August 2011 Greetings from Puerto Morelos!

Hola,

Hope you’re all doing well and staying cool during the heat wave that has gripped much of the US.

We haven’t sent a newsletter out since 2009 and I’m sure I won’t send one more than once a year, but if you’d rather not receive this in the future, please let me know.

We’ve had a good year and made a few trips to Puerto Morelos. We hope to get down more this year as Rick retired in April. It’s very exciting, but a little scary too. Right now I’m still working part-time.  Our oldest son graduated from the University of Portland in May so that will definitely help our travel budget.

We recently booked a few weeks in 2012 so I thought I’d make sure you have our contact information in case you’re planning a trip down in the near future:

·       dyeabsley@gmail.com

·       www.playasolcondo.com

·       Home phone: 206.935.0554

I also started a blog but I don’t have much on it yet. I’m not sure blogging is for me, but it’s nice to be able to expand a few topics without going through the ordeal of updating the website.

·       http://pspuertomorelos.blogspot.com/

We’re keeping our rates the same again this year. We’ve also had wonderful guests with very little wear and tear compared to what we hear from other owners. As a grateful thank you, and incentive to return, we’d like to offer anyone who has booked our condo in the past, a 5% discount for future stays.

Rates:          May through November $800 (8^th night free)

December through April 15, 2012 - $1200 (Christmas and New Years Weeks $1700)

Local News

They finished the overpass at the highway in Puerto Morelos and it seems to be working really well. When coming from the airport, you just stay right and turn left to go under the overpass to the beach side. There also is another great produce market in the Colonia, called Merced. It’s about 5-6 blocks due west of the overpass on the southwest corner of the street.

They also finished the huge overpass in Playa del Carmen. It’s very nice and easy to navigate. The third exit going south is the one for the Cozumel ferry dock. Constitucion is the second exit and works well for getting to Walmart and Mega.

John Gray recently closed la Suegra on the beach and changed his main Ninos Heros location to a prix fixe menu for breakfast and lunch. It’s delicious and much more affordable. I had 3 of the best shrimp tacos and a beverage for $100 pesos.

Here’s a link to an article in the LA Times about the sculptural artificial reef that’s been installed up by Cancun.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2010/11/jason-decaires-taylor-artificial-reef-silent-evolution-underwater-sculptures.html

There was a really nice article in West Jet airlines in-flight magazine.

http://www.upmagazine.com/story/article/exploring-puerto-morelos

Rental Cars

We’ve recently been able to rent cars from Advantage at very low rates. We reserved a small car with AC and a standard transmission on-line for under $100 a week. Advantage is a subsidiary of Hertz and the rates include third party liability.  We find the best rates vary from one trip to the next so it’s always a good idea to check Orbitz etc. just be sure they rates include third party liability in the price.

Spas

There are a few great spa options in Puerto Morelos. The Jungle Spa is run by LU'UM K'AA NAB and provides careers and incomes for local families.

It’s surrounded by palm trees and native plants, under a thatched roof palapa with a breeze gently blowing, birds singing and smells of copal incense burning. The Mayan women giving the massages are from a culture where giving massages is a way of healing. When they were born, a midwife massaged them out of their mother's belly. They were massaged all during infancy and at 7 or 8 years old they were taught to massage their parent's and grandparents tired bodies when they came home from working in the cornfields. Here’s the contact info: SANDRA DAYTON, Phone: 998 208 9148
starseed@prodigy.net.mx

Cieba del Mar, the first resort just north of Playasol offered a day pass in November for $100 USD that included $30 of food credit, use of the facility and a massage. This may have been a special low season rate so please confirm the price before you go. This is the resort Mark Zuckerburg rented for a Facebook conference.  Here’s a link to the full spa menu: http://ceibadelmar.com/pdf/CDM-Spa-Menu-2011-English-Edition.pdf

When we were down at the end of April, the price for a massage on the beach had dropped to $16 an hour! I know it was much higher during the high season.

Whale Sharks

Have you heard about the whale sharks? For those science-minded, adventurous types, this is a top ten opportunity. The season typically runs June through September. You can arrange for the tour with Paco/Francisco at the booth in front of Martins.  We had a group of 5 and got it for $110 US per person. Here’s more info: http://news.discovery.com/animals/420-whale-sharks-gathered-off-mexican-coastline-110525.html

Cooking School

Last year we attended a cooking class at the Little Mexican Cooking School, right here in Puerto Morelos. The school is in its second year and seems to be thriving. It was kind of expensive, but well worth it. We learned about the history of the local ingredients, had a great lunch and even became comfortable enough to later try some of the recipes and make our own tortillas. Catriona Brown, the owner, offers 5% off if you’re staying at Playasol. The classes fill up so you might want to reserve your spot before you go down. http://www.thelittlemexicancookingschool.com/

Cuba

We recently gathered some great info on traveling to Cuba from Cancun. We’re happy to share this with anyone staying in our condo. Just let us know.

Mailing Post Cards

 First, get the proper stamp at Casa Martin Supermarket and then put it in the mailbox located on the wall between El Pirata restaurant and the gift shop on the corner. I have no idea when they pick up. If you are going to Cancun or Playa del Carmen or Cancun, drop them off there, it speeds up the process. Mexican mailboxes are big and red.

Buying Gas in Mexico

Unfortunately, you really have to pay attention to avoid getting scammed when buying gas in Mexico. Here are a few of the scams we've encountered:

• Make sure the meter is at zero
• Have an idea of how much the charge should be. In Merida the attendant changed the LED display screen to show a much higher charge. The new screen didn't have the liters or any of the other pricing info. We questioned him repeatedly and eventually he switched it back to the actual screen with the correct price per liter, number of liters, and total.
• If you pay with a bill greater than 200 pesos, get the attendant's acknowledgement that you gave him 500 pesos.
• Pay attention to your change. 

The buses are Great!

Transportation Options

Getting To and From the Airport:

Bus

The ADO Bus is about $5 per person. This is a clean, comfortable, luxury bus with A\C and a movie. They leave every hour and run until at least 8:45 PM.  It picks you up straight ahead out of the new terminal 3. It also picks up at Terminal 2 on the far right side as you come out the door. You buy tickets in the airport terminal, after you pass customs and just before you leave the building.  The bus will drop you on the highway at the turn off. Puerto Morelos is the first stop after leaving the airport. You can catch a cab ($2 USD or 20 pesos) or a local bus (collectivo) to PlayaSol. There should be cabs at the 7-11.

Rental Car

Recently we rented a car through www.mexexperience.com.  We picked up the car from Hertz at the airport and got a weekly rate of less than $100, including tax. It was low season and this was for a small car with air. Basic liability insurance is included. We declined the collision and other insurance. (Many credit cards will provide some type of collision damage insurance- check with yours).  This rate was only available by making a reservation on-line ahead of time. There are several other rental car companies there: Dollar, Thrifty and Executive.  If you rent a car from Hertz at the airport and only want to keep it for part of your trip, you can drop it off at Wal-Mart in Cancun.  Hertz will drive you to the Cancun bus station for your return trip to Puerto Morelos.

Taxi

Even though it is less than a half hour drive, a taxi at the airport will cost about $65-$70 USD.   There are vans for larger groups too. The taxi will take you right to the condo. The return trip to the airport from Puerto Morelos is only about $30 USD. 

Getting Around

It’s easy to be without a car in Puerto Morelos. The walk to and from the town square is just 5-10 minutes. There are also lots of taxis who are happy to drive you where ever you’d like to go. The taxi stand is in the square. Rates are set, not metered. Agree on a price before you get in. Below are some of their rates:

20 pesos -      The highway, PlayaSol
50 pesos -      Jungle Market/Spa, Crococun Zoo, Botanical Garden
300 pesos –   Airport

350 pesos –   Cancun Hotel Zone

400 pesos -    Xcaret
600 pesos -    Xel-Ha
2000 pesos -  Merdia/Chetumal

Collectivos

These are vans or small buses that drive a route around Puerto Morelos and out to the highway. It costs 4 pesos per person. The easiest way to get one is to walk their route back toward town. They come down the road from town and turn west at the corner of Playasol and head back on avenue Ninos Heros. Walk that road back to town and often one will come by. If not you can get one across from the church in the square.

Bus

ADO Busses to Playa or Cancun are fabulous and come by about every 10 minutes The cost is about 18 pesos either direction. You can go anywhere in Mexico from there if you want. Take a taxi or collectivo to the highway. Buy your ticket for Playa, across the highway and a half a block down from the PEMEX station. The buses are clean, comfortable, air conditioned and show movies. The bus will take you to the Playa del Carmen bus station which is right downtown.  5^th Ave is the main shopping street and it runs parallel to the beach a couple of blocks inland.

The bus to Cancun is on the same schedule and goes to the downtown bus station on the main street in Cancun - Tulum Ave. It also will stop at Plaza Las Americas when requested. Buy your ticket on the beach side of the highway under the canvas tent on the corner where the road meets the highway.

Finding the ticket booth for return from Cancun or Playa is a little tricky. There is a separate ticket booth just for the Playa -Cancun route. It is a walk-through booth. It is at the south end of the terminal in Playa and the north end in Cancun.  Busses load constantly and leave about every 10 minutes.

More Transportation info at: http://www.playasolcondo.com/Transportation.htm

Chichen Itza

During our first trip to the Yucatan we took a side trip from Puerto Morelos to visit Chichen Itza. We got an early start, explored Valladolid, had lunch, then stopped by Cenote Dzitnup. It is a huge underground cave with a small hole in the top letting in sunlight. 

We planned to stay overnight at the Hotel Dolores Alba near Chichen Itza so we could hit the park first thing in the morning. The hotel was clean and comfortable with a great swimming pool. The kids loved it! The pool had under water caves and tunnels they could swim through. Since it was just a few minutes from Chichen Itza, we checked in, swam and then went over to see the Chichen Itza night show. It seems like the night show was included in the price of our admission ticket for the next day. 

We got to the the park again early the next morning before it got too hot, and before the tour buses arrived. This was 2004 and at that time they still let you climb up the pyramid. It was an amazing experience. The kids scampered up and down, no problem. The stairs were very narrow and steep. They had one rope with knots in it to hold onto. I was OK on the way up, but very slow and nervous going down. I sat on my bottom, taking one step at a time. I remember telling our kids to savor the experience because I thought someday it would be closed to climbing. Even if you were steady and doing fine someone could lose there balance above you, and every one in the way on the way down would fall like dominoes. 

We especially enjoyed the ball court. It was huge and the acoustics were amazing. It seemed next to impossible that they could get a ball through the cement hoop, high up on the side, without using their arms. The viewing area was very small and they were often playing for their lives. 

As it started getting more crowded, we wrapped up our visit to Chichen Itza and headed back on the toll road Southeast to Tulum. The Tulum site is breathtaking and the beach is gorgeous. The ruins are nice and I'm sure we would have been even more impressed if we hadn't just been to Chichen Itza. 

Womens World Cup and Valladolid

I've thought for a long time about sending a newsletter to people who've stayed in our condo or inquired about it, but I didn't want to be pest or a spammer. Here's my alternative. I hope this blog will be an informal summary of our trips to Puerto Morelos, side trips, what's going on in town, helpful links etc.  

We always try to go down in November for the Villas Playasol owners meeting. The other owners are such a nice group of people and it's so fun to see everyone. This year the FIFA Women’s world cup qualifying was in Cancun. Some of our Canadian friends knew players on the Canadian team and figured out the tickets, details and logistics.  We tagged along for the final match which was supposed to be U.S. vs. Canada, however, Mexico upset the U.S. team so it turned out the final match was Canada vs. Mexico. 

Mexico got a red card in the first half and Canada made the penalty shot. Mexico had to play the whole second half, one player short. The game ended with Canada winning 1-0. I was really impressed with the sportsmanship of the Mexican fans when they lost a player for the penalty. There was no booing or name calling. Each time the Canadian goalie kicked the ball, the Mexican fans would wave their hands and chant a Spanish word we couldn't really understand. Our Canadian friends started doing the same thing when the Mexican goalie kicked the ball. The Mexican's around us were cracking up. We had no idea what we’re saying and it turned out to be something we'd never say in English. 

We also made a day trip to Valladolid. They recently paved the road all the way to Leona Vicario and we thought we could connect to the toll highway for the rest of the trip to Valladolid. It turned out there was no way to get on the toll road at the intersection so we ended up taking the Libre road to Valladolid. It took about 30-40 minutes longer then the toll road took to get home.

Valladolid was great. We'd been there before on our first trip to the Yucatan. It isn’t touristy at all. One thing that’s really telling is that Rick looked at 4-5 stores before he could find a t-shirt with Valladolid on it.  As our friend Yayo recommended, we had lunch at Cenote Zaci. It was delicious Yucatecan food at a very reasonable price.  We also got free admission to the Cenote for eating there.