Our Robinson Crusoe tree house, Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Our second-floor ocean-view tree-house perch

While sharing a bottle of wine (or two) a few years ago, we sketched with pen and paper what we envisioned for our new home on Isla Mujeres. 

Our design included a Robinson-Crusoe-style palapa for our upper deck.  Palapas are thatched-roof, open-sided structures made of either dried palm-tree leaves or grass. We love our palapa. 

It's a cool, inviting, romantic place for staring at the ocean, reading books, stargazing, or sipping wine by candlelight. Last year, we asked Patricio Yam, our builder, to re-furbish the palapa as it was starting to look a bit ragged. 

Benito, Manfred, and Miguel removing old palapa

Day One: Patricio and his crew of brothers, sons, and nephews arrived to dismantle the existing thatched roof. 

Patricio decided that the original job done by a crew from Cancun was not up to his standards, particularly since some of the wood was already bug-infested and starting to disintegrate. He had his crew remove most of the original framework, with plans for new crossbeams. 

Day Two: They peeled, sanded and varnished small logs before attaching them to the larger beams using stainless steel screws. The rust and corrosion on the windy side of the island create havoc with all things metal, so stainless steel screws are a perfect choice for building wooden structures.

Re-thatching the palapa

Days Three to Five: The new thatching was applied. Angel and his brother Ishmael spent 8 hours per day, working shoulder to shoulder, balancing barefoot on the small wooden crossbeams. 

No safety harnesses, no boots, no hard hats. They hand-sewed each small bundle of thatch onto the sticks using a very strong twine, the same type used for making fish nets. 

My hands ached, watching them work. 



Re-thatching the palapa



Day Six: Patricio's brother, José, was in charge of attaching the fish netting to the outside of the thatching. 

The netting is necessary to keep the grass from blowing away during windstorms, and it gives the finished product a smoother look. 



José - balanced on board adding netting.

Late in the afternoon of the sixth day, I went upstairs to the roof deck to take more photos of their progress. I discovered that José was balanced on a 2 x 8-inch plank thirty feet off the ground, on the ocean side of the palapa. 

The plank was inserted through the last rung of two ladders lying sideways across the new thatching. 

The two ladders were then held in place on the roof side of the house by a 4” log. Juan and Manny were leaning on the log - holding José and the entire contraption in place.  

Both Juan and Manny were exhorting José to hurry up as their arms were getting tired holding the combined weight of ladders, boards, and José. 

I hopped up onto the log, adding my weight to the counterbalancing efforts, and sat there for the next hour while José dangled three storeys up over our stone patio, his bare toes gripping the edge of the plank. 

José thought it was pretty amusing that I was so worried about his safety.  Joking and perpetually smiling, José is usually the one who takes on the worst and most dangerous jobs. Angel, his nephew, was balanced on his stomach, wedged in under the top of the palapa - passing José the twine to sew the netting in place. 

My stomach was doing flip-flops, thinking about their lack of safety equipment. 

A few final touches!

The next night, we sat under the finished palapa, enjoying a glass of wine, the full moon reflecting off the rolling waves, and we were very, very happy that these wonderful, and slightly crazy, people build such romantic structures.

Hasta pronto

Lynda & Lawrie

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Shipping our car from Mexico, back to Canada: Lawrie's turn to write

Leaving Isla Mujeres for Progresso

After four years of living on Isla Mujeres, it was time.  Time to sell the car.  Our 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid, which we had driven down from Canada, was as close to perfect as we could get. It's inexpensive to run, and trouble-free - except for a few small details. 

And as you know, it's all in the details.

We live on the oceanfront, where clouds of airborne sea salt roll over the island, and we are constantly battling rust and corrosion on anything made of metal. I had to wash the car daily to stop the rust. Plus, ours was probably the only Nissan Hybrid in Mexico, so future repairs could be a problem. And finally, with four people in the car, we were barely able to drive over the topes, speed bumps that are very common on roads in Mexico. The car just didn't have enough ground clearance.


Linea Peninsula Shipping

What to do? We couldn't sell the car in Mexico, as it had been imported on a temporary permit. We couldn't sell the car in the USA as the gauges were in metric and the car didn't have the correct EPA stickers. So the Altima had to go back to Canada. How to do this? We didn't want to drive it back as we aren't comfortable crossing the USA-Mexico border right now, and as much as we love driving trips, we had other plans for a holiday this year. I started investigating on the internet for an alternative means of getting the car back to Canada. 

Step one was to drive the car to Progresso, about four and a half hours north-east of Cancun and register with Linea Peninsula, a container shipping company. The staff were great!  They helped us navigate the complex rules to process the car through Mexican Customs, clear it through American Customs, and truck it to the USA-Canada border. 



Banjercito - paperwork

 Step two was to export the car through Mexican Customs.  We used Angie Winegar at Banjercito in Progresso to process the paperwork. Angie was fantastic. She advised us that we had a slight delay before she could organize our permit. The bank computers were being updated and were offline until later in the afternoon. 

Angie suggested we have a nice leisurely lunch at one of the beach restaurants and return at 1:30 in the afternoon. We did. She was late getting back to the office, but hustled and had our paperwork completed in twenty minutes. 

Step three was to drive the car back to Linea Peninsular and continue the checking-in process, eventually driving the car out along the seven-kilometre pier in the port of Progresso to leave it at the container ship.  Linea Peninsular services were about $500.00 US. I would use them again, in a heartbeat. 


Port Authority in Progresso

When the ship arrived in Panama City, Florida, another extremely helpful person, April Parrish of Page & Jones Customs Brokers, expedited it through American Customs. They charged $300.00, but later advised me that they would be refunding $150.00 as it was not necessary to have the car inspected.

For the next part of the journey from Panama City to Blaine, Washington, near the Canadian border, I used Montway Shipping. I found this company through a website called "U-Ship," where I requested online bids from several trucking companies before settling on Montway. They picked up our car from the docks, and in short order, it was in Blaine, Washington. The total cost for trucking was $1400.00 US.
 

So for around $2100.00 US, we got our Nissan to the USA-Canada border.  Sounds like a lot to pay? 

Considering the shortest route via Google Maps is 3940 miles, it would take us a minimum of ten days to drive back to British Columbia. We like to stop frequently. Plus, we would have to pay for gas, food, lodging, a few cocktails, and return airfare to Mexico. We think the cost was a bargain!

The only wrinkle in this whole process was caused by our previous insurance carrier, ICBC, operated by the province of BC.  When we moved to Mexico, they would not continue to insure our car, so we let it lapse and instead purchased Mexican insurance. Before leaving Canada in 2008, I had been advised by an ICBC agent that when we wanted to return, they would re-insure the car and send us the decals so that we would be insured on the drive back. 

Chuck Watt, inspecting our car in Blaine WA

Change of administrations and a change of regulations, and our car had been purged from the ICBC system. Their response was "sorry, tough luck, but maybe you can find an insurance company in California that would sell you a policy." Nope. No luck.

I had such fantastic service from the Mexican shipping company, Mexican customs, US customs, and US trucking company - only to be told by our Canadian insurance company that we were on our own.

There is a happy ending. The final step required the assistance of a good friend, Chuck Watt, who arranged Canadian insurance and drove it across the border for us. The car is back in Vancouver, living at Chuck and Marcy's house, just waiting for a new owner. 

Sparkling clean and looking for a new owner



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There's playing with, and then there's toying with ...

Gringos vs Amigos  44th year of Sol del Sol Regatta.

The basketball spun through the air, swishing perfectly into the net.  Two points!

Before the ball had even completed its arc, the Amigos team members were racing back down the court, confident in the outcome of the toss. 

The Gringos, the American sailors participating in the traditional Sol del Sol Sailing Regatta, and the Amigos, the local guys, have had this matchup many times before.

The Gringos have won this event only twice

At the beginning of the game, when the organizers were being introduced, the announcer said in perfect English, "The Gringos have won this event twice. Once in the last century. And once in this century."  

A slight exaggeration, but basically true.  They have won only twice in forty-four years.

The Amigos, good-naturedly, toyed with the opposing team like Harlem Globetrotters teasing a high school team. 



Amigos toying with the Gringos



They passed to their teammates without even glancing at the intended recipient, secure in the knowledge that the player would be in position. 

They sank baskets without looking, occasionally flipping them backhand into the net. 

Granted, they have a slight advantage in that most of the Amigos team members have played together several times for this annual Encuentro Amistoso de Basquetbol.

At half-time, the Gringos plotted to even up their chances by plying their opponents with free beer. It didn't help. 

The local guys laughingly took the beers and then drank water, lots of water to re-hydrate.     

Even with the energetic cheering of the assorted yacht owners and the stylish cheerleaders, in the end the outcome was the same: Gringos 28 and Amigos 42.



One of the regular Amigo team members

The lively game and good-natured ribbing between the players were enjoyable.

Sitting among the various yacht owners, Lawrie and I, plus Brent Krausar, were cheering for our home team. 

The Sol del Sol Regatta features sailboats that chart a course from Florida, then sail close to the western tip of Cuba, finally docking at Isla Mujeres.

Approximate course for Sol del Sol Regatta

This year, there were a few changes to the Mexican Customs registration and check-in, causing major frustration amongst the yachters. 

Hopefully, by race time in 2013, that will be sorted out. 

This event brings to the island a great group of people who are a financial boon to the local economy.  

Traditional sweaty t-shirt exchange!



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A perfect week on a perfect little Caribbean island starts, and ends, with blue

Using a small pump to help install dock pylons

We started out the new week, which in our world is Friday to Friday, looking for things to write about for next Friday's email. We stopped in at the Soggy Peso Bar & Grill for their yummy crispy beef tacos and a cool beverage or two.  Freddy Medina's father-in-law and a crew of young guys were just starting the construction of the new dock.

Standing in the gorgeous blue water under a sparkling-blue sky, the guys were using a small pump mounted in a rowboat to force water into the sand around each new pylon, allowing the heavy wooden pole to sink until it hits a solid coral or rock base.


Decking next!



It's an ingenious method to install the upright supports - pylons - for the dock.  In Canada, we were accustomed to heavy machinery pounding the wooden or steel pylons into the ground, jarring and jiggling the bones in your body with each forceful thump. Their method of using water pressure to dig through sand is quiet, quick, and unobtrusive.

A few days later, we checked back on the progress on the docks at the Soggy Peso.  Being Tuesday, the food item for the day was fajitas, chicken, or beef, or a combination of both, with a cool beverage or two, of course. 

The crew, by now, had installed the pylons, the crossbeams and were about to start laying the planking. More blues: blue water, blue lettering on the big boat anchored in the bay, and blue shirts on the guys. My eye is naturally drawn to the colour blue.
 

The turtles are out there .... having fun!

But, the ultimate display of blue is at the southern end of the island, where the deep, swift Cozumel current clashes with the Caribbean Sea, creating a kaleidoscope of azure, cobalt, navy, sapphire, and indigo. 

It is a very fertile feeding ground for fish, sea turtles, and rays. 

We were looking for the big sea turtles that frequent this area in the spring, searching for mates and a little hanky-panky. Slap and tickle. Chuka-chuka. 

The Ultimate Blue, South Point Isla Mujeres

We paid our thirty-peso admission fee for the municipal park, about $2.50, and wandered to the southern tip of the island. Wow! The colours are eye-poppingly beautiful. We were lucky enough to spot several turtles getting frisky. 

 

Unfortunately, my camera lens wasn't powerful enough to photograph the turtles as they were quite a distance out. All I have are beautiful photos of beautiful blue water. I can live with that. 

When we got home from South Point and downloaded the photos, we realized that we were wearing identically coloured clothes.  Blue shirts and khaki shorts! 

Who dressed us?

Hasta pronto

Lynda & Lawrie

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"Nothing Remains Quite the Same" ... Jimmy Buffet



Benito Juarez - National President

The head of a very distinguished-looking man rests on the ground, glaring with a thousand-yard stare, wondering what happened. His blade-shaped nose, piercing eyes, and neatly combed hair give him an air of quiet authority. 

"A victim of a serial killer?" You ask. No, the victim of a politician's whim. 

"Let's give Benito Juárez a new head." 

And so the painted fibreglass head was removed from his statue and a new version glued in its place. The newer head is slightly larger, is turned a bit more to the left, and has a few more realistic aging details. 

The real Benito Juárez is remembered as being a progressive reformer dedicated to democracy and equal rights for his nation's indigenous peoples.  He was also a staunch defender of Mexican national sovereignty.  Elected President of Mexico twice, he died in office in 1872.

Decorated for Independence Day

In the past four years, the Isla Mujeres statue dedicated to this distinguished gentleman has gone through a number of changes. First, his black fibreglass statue was painted a dazzling gold.

Then the paint on his protective barricade was changed in tune with the seasons, or for special events, or in the political colours of the outgoing or the incoming Mayors. 

The white pillars were bathed in pink lighting in celebration of Breast Cancer Survivors, and then draped in red, white, and green bunting for Independence Day. 


March 21st birthday of Benito Juarez

Next came bright green and eye-popping orange in celebration of his birthday on March 21st. Then two weeks later, the colours were toned down with the current white and green combination. For us, it's an amusing pastime to spot the changes around the island. Just down the street from our house, there is a small park surrounded by a tall fence made out of plastic PVC pipe and concrete. 

At various times, the fence and the nearby benches have been painted white and turquoise, pink and light blue, orange and dark blue, now white, pale blue and green. 


One of the colour combinations.

If you happen to peer over the edge of the wall, you can read the entire colour history in the various haphazard paint jobs. 

Bits and pieces of every previous colour remain on the seaside of the wall, while the street-side is uniformly painted the new colour choice.


The other side of the park wall

On the eastern seawall, the paint jobs are even more interesting. The wall has been painted a kaleidoscope of colours over the years, including very detailed depictions of various countries' national flags, or paintings of turtles and fish. It is currently a hodge-podge of designs as the former colours fade, wear away. Waiting for new directives from city hall.

Eastern seawall painted with country flags

The most entertaining story we have heard about the public face-lifts concerns the new seawall on the western side of the island, and the beautiful new whale shark statue. 

As dozens of workers rushed to complete the sculpture in time for the official opening of the seawall by the Governor of Quintana Roo, the surface finish of the boat-shaped base was suddenly changed from all blue tiles to a small amount of blue depicting the water, and the balance of the boat-shaped base was covered in bright red tiny tiles. 

Whale shark statue and boat-shaped base in PRI colours

Red being the colour of the PRI political party, and of the current Governor of the state of Quintana Roo, the person who authorized the state funding of the seawall and the whale shark statue.

Blue is the colour of PAN, the arch-rivals of PRI. Blue would not do!

I wonder what Benito Juárez would have thought about all this fuss? 

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Secret seclusion and public pandemonium, Merida Mexico!

Hacienda Merida VIP.

Step through the door and you are in another time - Mexico two hundred years ago. The Mexico of haciendas, sisal plantations, Spanish nobility and Mayan peasants. Colonial Mexico, with cool fountains, rustling palm trees, candle lanterns and hushed secret courtyards inside thick stone walls that protect the hacienda.

Secluded courtyards have been prized in homes since the time of the Greeks and Romans. The Moorish invaders brought this architecture to Spain in the 700's and the Spanish conquistadors brought it to the New World in the 1500s. 

The inner facing design provides defence, ventilation, and illumination for the occupants of the house. The plants and fountains help mitigate the heat and dryness. The design is very appealing, relaxing. In Mexico, it is still a very desirable design when the space allows. 



Entrance to Hacienda Merida & VIP Merida

Outside the courtyard, the city traffic of Meridá rushes by on the street, a scant eighteen inches from the door of the Hacienda VIP boutique hotel. 
A rushing bus nearly catches my camera's leather strap as I lean back, snapping a photo of the entrance. I gulp and hop a step towards the doorway.  

Having escaped that life-altering close call, I hustle back inside to the quiet, calm interior of the hotel. Lawrie is already relaxing with a complimentary cold beer. My glass of wine arrives moments later. Civilized.

Lawrie and a complimentary beer. Civilized!

The Hacienda VIP is a tiny hotel with only four deluxe rooms or suites. It is located on Calle 62, close to the historic cento area of Meridá. It is the newer section of the nearby sister hotel, the Hacienda Meridá, featuring eight deluxe rooms or suites. 

We were on a half-business-half-pleasure road trip first to Progresso, and then overnighting in nearby Meridá. 

This was our treat, a night at a hotel rated "Best New Hotel in the World" by the travel company Conde Nast. Lawrie and I have our own rating system: Dependables, Delights, and Disasters. The Hacienda VIP is definitely a Delight.

Beach vendor Progresso Mexico

   
Before the hushed privacy of our hotel, we were in the hectic and hot Port of Progresso, just 30 minutes east of Meridá, looking after a bit of business. Progresso is on the ocean, but the Gulf of Mexico water is green, slightly opaque, nothing like the turquoise Caribbean Sea that surrounds Isla Mujeres. 

Traffic is bumper-to-bumper through the town. Police stand in the intersections, waving drivers through red lights, trying to clear the backlog of cars. Horns honk. Engines rev. People laugh, shouting out greetings to friends.
The beaches were busy with domestic tourists, vacationing with exuberant children free from school for the week. It's hot! We're hot. The white sand reflects the intense mid-day sunlight. We hide under a cool palapa, enjoying a light lunch, waiting until our 1:30 appointment with a government contractor.  

Beach Vendor, white sand, green water

Vendors trudge up and down the beaches, toting a collection of wooden carvings, yummy sweets, inflatable toys, plastic buckets and shovels. 

Our favourite is the man with the tray of sweets balanced on his head, shouting: "Meringues, meringues, meringues."  His hands stay calm, not reaching nervously to steady the tray. His walk is relaxed, smooth.

Merinques, merinques, merinques!

Later with our business successfully completed, we arrive at our hotel in Meridá with its secluded courtyard.  After sundown, with the heat of the day slowly dissipating, we venture out. 

A short taxi ride takes us to the La Tratto Restaurante, on Paseo de Montejo. We sip wine and share an appetizer, people-watching. 

We sleep well at the hotel. It's cool and quiet, silent. 



A peaceful sleep!



Maybe we have time-warped back to two hundred years ago, before televisions, cars, and airplanes disturbed the night. 

Hasta pronto

Lynda & Lawrie

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