The Glory of the Tortilla

Right now I'm having anticipatory flash backs of standing at the counter of La Gloria Tortilleria, listening to the hum of the conveyor belts carrying golden disks of corn into the waiting warm ovens. The smiling senora behind the counter (whose name is unfortunately not flashing back) gives me a smile along with a stack of steaming tortillas.  She quickly wraps them in brown paper and takes my 10 pesos in her plastic-gloved hand.  I wrap my new treasure in my tortilla towel and stop to get my roasted chicken from Fannie right next door.  She takes a hot chicken covered is achiote seasoning and cuts it into pieces with her scissors.  I always marvel how her little hands have the strength to cut through those chickens and their bones like she's cutting construction paper.  After exchanging happy "Como estas?" Fannie  also bags rice, beans, slaw and some hot sauce with my charcoal roasted chicken. She knows I prefer an extra bag of rice instead of the spaghetti they usually put in the bag and makes the substitution without me having to ask.  That is what I call service!  All I need next is an avocado from the little Mayan lady across the street. Now this is one stop shopping Mexico style.
I can hardly wait the 10 more days I have left to return to shopping Mexico style.  It has it's pros and cons.

 But right now all I can seem to think about are the charms of buying venduras (vegetables) from Jelmy, who always makes sure I pick good pieces  and tucks a gift of some kind of fruit in my bag. Or Raphael a couple stalls away who always has the best selection of produce in the mercado.  Oh and how could I forget the fresh squeezed orange juice from Martivino. Grocery shopping in Mexico is an emotional experience of  textures, tastes, smells (some not so good) and smiles. It somehow makes pushing a cart at Super Walmart seem so hollow and mundane. Sometimes less is truely more.

What to Do When It's Raining on Isla Mujeres

I just saw this title on a video and I clicked it thinking, " Oh what a great subject." Well it was just a video of a deary rain storm on Isla Mujeres with no suggestions of what to do. I was so disappointed.  Ironically, I had just received an e-mail from a client asking me if there was anything I could do about the rain. Well, I may not be able to chase those rain clouds away; but I can give my suggestions of things to do on a wet and windy day. Here is a list of my favorite tried and true diversions.

1. Read - read -read! Pour a steaming cup of cafe and curl up on the double chaise sofa.  If you didn't bring a book we have some in the writing loft. We have:  A Thousand  Splendid Suns, Kite Runner or The Alchemist and many others.

2. Gin and Chocolate!  I have fond memories of my husband and I playing Gin (the card game) on our bed.while devouring a whole canister of tequila filled Turin chocolates. Of course I always won. Or at least that's how I remember it!

3. Great Excuse for a Candle Light Dinner! We have a professional commercial stove. Crank up your burners and get your iron chef on! (Candles are in the buffet in the living room.)

4. Bubble Bath Time - When it is cold and damp on the island a steaming bubble bath is a luxury you can take time to enjoy. Our jetted tub comes with a great view of the crashing waves. Pour a glass of wine and sit back and soak. Aaaah.

5. Get a taxi and go to Mi Secreto Salon and have a Coffee Mint Pedicure!  Seated on silk pillows, you can sip a cappuccino or glass of wine while enjoying a little bit of pampering with a beautiful view of the Caribbean while you are getting your feet massaged and beautiful. (Do this even if it isn't raining!)

6. Snuggle and Watch a Movie - Break out the the microwave popcorn and watch a movie!

7. Have an in house massage!  Call Armin and he can arrange one.

8. I know this is pathetic, but break out your Ipad and have guilt free Pinterest time! What else do you have to do?

9. Watch another movie! I know, I know I'm  cheating.

10. Last but not least - "All You Need is Love."  I'll let you figure that one out.!

This list has actually inspired me to make a Rainy Day Kit for my guests at Magi Azull. Well that is my list of my top 10 things to do if it is raining on Isla Mujeres. If I missed one of yours, share them with me!.

10 Island Travel Tips

1. Airport Pickup - Pre-arrange airport pickup. It will save you quite a bit and make your arrival faster and hassle free. We assist our guest with this at Magi Azul, but any upscale hotel or vacation rental should be able to provide this service. Ask the driver to stop at a casa de cambio on the way to the ferry and change most of your money for your trip.  The exchange rate will be better in Cancun than on the island, and it will save your precious beach time for that lounge chair instead of trudging around looking for a casa de cambio.
2. Money Matters - Once you get to your room leave all your valuables there and carry just enough money for your outing.  The island is safe and you will not get mugged, but there is always the possibility of a misplaced backpack or purse. If you like to get in the water, consider a waterproof packet or container to slip money in that you can wear in the water.
3. Cuanto Cuesta? - Always ask how much something is in pesos instead of U.S. dollars.  You will pay less.
4. Know Your Taxi Rates -  Ask a local the rate to your destination. You may not get that rate, but you can at least get close.  You say the rate to the driver BEFORE you get in the taxi. If they know you know the rate they will not try to gouge you as much. This will save you from paying  double or maybe triple the normal fare. Also generally taxis are cheaper if you catch them on the street rather than at a taxi stand.
5. Notice Your Taxi Number - If you ever accidentally leave anything in a taxi, knowing the taxi number will increase your chances in retrieving it. One of my guests learned this the hard way, when he left his backpack with his passport and camera in a taxi.  With that in mind, also bring a copy of your passport and driver's license and put them in a different bag than your originals.  It will make replacing documentation easier if you need to.
6. Camera Care & Electronics - Throw a few silica packets from pill bottles into your camera bag or any bag with electronics.  Moisture in a tropical climate can be hard on them.  Also be VERY careful on the beach.  One grain of sand can ruin a camera fast.
7. Supplies 101 -   Bring a hat that protects you from the sun and that doesn't blow off easily. It is often windy on the island. Also big beach sarongs are better than heavy beach towels.  They are easier to carry, sand shakes off of them easily, they dry quickly and can double as a beach cover-up.  I also recommend throwing some Ibuprofen or your pain reliever of choice in your suitcase.  If you don't speak Spanish trying to communicate what you need at a pharmacy will be difficult but amusing for the pharmacist. And of course sunscreen, water, antibacterial gel and some glamorous sunglasses.
8. A Map - I recommend Chick Maps.  These maps are the most comprehensive that I have seen and really give you an insider's view of the island.  It shows information, reviews and locations of popular and obscure destinations.  They are well worth the $10.  You will save time and experience places you would have never known about. Order them on-line at Mapchick.com.

9. Bring Snorkel Gear and Dive Booties - If you have room in your suitcase, it is worth it to buy a set of snorkel gear. Finding equipment to rent outside of a guided snorkel tour can be difficult and is not cheap if you do find them.  In fact, I would go so far as to say, "Make room for a set of snorkel gear."  You are in some of the most beautiful waters in the world and with your own gear exploring is easy and free!  If you don't want to invest a lot, you can get a cheap set at Sam's for $39 that will last the week you are there.  If you don't mind spending more, a quality mask is the most important item. I buy online at scuba.com.  Don't forget dive booties.  They can be used as water shoes and allow you to walk on the rocks and coral without cutting your feet, and then you can slip your fins on over them.  They will also prevent the fins from chaffing your feet.
10. Be Adventuresome - I will never forget an evening spent dancing with gypsies by a campfire in the Indian desert. (No, I was not drinking.) Try something new.  I recommend a snorkel trip no matter what your expertise or lack there of.  I use Casa Del Buceo.  Local divers will know the best places and point out wild life you would have never noticed.  Go early in the morning (7am) before the afternoon crowds scare the big marine creatures away.   Also swimming with the whale sharks is a definite item to add to your bucket list. Make sure it is the season when they are in the area.

These are just a few tips for a hassle free vacation of a life time on Isla Mujeres. If you have some tips of your own. I would love to hear them. Please add a comment.

A Confession

I have a confession to make. My blog is called Island Living, but we don't live on the island anymore.  We are rented so much that we now live in Merida, Mexico most of the time and run to the island when we have a vacancy. My dreams of island living have been thwarted by success! But I have no need to shed any tears. I enjoy the best of 2 worlds - cultured life in a historic city and laid back island life. We are actually about to start renovating a 150 year old French Colonial house and will rent out a cute little casita in the back of our property. I think it will be called The Arbor - Casita.   Merida is located about 3 hours from Isla Mujeres and about 30 minutes from the coastal town of Progresso. It was named the safest city in all of Mexico and is even called the La Cuidad de Paz or The City of Peace.  With it's gorgeous architecture, wonderful shopping and restaurants and central location to many  nearby site-seeing destination, it it the perfect home base to see the Yucatan.  There is always something going on almost nightly. From theater to museums and festivals there is never a shortage of things to do.  Convent and hacienda tours, Chichenitza ruins, and beautiful cenotes to swim in are just minutes away. Anyway, I have been a little (ok mucho) slack in writing about the island, because I haven't had the pleasure of being there.  But don't think I have forgotten my island paradise. Since I will not be mesmerized by the blue water I may actually write a blog about something practical like tipping since I always get asked questions about it all the time. Or I think I may write about some of my favorite restaurants on the island (I miss you Basto's!)  So now that you know my conscience can be at rest. I'm still island living,\ - but it is only very part time now.  But that makes it all the more sweeter.

gg

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.