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Road Trip Belize - The Journey Home
2008-04-04 19:14:00
Kilometers Traveled – 339Hours in Car with Children – 5Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 1Belikins Consumed – 0Current Location – Home again LWireless Internet -  Yes.I must have some good kharma due to me because I awoke without any sign of a hangover and feeling rather well. We sat and had coffee and conversation with Ron, the owner of Popeye’s Hotel, who has been on Caulker for 32 years and is a wealth of knowledge.  He is a former pilot who also works as a TropicAir agent and books tours on the mainland and around the Cayes. I get the feeling he is the busiest guy on the whole island! Rob returned the golf cart and met us at the pier to catch the early water taxi back to San Pedro. We were all a little tense, anticipating another wet voyage.View from the pier back to Popeye's Hotel (hidden somewhat behind the palm trees) and beachfront bar.Morning on Caye Caulker.Tina's Backpackers' Hostel and new Anxilliou Suites. (I read Tina&...
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Road Trip Belize - The Cayes (part 4)
2008-04-03 18:08:00
Kilometers Traveled – 16 by golf cart, more by boatHours on Beach with Children – 3Spontaneous Bar Breaks – 1Belikins Consumed – lost count as I was overcome by the effects of too many “Panty Rippas” Current Location – Popeye’s Hotel, Caye Caulker BZWireless Internet – I would have NO idea.We were scheduled to depart this afternoon and head back home to Playa. In true Kinnon fashion, we extended our trip for another day! Yippee! Having failed at previous attempts to get a water taxi to take us to Caye Caulker, this morning we were finally able to get on one of the boats and make the journey.  Lining up for the boats.Ready for another adventure! I think, by now, we have proved ourselves to be flexible travelers, not too troubled by the occasional hiccup in plans or overly picky about accommodations and service. That being said, our ride to Caulker was one of our less pleasant travel experiences on record. First, the...
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Road Trip Belize - The Cayes (part 3)
2008-04-03 05:39:00
Kilometers Traveled – 6 by golf cart, more by boatHours on boat with Children – 4Spontaneous Bar Breaks – 0Belikins Consumed – 6 Current Location – Paradise Villas, Unit 16B – San Pedro, BZWireless Internet – Very good speed. One of the very few planned activities for this leg of our journey was a day of fishing. Not an afternoon spent trolling around in the hot sun, choking on diesel fumes mind you….proper fishing, casting out and reeling in, something fun for the kids. Paul H. hooked us up with Ali, the bartender at Crazy Canucks, and made arrangements for us to meet at the end of the Paradise Villas pier at noon. As planned, after a lovely breakfast at Estel’s, we met up with Ali and his mate Brian and headed out to sea.Birdie and Cole riding the bow.Captain Birdie!Beautiful healthy mangrove - the perfect place to find bait fish.Ali getting the net ready.The perfect moment.Shiny, slippery sardines.Birdie g...
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Road Trip Belize - The Cayes (part 2)
2008-04-02 20:20:00
Kilometers Traveled – 10 by golf cartHours on Beach with Children – 1Spontaneous Bar Breaks – 1Belikins Consumed – 7 Current Location – Paradise Villas, Unit 16B – San Pedro, BZWireless Internet – All good.It is probably pretty obvious by now that we love the food in Belize . I don’t think we’ve missed a meal yet! This day would certainly be no exception. I let Rob sleep in a bit and took the kids to “My Favorite Deli” this morning for breakfast. This is a great little two table kitchen we were turned on to by one of the timeshare guys the last time we were on the island. Great basic breakfast for next to nothing. Oscar, the owner, has added to his repertoire a taco table out front where locals pass by and pick up a quick bite or pack up a lunch to take away. My Secret Deli.Oscar and the girls.A real home cooked breakfast.A fresh pineapple smoothie - yum!We went back to the villa to check on Rob, who, having missed bre...
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Road Trip Belize - The Cayes (part 1)
2008-04-01 20:16:00
Kilometers Traveled – 0 walking doesn’t countHours on Beach with Children – 4Spontaneous Bar Breaks – 2Belikins Consumed – 12 Current Location – Paradise Villas, Unit 16B – San Pedro, BZWireless Internet – Yippee!! Works like a charm!!How do I describe what I’m feeling? I’m sitting on a comfy padded lounge chair, watching my children splash and play happily in a crystal clean pool, surrounded by lush landscaping and lovely villas on the shores of the Caribbean. The scene is picture postcard perfect. So, what is this feeling of uneasiness bubbling just below the surface? After a week on the road, driving through jungles, mountains and remote villages on the mainland, encountering only Belize an nationals and the occasional group of intrepid young backpackers, it feels somehow “foreign” to be in such “normal” surroundings. I feel somehow shabby in my braids and baseball cap. I wonder if everyone can tel...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 9
2008-03-25 17:29:00
Kilometers Traveled – 350Hours in Car with Children – 4Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 1Belikins Consumed – 5 Current Location – Paradise Villas, Unit 16B – San Pedro, BZWireless Internet – for about 30 minutes….then nothing.Caribe, the ring leader of the night’s late night shenanigans, sheepishly turned up on his bike this morning as I was unpacking and repacking the car for our long drive back up to Corozal. He almost looked as if he was surprised to find me still there which speaks volumes to the condition of my husband upon his untimely return to our cabin in the wee hours. As I show no mercy what-so-ever, I sent him right inside to greet my husband and welcome him back to the world of the living. Happy Easter, sweetie!!After a late breakfast at King Cassava, we said our goodbyes to Mark , Trisha, Georgia and Sanson and hit the road, ready for a long haul to Corozal. Settling up with Miss Chris.Getting the grill fired up for the ...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 8
2008-03-25 17:27:00
Kilometers Traveled – 54Hours in Car with Children – 1Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 1Belikins Consumed – too many to recall Current Location – Laru Beya Cabins, Hopkins, BZWireless Internet – OK, I give up.Today is Saturday and we were supposed to be taking the 3:30 pm TropicAir flight to San Pedro to start our week on the island. We opted instead to spend another night in this funky seaside village and explore a bit.  What a beautiful view to wake up to.We had an enormous breakfast at King Cassava where we were introduced to Stuffed Jacks, a larger version of the ubiquitous fry jack filled with scrambled eggs, bacon and gooey cheese. Sooo good.Breakfast at King Cassava.Frying up red snapper in "el fogon".Mark's youngest daughter, Trisha, Birdie and Cole.Stuffed Jacks....yummo!!The rain finally gave us a break and all the kids in town, including mine, hit the beach. The town pier seems to be a popular gathering spot for local young...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 7
2008-03-25 16:19:00
Kilometers Traveled – 227Hours in Car with Children – 3Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 4Belikins Consumed – 12 Current Location – Laru Beya Cabins, Hopkins, BZWireless Internet – Yeah, right.Feeling cautiously optimistic, I drove down into town to check our bank balance and finally get some cash.Or not. Still no $$$. Panic is starting to set in and it’s still raining which is doing wonders for my mood. Determined to make the most of the day, cash reserved dwindling, we had breakfast in town at Eva’s. As everyone seemed to be able to connect to their wireless except me, I caught up on a bit of writing. One day, I hope to actually be able to post all this to the internet as promised. Despite the light rain and our lack of proper apparel, we decided to explore Xunantunich. In this case, getting there is half the fun.Maybe it was the light, maybe it was the rain, maybe it was the solitude. Whatever it was, this was our favorite ruin experi...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 6
2008-03-25 15:16:00
Kilometers Traveled – 87Hours in Car with Children – 2Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 3Belikins Consumed – 6 Current Location – Eva’s Restaurant- San Ignacio, BZWireless Internet – On everyone’s laptop but mine…damn it.It looks like we may be spending a wee bit more time in San Ignacio than we had originally planned. Turns out, our debit card from Bancomer WHERE ALL OF OUR MONEY IS doesn’t seem to work here in Belize . We have started to panic and scramble trying to figure out how to get money transferred to our US bank account. Shouldn’t be too tough, right? Turns out, as it is the week before Easter, today is a bank holiday in Mexico…as is Friday…as is Monday. Super. So now we have to find someone with a US bank account (preferably with money in it) to send a transfer to our account. We’ve got some options, all of whom promise to have it done TODAY. Super. Until then, we still have a place to stay (un...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 5
2008-03-24 15:43:00
Kilometers Traveled – 10Hours in Car with Children – .5Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 0Belikins Consumed – really, who's counting? Current Location – Cahal Pech Pool Bar - San Ignacio, BZWireless Internet – Yes. I was able to post the entry for Day 3 today! WooHoo!!We arrived in San Ignacio at dusk after a lovely drive through the Cayo district, past acres and acres of orange groves and small farms. After seeing some promising signs, we followed the directions up the hill over San Ignacio to the Cahal Pech archeological Site and Resort. We checked into a small efficiency apartment with two bedrooms, a sitting room and bath. The kids hit the pools immediately. Rob settled into the bar and chatted up fellow travelers Stan and Jenny, a father and daughter team from Arkansas. They had just arrived in town, raving about a town on the coast called Hopkins, the cultural epicenter for the Garifuna, their history, language and most distinctly the...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 4
2008-03-21 16:50:00
Kilometers Traveled – 40Hours in Car with Children – 1Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 0Belikins Consumed – 2 Current Location – Cahal Pech Resort – on a hill overlooking San Ignacio, BZWireless Internet - at times.Having such a great time with our new friends in Orange Walk, we got on the road rather late and well past dark. Our destination, Crooked Tree Village, is located just 45 minutes south off of the Northern Highway. The drive was quick and we had no trouble finding the turn-off into town. It was pitch dark when we arrived, starving and without a place to stay. We pulled over to the first lit building we came upon and asked for some direction. It is times like these in our travels that Rob and I ask each other “WWMD?”…… not “WWJD” (the well known acronym “What Would Jesus Do?”) but rather “WWMD”, meaning “What Would Mike Do?”  (referring to our dear friend Mike who li...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 3
2008-03-19 15:46:00
Kilometers Traveled - 65 by car, 25 by boatHours in Car with Children - 1Unscheduled Potty Breaks - 1Belikins Consumed - 16Current Location - Lamania Riverside Retreat - Back OfficeWireless Internet - don't be ridiculousWoke up bright and early, excited about our trip to Lamanai. Had a simple Belize an breakfast of scrambled eggs, beans and fry jacks at the Lamanai Riverside Retreat and piled into a serviceable panga with our fellow travelers, MacKenna and Jason from Oregon. Our guide for the day, Ignacio, knew the river like the back of his hand and stopped periodically to point out various critters living on its banks. The first leg of our journey would bring us to another pick up spot where another tour group, all shipped in from San Pedro, would board. Upon discovering that they all paid $140 usd to our $40 usd per person, I was glad I planned all of our excursions to originate from the mainland.MacKenna and Jason making their way through Mexico, Belize and beyond.Birdie...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 2
2008-03-17 23:56:00
Kilometers Traveled – 107Hours in Car with Children – 2.5Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 1Belikins Consumed – 11Current Location – D’ Victoria, room 5, Orange Walk, BZWireless Internet -  "Not on Sundays, dear"Got to see our hotel by the light of day and found it to be quite charming.  …perhaps, stuck firmly in the 1950’s…but charming.After a fine breakfast of eggs, waffles and fry-jacks we took off to explore Corozal. Dispite the fact that Corozal has well over 8000 residents, this being Sunday, we saw about 12 of them…total. Unlike Playa del Carmen, which is completely reliant on tourist dollars, mainland Belize completely shuts down on Sundays. No stores, no restaurants…..nothing.There is no fine line between the "haves" and the "have nots" in Belize.The road to Corozal, like the majority of the roads in Belize, is for the most part unmarked. With my crude map in hand, we foll...
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Road Trip Belize - Day 1
2008-03-17 23:35:00
Kilometers Traveled – 328Hours in Car with Children – 5Unscheduled Potty Breaks – 2Belikins Consumed – 4Current Location – Tony’s Inn, room #30 Corozal, BZWireless Internet -  not yet.We got off to a late start, as is customary in the Kinnon household. Car packed, kids settled, cooler stocked we set off on a straight shot down 307 to the Belize /Mexico border in Chetumal.Cole and Birdie comfortable in the back.There is an impressive amount of roadwork being done from about 40 kilometers north of Philipe Carrillo Puerto all the way to Limones, the jungle on either side being cleared to accommodate a 4 lane highway. Controlled burns are being utilized to eliminate the scrub brush and small trees that have been cut.Mayan home in Limones.Approaching the turn off for Mahahual, every tope is manned by a group of ladies selling everything from steamed corn on the cob to fresh pineapple to roasted pumpkin seeds. This snack holds us over for the rest o...
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How to Buy Real Estate in the Caribbean.......not.
2008-03-14 19:11:00
This morning, my friend Vikki emailed me this hysterical narrative. It struck such a familiar chord, I knew I had to share it with our "Life's a Beach" readers. I hope this tickles you all as much as it did me.Suzan and I were having an afternoon cocktail at a local beach bar on Ambergris Caye, Belize, last weekend when we overheard this conversation. We felt uncomfortable listening in, but the participants were talking so loudly that we really couldn’t help it. “Two more Panty Rippers, bartender!” shouted a sunburned American in a green muscle shirt and plaid shorts. “Make ‘em doubles…we’re on vacation!”He hugged his equally tipsy wife on the barstool next to him. Across the room were what Suzan and I call The Usual Suspects. They’re found in almost every Caribbean beach bar…the Fishing Guide, the Dive Boat Captain, the Timeshare Agent, and the Prostitute. On the barstool next to the drunken tourist co...
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Hole in the Wall Deli with the V.I.P. Smart Card
2008-03-12 14:11:00
Last week, John and Libby (In the Roo) gave me a V.I.P. Smart Card to try out in my travels around Playa. While I saw this a great opportunity to check out some restaurants that I had never been to before, I still managed to gravitate to a favorite local eatery for my first go around using the card. Rob and Stewart and I had a nice lunch at Hole In The Wall Deli , one of the many restaurants and services that accepts the V.I.P. card. Rob and Stewart both tried the Thai Chicken wrap accompanied by a Southwest salad. I chose the Souvlaki Sandwich on a soft warm pita with fresh Tzatziki. Everything was well seasoned and delicious. The service, as always, fast and super-friendly.Hole in the Wall Deli on 1st Ave. near calle 12Do you know what these bags of water are for?The deli case is always well stocked with meats and prepared salads.Vale had never seen the V.I.P. Smart Card before but was happy to apply the 15% discount to our bill simply asking that we sign his co...

Sundays R 4 Kastacan!
2008-03-10 00:08:00
For the past six months or so, Jill (my sister in law) and her boyfriend Milo (el cunado) have been joining us at our house every Sunday morning to watch football, hang out with the kiddos and stuff ourselves silly. All week we look forward to this day and the delicious brunch that Milo has introduced to our repertoire. This is the one day we eat in true Mexican style with a breakfast of warm tacos kastacan. Kastacan, for the uninitiated, is sort of a mix of fried skin and meat. Much like the ubiquitous chicharrone, commonly found hanging in plastic bags outside of the better local taco joints, this is a fried pork product created for the sole purpose of clogging ones arteries. It is absolutely heavenly and well worth the obvious health risks. Our purveyor of choice is Teresita's on the corner of calle 20 and 1 sur. This is full service taco restaurant with a handful of tables in an adjoining room, the meat counter up front well stocked with various carnitas and the back ro...
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A Walk on the Beach
2008-03-07 16:26:00
Having behaved well Wednesday night at the La Ranita gathering, I awoke bright and early yesterday morning, excited about spending a glorious day on the "Catamaya" with 50 or so of my very closest virtual friends. I put on one of the cute new suits that Rob just brought back to me from the States and my new black beach dress. (that makes me feel almost as chic as all those 20 something Italian girls who frolic around at Mamitas Beach ) As I was dropping the kiddos off at school, I noticed a slight breeze in the air and thought to myself "Ahhh, a perfect day for a sail."  Apparently, the harbour master had other ideas. With my plans for a day on the water dashed, I had breakfast at Pinche Gringos with Libby, John and Judy and then set off to enjoy my free day on the beach. Here are some pictures I took while walking from Mamitas south to Captain Dave's. The road down from 1st Ave. to Mamitas Beach is finally getting the attention it needs. This is due, no ...
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Peep Meet at La Ranita !!
2008-03-07 15:42:00
I managed to sneak away from my sick husband for a few hours on Wednesday night and headed over to check out the festivities at the Peep Meet going on at La Ranita. It was a very good turn-out. Lots of famililar faces and some newbies too! Do you recognize any of these people?  

Day Trip to Isla Mujeres
2008-03-05 17:47:00
As my poor husband has been stricken with the nasty virus that is making its way down the Riviera Maya, I was called in to service to spend the day with one of our customers looking at properties on Isla Mujeres. Isla Mujeres is one of my very favorite places to escape to and while this trip was business oriented, it's still nice to just be on the island, even for the day. Frank and I headed out late morning and made the drive to the ferry dock in Puerto Juarez. I was surprized to see that the crowded parking lot had been ripped up, to be replaced by a modern, multi-level parking garage. As there was often insufficient space in the existing lot, this is a good idea. The construction is well underway.The ferry system at Gran Puerto runs like well-oiled machine. From the (currently valet) parking services, to the well-manned and friendly ticket counter, to the boarding and disembarking procedure, every step in the process is efficient and designed to get y...
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Today, Connor turns 15...how did that happen????
2008-03-02 07:15:00
Today, our oldest son turns 15. Not surprising as last year he turned 14, so one can draw the logical conclusion that 15 will come along. What I didn't expect is the huge change that 15 brings. Boy to man in a year. This year, 15 was celebrated with a new cool skateboard, a dozen books, (all specifically requested) a mountain bike and a day of Interplaya futbol with his family and their goofy friends. Today's match pitted Interplaya against "Teo's La Firma". This year our team is sponsored by the distributors of Sol beer. The opposing team is named for (what sounds to be) a local titty bar. That being said, today, beer won over boobs, 4 - 0. Mom and Len, Kristie and Dave, Michael and Dave: We miss you all and wish we could be with you for these special times. Here are some pictures from our day.A small but enthusiastic crew.Corbin, Connor and RobCharlie and Milo. Sweet wigs!"La Hormiga"Creapy Half-time Entertainment......and Michelle.Future ...
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Marina Mia - Free Upgrades !!
2008-02-28 23:51:00
IMPORTANT AUCTION ANNOUNCEMENT Marina Mia Condominiums – Auction Date: March 29, 2008 - Free Upgrades ! Dear Auction Participant: We would like to announce a few exciting additions to the Marina Mia auction offering. 1. The developer is pleased to announce that all purchasers of units in Tower II will be able to select an upgraded kitchen package from Bertolini at no additional charge. Renderings of the new kitchens will be available shortly for all interested parties in the coming weeks. The Bertolini website can be found at http://webprg.evviva.com.br/evviva/2007/i ng/default.asp 2. All penthouses will now have spas built by Caldera Spas on them. Pictures of the spas are available at www.calderaspas.com, the spas that will be installed are from the Utopia series. 3. The developer would like to remind everyone that a one-year builder warranty will be issued to all purchasers upon possession of their units. Remember the purchase of a Bidder’s Information Packet is a requir...

Restaurante La Guadalupana
2008-02-27 23:03:00
Just down the street from our house, on the corner of avenida 10 and calle 12, in what can easily be considered the "zona turistica" is perhaps the least "touristy" restaurant in town. Restaurante La Guadalupana has become a secret oasis for Rob and I over the past three years. The restaurant opens its doors at 1pm, serving the customary late Mexican lunch and stays packed until 11pm. The kitchen puts out the expected Mexican fare including empanadas, tostadas, milanesa, arrachera, and tortas as well as more unusual menu items like sliced tongue, sautéed octopus and beef tartar. The mocajetes are not to be missed. Generally known as a place for Mexican business men to gather, eat, drink, watch futbol, play table games and conduct business matters, Guadalupana is kept chilled to near-arctic temperatures ensuring a pleasant lunch on a hot Playa day with no risk of sweating into your client's soup. The walls are lined with pencil sketches of well known lo...

"Overrated" in Playa del Carmen
2008-02-26 19:21:00
Just today, I read a post on a popular local message board from a member called "JJS" detailing several of the things in Playa del Carmen  he found "overrated" by fellow forum members. While, I did agree with a few of his list items, (I too find the blueberry margaritas at Babes to be just awful) one stuck out like sore thumb. This particular poster found Bad Boyz on the Beach not at all what it was touted to be. While this assessment could easily be put off to a bad night, I was there on that particular evening and I have pictures to prove it! Unfortunately, the thread was locked before I had a chance to respond and post some of the highlights of the evening in rebuttal. JJS, if you are out there, THIS is what you obviously missed on Thursday February 21, 2008 at Bad Boyz on the Beach.We had so much fun on Thursday, that we went back for more on Saturday afternoon. Here are some photos of the action on the beach. Lots of friendly, familiar fac...
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Mexico's Asur to Fight for Riviera Maya Airport
2008-02-22 22:50:00
By Chris AspinMEXICO CITY, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Mexican airport operator Asur will fight to take part in the bidding process for a planned airport in the Riviera Maya region which will drain passenger traffic away from its key runways at the resort of Cancun.Chief Financial Officer Adolfo Castro said on Thursday Asur (ASURB.MX: Quote, Profile, Research)(ASR.N: Quote, Profile, Research) will take the case to court if government authorities do not allow the company to bid for the rights to build and run the airport in Quintana Roo state.The government has not yet decided if Asur can participate in the bidding process. The sticking point is competition because Asur already operates nine airports in Mexico's southeast, including Cancun."If they do not allow us to participate we will use all the legal tools that we have in hand in order to protect our rights and in order to be part of the bidding process," Castro told a conference call with analysts.The government wants Rivie...
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Girls Night Out at Bad Boyz on the Beach
2008-02-22 05:20:00
Miss Birdie and I decided to have a long overdue "Girls Night Out" and leave the boys at home in front of the TV. We haven't been able to get out to see a session of J.J. and the Nasty Bastards in a few months and WOW.....what a scene. Bad Boyz on the Beach (still Captain Dave's to us old timers) is the absolute place to be on a Thurday evening. The beach was packed, the bar was packed, the dance floor was jumping. The beach in Playa del Carmen at dusk.Hot Playa Women: Deb, Tyra and Sharon.English Stuart and Taunya.Ice Cream Joe.Tyra.Dave and Thacker.Birdie and Kim.Things are really starting to heat up!Jergen. (What do you suppose Bolister is up to back there?)Birdie and Stuart.Michael and Kim.Jonelle, Nicole and Craig.Shar and her bar-back for the evening.Chris Bolister belting it out!And the crowd goes wild!If you haven't made it down to Bad Boyz on the beach, it really is the place to be Thursday and Saturday afternoons from 4pm - 8pm. The band is awesome, t...

Dinner at the New "El Angus Grill"
2008-02-21 05:40:00
As "he who thinks he is the boss of me" is back in the States on a whirlwind shopping expedition, I have been taking the opportunity to spend time with friends and divert from my normal daily routine. Tonite, the kids were all meeting at Papalote to watch the lunar eclipse so, with an evening to myself (joy) I decided to go out. That's right....pry my fingers from the keyboard and actually go OUT OF THE HOUSE to dinner with friends John and Libby of In the Roo. We decided on El Angus Grill : "El" - to let you know that it's Mexican, as Libby was quick to point out, "Angus" - undoubtedly, to appeal to Americans, fearful of ingesting foreign, and therefore far less superior and certainly dangerous, meat products (despite the fact that true Angus Cows are from Scotland....but I digress). The restaurant, located on the corner of calle 26 and Avenida 10 was, just a few short months ago, someone's residence. The transformation to res...
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Chan Chemuyil Price Increase - March 1, 2008
2008-02-19 18:17:00
This just in from Bill Mabra and BG Realty in Chemuyil.Greetings from sunny and warm CHEMUYIL MEXICO!VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTMarch 1, 2008 Chan Chemuyil homes will have a price increase from $39,900usd to $49,900usdNow before everyone gets their (you know whats) in a wad--we are going to this price so that we can INCLUDE many things that everyone pays separately for right now.The new price will include ALL closing costs ($5000usd) and also will include the following items:-Water heater installed and hot water line run to the kitchen-Gas tank, gas lines installed and gas tank filled and ready for connection to stove and connected to water heater-Electric conversion to 220v-Water deposit paid and city water turned on-Electric deposit paid and electricity turned on-Home cleaned, repaired if necessary, and power-washed-Screens installed for all windowsWhen you add everything up we are only really having about a $2500 to $3000 price increase and now when someone buys they only ha...
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Carnival 2008 in Playa del Carmen
2008-02-18 02:45:00
This evening, the kids and I had the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time. Since Carnival was postponed this year because of the local elections, there has been some confusion about when and if Playa del Carmen would hold this much anticipated festival. While Playa is notorious for its inability to properly deseminate information, this year really took the cake. No posters, no painted banners, no floats lining the streets letting us know that the festival was approaching. In years past, the whole Municipal Plaza has been a whir with activity: vendors hawking their wares, travelling carnies setting up death trap thrill rides, churro carts filling the air with the smell of warm sugar and fun!! Sadly, we seem to have missed out on all that this year. What we did see was a short but enthusiastic parade down 5th Avenue. The kids were thrilled !! This year's parade was a much abbreviated version of Carnival that once stretched from the zocalo ...
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Interplaya Bests the UNACH Ocelotes 2-1 !!
2008-02-17 01:16:00
The littlest Kinnons and I spent the afternoon cheering for our own hometown futbol team (that's soccer to you gringos) Interplaya in a heated match against the UNACH Ocelotes from Chiapas. During the season, the Villanueva Stadium hosts second division futbol every other Saturday afternoon at 3pm. The opposing team representing the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Chiapas fought a good battle but, in the end, were no match for Interplaya. The crowd was small but enthusiastic. What we lacked in numbers we certainly made up for in volume. The Official Interplaya Drum BrigadeHow anyone can cheer in those heels is beyond me."Chicharones!!!"English Geoffrey and me as seen by BirdieCreapy Half-time EntertainmentClearly, a slow news day in Playa.More creapy entertainment. At least this one came armed with candy for the kids.Buckets of ice cold Sol. You could go to the matches for the cheap beer alone...just $17 pesos!For dramatic affect (or a life threatening blo...