One Word

           If you could describe the ocean with one word, what would it be? I would use the word - deep.  When something is deep it is profound and past understanding. What could be more mysterious and wild? It is both ominous and utterly peaceful as you are buoyed in your own private world. There is something primal about listening to your own breathing as you float in this watery womb.  Only here do adrenalin and calm co-exist.  I always swim with my eyes wide open looking for adventure and I always find it. One day I touch a giant sea turtle, the next I pause for 2 passing eagle rays as they glide by in underwater flight. Another day I get caught in a pescado stampede or chase giant parrot fish.  And of course my eyes are always peeled for a passing dolphin or the dreaded shark. Unfortunately I haven't seen either one while I was in the water. I have mixed emotions about seeing a shark on my own, but I have my trusty dive knife I call Barracuda.  I've never used her, but somehow she makes me feel a little less vulnerable. I have never heard of a shark attack on Isla Mujeres, but I am ready anyway.
          My daughter always complains that I always see the cool stuff when she's not with me. I explain that maybe that's because she is not behind me thrashing like a wild colt.  I need to teach her the art of stealth swimming. Now I understand how my Dad felt on our nature walks when we were kids, and he told us we had to be quiet if we wanted to see any animals.  Anyway from my little beach house I have an underwater universe in my backyard. And whenever life seems overwhelming and I need a little peace; or if it seems humdrum and I need some adventure, all I have to do is grab my fins, Barracuda, and venture out into the deep!

Magic in Every Moment

You know that feeling of wonder you get when you experience a place for the first time?  The sights and the sounds overwhelm your senses, and you are temporarily Dorothy in Oz.  We have spent most of our time in Mexico for the last several years, and we just returned to Missouri this April to get our house there ready to sell.  All our friends say with a sigh, "Ahhh you are living the dream." And I think we are.  Although, those same friends might change their mind if they lived awhile in the tropics with no a/c, no hot water. and a one burner hot plate. That's the price of building or renovating in paradise!
Anyway, Dorothy is back in Kansas now as we return to our house in Missouri. But somehow it seems a little more like Oz.  The pink dogwoods are in bloom, and my azaleas are in vibrant fuchsia dress. A carpet of pink cherry blossoms blanket the ground under our trees and the birds are singing so beautifully that I just have to close my eyes and soak it in. When I walk down our tree lined street that looks more like a park than a neighborhood, I get that feeling  a foreigner gets when they visit some place exotic. I am giddy and gushing about how green and gorgeous everything is.

 So whether  I am in Mexico, the U.S. or some other corner of the universe I am looking with wonder at the beauty I find around every corner. I am learning there is magic in every moment if I look for it.  ERRRRCK!!  That is the brakes of my cheese-ball spill screeching to a halt. My beautiful Spring epiphany has come to a grim reality check spelled - HAY-FEVER or ALLERGIES or SINUS INFLAMMATION!  The magic I am finding in this moment is that I still have my head on my shoulders after I have blown it off with a thousand tissues. I don't even usually have problems with my sinuses, but evidently this is a particularly brutal allergy season in good old Missouri.  And so I am guzzling down my husband's homeopathic brew and sneaking in allergy pills, ibuprofen and blessed sleep. Wake me up when I have a plane ticket back to Mexico! Until then pass the tissue please.

Marvels of the Deep Return

As whale shark season is approaching, it it time for me to do my annual repost of this article. Every year when these giants visit the waters off Isla Mujeres, we always go out to marvel at the beautiful creatures. It is an experience not to be missed. 

  I've had a pretty adventurous life so far. A few of my excursions have included:  whitewater rafting down the Snake River in Idaho, riding in a camel caravan in India, and tromping through the jungles of Indonesia on the back of an elephant. But of all the adventures I have experienced, I consider swimming with the whale sharks off the coast of  Isla Mujeres as the greatest wonder of all.  I can hardly believe it is possible for the general public to be able to take a boat ride out to sea and swim  in the wild with these gentle giants. During the months of June through September the whale sharks migrate through the area in swarms that the locals call afuera following plankton blooms created by the joining of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.  This migratory path was only discovered about 6 years ago by  local fishermen.  Nowhere else in the world do whale sharks gather in such numbers.  In the summer of 2009, 420 whale sharks comprised the largest number of whale sharks observed in a single aerial survey.   

It is not uncommon for me to hear of friends swimming with several hundred whale sharks.  Giant manta rays measuring about 10 ft. across follow the same plankton blooms and are often seen with whale sharks.  Since both are filter feeders they share the same migratory paths. The primary reaction to experiencing these mammoths of the deep is heart pounding awe.  Spanning up to 40 feet and weighing on average 36 tons these pescados are the world's largest fish species. There are unconfirmed reports of much larger specimens of 59 feet all the way up to 75 feet, but since they are aren't documented they are relegated to remaining fish stories for the time being. Despite their enormous size, these sharks pose no threat to humans.  They are very docile and seem undisturbed by any contact with people. Licensed tours do follow special rules to protect the whale sharks from harassment from over-exuberant tourists.  They are asked not to touch the whale sharks and boats are instructed to stay 10 meters from the whale sharks.  The later rule is a little hard to enforce since often the sharks swim right up to the boat as if to take a look at you.

 

These majestic sea creatures are still relative mysteries to the scientific world.  Their lives span between 70 to 100 years most of which is spent out of sight.  Capable of diving up to a mile and a half down into the ocean depths and migrating thousands of miles at a time these marine marvels still hold many secrets yet to be discovered.   Yet for ages the world over the whale shark has been revered and respected. To the Vietnamese he is known as a deity called Ca Ong  translated  "Sir Fish."  To much of Mexico and Latin America he is Pez Dama or Domini, because of the spots on his back.  In Africa he is Papa Shillingi.  To the peoples of Madagascar, he is called Marokintana meaning "many stars."  To me, he is  Magi - a wise king  wandering the deep.  Now is the time to see these wonders of the water while it is still possible to interact with these giants in such a personal, and profound encounter.  Feel the current of the water as they swim next to you, look them in the eye and feel the rush of a lifetime.  Visit Isla Mujeres now and experience the marvel of the Magi!  

Island Grit

Part of the charm of Isla Mujeres is it's grit and garish mishmash of color. It has a casual Bohemian vibe with a Mexican Caribe flair.  If you are looking for a polished resort, Isla Mujeres may not be for you.  But if you are looking for a slice of laid back island life, with just enough tourism to make it comfortable this little piece of paradise is it.  At five and a half miles long and half a mile wide, Isla Mujeres conveys the intimacy of a tiny fishing village with a taste of the tropics.  Touted as one of the top 10 beaches in the world by Yahoo, the cool white sands combined with the vibrant turquoise water make Isla Mujeres' North Beach hard to beat.  Yes you can have a waiter bringing you Coronas or margaritas if that's what you want. Or you can scout out your own palm tree tucked away from the crowd. After a day of sunning, sailing, snorkeling or deep sea fishing the cobblestone streets of el centro offer a nice array of culinary choices.  With everything from Italian, Mediterranean, French and of course Mexican food you will not go hungry.  You can even learn Salsa at Valentina's, a new restaurant with delightful Mexican cuisine with an inventive twist. There never seems to be a shortage of things to do or fiestas to attend. You can get just about any of the luxuries you could want from a resort on the island like a massage on the beach or a coffee mint pedicure of Mi Secreto Salon.

         However, it is what you can get on the island that you won't find at a resort that I love. I enjoy watching the local fisherman mending their nets, or the Mexican kids playing on the beach and swimming in their clothes.  I smile whenever  a whole  family passes on one motto. (How do they do that?) I like buying fresh orange juice from Martivino's cart at the ferry or ice cream from Jose. I like eating ceviche  at the docks and listening to the waves lapping against the battered yellow and turquoise boats with wonderful Mexican names painted on their bows or watching the pelicans diving for fish.  I love the delicious salt air mixed with just enough smell of old crates and fishing nets to make it seem authentic. I once had an old sailor tell me that Isla Mujeres was one of the few islands left that still had a soul.    As the Riviera Maya is burgeoning with new tourist traps as fast as they can build them, Isla Mujeres remains a small sliver of languid island charm where the sun sets over the bay while the palm trees sway in the breeze, fisherman still bring in their catch, and life is still muy tranquilo.

The Twilight Zone

I am about to enter the Twilight Zone once again. We return to Mexico in less than a week and I can hardly wait. Do any of my friends living abroad experience what I call the Time Capsule Effect?  I'd like to know if anyone else experiences this. When we enter or leave Mexico or the U.S.,  it almost feels like we never left or that we've just been plopped back wherever we left off.  They are just two totally different worlds.  One moment I am in flip flops with the sand in my toes and the wind in my face, and the next moment I am back in Springfield squeezing into my Mini-Cooper and running to my Mother-in-law's house or the grocery store. It doesn't matter if I have been gone 6 months - it feels like I never left.  It reminds me of the old Star Trek movies where Captain Kirk says, "Beam me up Scottie," and suddenly they are on a new planet.  When we arrived in the U.S. the week before Christmas, I must admit I was enamored with the Christmas spirit and the cold weather only added to the romance.  But after a week of literally freezing my buns off, I was ready to elope back to Mexico. I actually think I lost a little weight, which is amazing considering how much chocolate I have consumed.  So with dried out sinuses and runny nose (how do you have both?) I am busily packing my bags and tidying my house for our joyous return to Mexico.  Like James Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life," I will arrive on the island saying, "Hello Mr. Pelican!."  "Hello Ferry!"  "Glad to smell you salty air!"  "Hello you beautiful 84 degree temperature!"  "Good day Mr. Palm Tree!"  "Olah Martivino!  Benediciones Armin!"  And I will soak in that view of the gorgeous Caribbean ocean that never ceases to take my breath away.  I already am anticipating sitting on our rooftop and gazing up at the moon and a thousand stars our first night home. I am definitely ready to enter the Twilight Zone!

Isla's Market Milestone

Isla has it's first mega store and all over the island you see Chedraui signs with arrows pointing the way to it's newest attraction. For all you gringos I am not talking about an amusement park or other tourist attraction. I am talking about Chedraui - Mexico's equivalent to Super Walmart (I actually think it is nicer.) As I pulled up to this mammoth in my sputtering golf cart the traffic behind me was growing impatient as  I struggled unsuccessfully to get a good shot of the store and drive at the same time.

Chedauri marks a milestone for Isla in several ways.  It is our first mega store, our first stop light, our first parking garage and our first escalator. My family and  I rode up the escaltor with the fascination of an aborigine seeing fire for the first time. We were like the Beverly hillbillies in New York City  as we excitedly ooohhhed and aaahhhed at the myriad of choices we now had.  The bakery was was like Candyland for my 11 year old. The wine section alone was bigger than most tiendas on the island.  The main exclamation of joy from most islanders was "Now I don't have to go to Cancun!" And though I do happily join that chorus, part of me is sighing a song of lament.

Will the little corner stores and the mercado be able to survive now that Chedraui is here. Though finding everything I want in one place is very convenient, it is not the same in the produce section. As I squeezed all the unripened mameys there was no Jelmy to help me pick a good one.  The light orange tomatoes paled in comparison to Louisa's bright red ones. And there was no Raphael to cut the papayas in half.  As I picked a few pieces of fruit out, my 11 year old chirped in, "Mom, I thought you said you were going to keep buying your produce at the mercado!" My little crusader for justice is right. And so today I am making 2 stops instead of one. I am off to the mercado for the freshest and ripest fruit on the island and the sweetest people selling them too. What I can't find there will be found at Chedraui. I do not want the arrival of this new giant to mark the end of our little markets that have served us for generations. Let me hear an amen if you agree.