when nature calls? I really don't want to know.

Busy beach!

And yes, I do carry my handy-dandy supply of puppy-poop bags to clean up the beach after Sparky, has done his business. However I am pretty sure that under the Blue Flag designation we will have to find him another location for swimming.

But seriously, North Beach is a beautiful area, enjoyed by thousands every month, and a little extra cleanup is a good thing. It a great place to hang out for the day, people-watching in the shade of a big old palm tree. A cold beverage or two helps the day along as well. Blue Flag or not, it's a beautiful location.

Pier near the Islander Beach Club location

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

PS: when Sparky and I were doing his morning swim/walk we noticed this.  It is a boat which arrived at North Beach sometime just before dawn - filled with Cuban refugees looking for a better life.  

Cuban refugee boat arrived on North Beach early Sept 12th

Apache Mtz – little of this, and a little of that

“How long has your family lived on Isla Mujeres?” I asked. “For forever,” he replied with his huge infectious grin, “since the beginning, when the first families settled on Isla.”

“I'm curious, what's your real name?”

He smiled again, and laughed. “It doesn't matter, no one knows me by that name. I use Apache, because my dad was called Indio. My grandfather gave him the name because as a little boy my dad was tough. He never cried even when strapped with a belt for stowing away on my grandfather's fishing boat instead of going to school. Dad loved fishing; he hated school. My grandfather admired his son's toughness and started calling him Indio as a nickname.”

Indio's name is synonymous with two island businesses. The Indio's Beach Club on the southwest side of the island was a popular place for people to hang out and enjoy a laid-back island experience. Then in 2005 Hurricane Wilma hit the island leaving a path of destruction through the beach property; the sand shifted over to the Cancun side of the bay, their buildings were damaged, and the golf carts that were stored on the property were destroyed. It was a devastating event for the family.

The other business, Indio's Golf Cart Rentals, was started in 1994. Apache helped out at the family business from the time he was twelve years old. After assessing the hurricane damage in 2005 Indio decided to close the business, but Apache said he was interested in carrying on. He started operations with the four remaining useable golf carts. By 2014 Apache had increased the stock of golf carts to sixteen vehicles by creating a little niche market; they offer 24-hour assistance. If a rental customer needs help it is only a cell phone call away. Clients are supplied with phone numbers for Adrian, the office manager, who is fluent in English.

Just for interest sake I asked how many golf carts were available for rent on the island. With pen and paper Adrian and Apache did a quick tally estimating that there are twenty golf cart rental companies on Isla Mujeres with a total of approximately 580 carts available for rent. Even so many island rental companies are sold out during the busy times of the year, including the summer holidays. That bit of information really surprised me.

More recently Apache has branched out into deep sea fishing, acquiring a thirty-six foot boat in partnership with friends. The two family-owned pangas (small open fishing boats) were not comfortable for off-shore fishing with clients. The bigger boat has air-conditioning and cozy interior quarters. 

He is hoping to attract more couples – people who want the full experience. His off-shore trips will start early in the day with fishing, then return to the Indio's beach club property to cook the catch while enjoying music and drink a cold beverage or two. It's island life as it used to be.

With two sons and two daughters Apache and his wife Arlina are hoping the family businesses will live on with the next generation. He has fond memories of fishing with his dad, and of learning English from his dad's clients. 

Isauro Martinez Magaña May 2013

He has several old photos displayed on the walls of Indio's Golf Cart rentals on Medina Avenue, photos of his dad in his younger years enjoying life and following his passion: fishing. Unfortunately Indio passed away in August of 2013, at the still young-at-heart age of 64 years.

“One last question” I said to Apache as I gathered up my things, “I have to know your real name, not knowing is driving me crazy!”

“Okay, okay!” he grinned, giving in to my cheeky persistence, “It's Isauro Martinez Polanco.” He was named after his dad, whose first name was also Isauro.

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

How to find Apache: www.indios-golfcarts.com  or on FaceBook Isla Mujeres Indio Golf Carts and Apache's Searious Fishing.

PS: the photos are from Apache's collection, except the one of the golf cart, that one I took looking down from our upper patio.

Building in Paradise - from the ground up! It's Lawrie's turn to write

All done September 10th 2007

Okay, so you've decided that you want to live in paradise, and you've found the perfect spot.  Should you rent, buy or build?

If you are new to the island, I recommend that you rent to begin with to be sure you have found the perfect place for your dream home. 

Of course if you have been a frequent visitor to the island you probably have all that information and you can go directly to purchasing or building.  In our case we decided to build, as we couldn't find the perfect place already built. 

Day one January 15th 2007

If you are buying a lot, do your homework.  It's a really good idea to have a recent land survey to ensure you are purchasing the correct lot, and that you will be building within the actual boundaries of the lot.  

Mistakes do happen!   We know of a few instances where owners started a house but on the wrong lot, or were in the process of purchasing a lot or a house and discovered the "sellers" did not actually have the legal right to sell the property. 


After purchasing a lot the next step is to find a reliable and honest builder. There are a lot of horror stories about building in Mexico but if you check references you will find someone that fits your requirements and your budget.

Digging down to bedrock - they dug down 13 feet

It's always a good idea to see some of the builder's completed projects, and talk to the owners to find out if they are pleased with the finished product. 

Before you actually get to start on your project, obtaining a building permit and having your plans approved can take awhile but eventually you'll be ready to start.   

Blocks are quickly rising up!  

Now permits in hand you are ready to clear the property and construct a solid foundation.  No, you don't have to actually do the work, the crew will do it for you.  

You can satisfy yourself with watching.  (But be sure to wear your supervisory hard hat and carry a clipboard.  You want to project the right impression that you know exactly what you are doing.)  

Pouring the roof

On Isla there are very few foundations dug with backhoes, instead a couple of strong guys will dig a trench deep enough to hit bedrock.  

We shuddered when we first saw these young guys down 13 feet, in a narrow trench, with no reinforcements, filling buckets with sand and rocks, then passing them up overhead to other workers.   It's a hot, dirty, and potentially dangerous job.  

As with most manual labour jobs in Mexico there is no safety equipment: no steel-toed boots, or work gloves, or hard hats, or safety harnesses.  Most of the guys work in bare feet or sandals.  That's it.

Pouring the roof of our casa

Mixing the concrete occasionally involves a portable cement mixer, but just as likely will be done by hand with a shovel, and a bucket brigade to transport the wet cement mix to the required location.  

During a roof-pouring we have seen as many as twenty-five guys working the site, passing heavy buckets of concrete from the ground up to the second floor, and up again to the roof. The empty buckets are tossed back down to start the journey over again. Most houses are created out of eight inch concrete building blocks and rebar. A few large architecturally designed homes on the island have used concrete pumper trucks.  

Downstairs tile floors

When the crew finally starts constructing walls it is amazing how quickly things progress.  We had dewy-eyed visions of a three-month completion as our house was progressing so rapidly.  Wrong!   

Once the blocks are up, things slow down dramatically as the first coat of plaster is literally thrown at the walls, then troweled, and smoothed.  Repeat for a second coat, and the third and final coat.  It is a mind-numbing, but very necessary process that takes the edge off of the initial excitement. 
  
Oh good!  More photos of plaster going on the walls.  That's so very exciting. 

Several coats of plaster - boring, boring boring!

But wait, we need plumbing, you know stuff like toilets and sinks. And electricity!  Silly me, those services are installed after the plaster has dried.  Chip-chip-chip. Slowly paths are chipped into the plaster for wiring, and pipes.  Next are the windows, tile floors, and the final touches to the roof. 

At this point, the only wood that has been used during construction is to build a homemade ladder for the work-site.  How different than North American construction methods.  But this is the tropics; hurricanes, humid weather, rainstorms, and voracious tropical insects have altered how buildings are constructed.  Your typical Minnesota or Alberta home would not last a year in this climate.  

Finishing off the tower

While all this activity was going on, we shopped.  Choosing lighting fixtures that hopefully would not rust or corrode, or cost a bazillion dollars in electricity to operate.  Picking out plumbing fixtures, and tile, and kitchen cabinets.   The easy jobs, the fun jobs you say.   

Well, not exactly.  Cancun building supply stores do not carry a lot of inventory.  Very little on the display floor is actually for sale, instead items must be ordered with a wait of ten days to eight weeks.  We needed three matching bathroom mirrors, and only found two.  We wanted three matching bathrooms sinks, and again, only found two.   We learned to be very flexible in what we had envisioned, settling for the easy solution instead of a long wait in most cases. 

December 2007

And finally our dream home was finished; just seven months from start to finish.  

We are very happy with the results as the house was completed quicker than promised, and cost less than what we had budgeted. 

Damn, one small detail we forgot about.  

We need furniture. 

Stuffing a king-sized mattress through the doorway

And that is a whole other story!

Hasta Luego
Lynda & Lawrie

Lawrie - waiting for the king-sized mattress

You know you’ve picked the right place when …. (Lawrie’s turn to write)

North Beach from a penthouse at IxChel Condos

Okay, I admit it we got lucky when we chose Isla Mujeres as our retirement destination.  Captivated by the turquoise water and friendly locals we jumped at the chance to live here.  Now prestigious Trip Advisor has named our little island #6 in the world for islands to live on.  Travelocity rated Isla as #4 for Value Vacations, and even Fox News and NBC have gotten into the act touting this little paradise.

Looking south from the IxChel Condos - 7 kms by 1 km

As most of you know, Isla Mujeres is a very small, 7 kilometers by 1 kilometer, island situated just off the coast of Cancun. It’s about fifteen minutes by passenger ferry across the azure and turquoise water to reach this little paradise.  Tourism is the #1 industry on the island, followed by fishing, although the locals are finding reeling in tourists far more profitable than fishing.  Tourism is increasing, more people traveling.  Fishing is decreasing, due to less fish available.

One of our favourite views - fishing boats

An abundance of island restaurants cater to every taste and there are many great watering holes serving up icy cold beer and frozen concoctions to help your vacation along.  And of course there are beaches, lots of beaches.  All very safe.

We are not the type of folks with what we refer to as a drawbridge mentality.  You know the type; once they have discovered a place they don’t want anyone else to discover it lest it might change.  Change is good.  It keeps the community vibrant and alive. 

And fishing nets ....

Some of the things that make living as an ex-pat in a foreign country easier are electronic readers that enable us to download the most recent new novels, magazines, and newspapers.  We and many of our friends have magicJack phones that allow us to call anywhere in the US or Canada – free.  The nearby Cancun International Airport gives us travel options with direct flights to many countries.  It’s all good.

Combo mini market and restaurante near Salinas Grande

So, if you are thinking of a great retirement location, or just a vacation slightly off the beaten path, consider Isla Mujeres.  If you are like us and dive right in to a new adventure, you will find professional real estate companies, good builders, and a very fun and affordable little community that will make you feel right at home.





Hasta Luego          
Lynda and 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 .......





Yummy Road Trip to one of the Top Ten Beaches in the World!



1955 Oldsmobile - Dad, Judy, and I (The short one!)



When my sisters and I were kids, Dad’s favourite trick was to announce early in the morning that we were going on a “Mystery Trip” and to be in the car in an hour or we would get left behind. 

Road trips – love ‘em!



Beaches of Tulum Mexico


This time Lawrie and I were headed out on an overnight trip to visit the sugar white beaches of Tulum, dotted with little eco-chic hotels and gourmet restaurants.  

The beaches of Tulum were just recently rated in the Top Ten Beaches of the World by Trip Advisor fans. 

As we drove south towards the City of Tulum our first stop was Pelicanos Restaurant in Puerto Morelos for breakfast.  Situated on the beach at Puerto Morelos it was the perfect place to enjoy the view of the ocean and watch the local kids having a great time in the surf. 

We drove a few more miles south to the beach area at Tulum and ate a late supper at a fabulous beachside Italian Restaurant in the Posada Margherita. 

The owner/waiter came to our table and described our four dinner choices for the evening; grilled fish, fish sautéed in sea water, pasta with lobster, and pasta with veggies. 

We made our choices, ordered a yummy bottle of red wine. Five minutes later he returned with a wonderful selection of complimentary appetizers.   The food and wine were perfect.   



Copy of temple friezes for our pool on Isla Mujeres



After breakfast in the morning we headed up the road towards Coba – we were on the search for the creator of wall plaques that are copies of the temple friezes at various Mayan ruins.  The first location we stopped at had a few, but roadside vendor directed us farther on up the road past a couple of the small villages to where his dad and brothers made the pieces.

We eventually settled on a triptych of three plaques for the wall near our pool. 

A little dickering over the price, lots of admiring of Don Alfredo’s other works and his autographed book by a famous photographer from New York, and his sons wrapped our purchase in cardboard for the trip home. 

La Zebra beach cottages & gourmet restaurant

Next stop was back to the beaches of South Tulum to spend the afternoon at La Zebra Restaurant and Beach Club.  It is in the same area as Posada Margherita, but further along the winding beach road. 

Great spot to fritter away a few hours in complete relaxation – white sand beaches, very few people, nice restaurant within a few steps of the beach, and a shower to rinse away the sand before changing back into traveling clothes. 

Eventually we started our circuitous route home stopping for cappuccino at the Turtle Bay Bakery and Café in Akumal.

Turtle Bay Bakery & Cafe

Great road trip.

It was very different than any road trip that my sisters and I went on as kids; six people jammed in the 1955 Oldsmobile, with an aging cocker spaniel that had a serious gas problem. 

And no gourmet meals on those trips!