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In this issue: Busy, busy, busy! "What is happening to Puerto Morelos?" my friend says, "I can't find a place to park in front of the supermarket! I had to park around the corner! What is going on!" Welcome to High Season in Puerto Morelos. This year is the busiest in recent memory according to long time locals. For us, with only one year under our belts, we do notice there are more people in the bookstore, in the square, and at our favourite restaurants. People in Puerto Morelos? Has Cancun's best kept secret finally got out? I think it's true we are being discovered, but fear not, PM is still the sleepy fishing village you love. You can still wander for miles without seeing anyone, and a short walk will lead you to an empty stretch of beach you can call your own for the day. If you stay for a few days, the locals will know you and you will feel like the town is yours. If you intend on coming down during the high season, mid December until Easter, you may wish to make reservations ahead to assure your piece of paradise will be waiting for you. If you wish to rent a condo, apartment, or house you can contact us for booking arrangements.
The age-old question is, "Is a Zebra white with black stripes or black with white stripes?" In Puerto Morelos, the question is, "Is that a road or just some asphalt growing up in an otherwise pristine field of potholes?" Well, ask the question no more. Our road, Ninos Heroes had all its potholes filled recently. This, along with the recent major improvement of the road to El Cid, has us all driving without fear of losing our fillings. Of course there are still all those speed bumps...
At last we can show a picture of the exterior of our home. After months of looking like a bomb hit it, we finally painted the place. Our professional crew painted the whole house in about five days. Locals warn us we'll be repainting in three to five years as the sand, salt and wind combine to blast the paint off. We have a small amount of greenery now too. A friend gave us some cuttings, which we simply stuck into soil and watched them grow. We are even growing a tree this way! It's amazing how easy gardening is here. I'm going to try planting a two-by-four next and see if I can grow a liquor cabinet. Free Gift From Alma Libre
For those of you still stuck up North, bring a small piece of Puerto Morelos to your home or office with our new Puerto Morelos Wallpaper. Beautiful of course and practical too with a March and April Calendar built right in. This month's wallpaper is a view off the balcony of Casita Kin-Ha. This view could be yours when you stay in Puerto Morelos. Contact us for details. We'll have new pictures available for download every month! Pick your wallpaper size: CLICK HERE FOR WALLPAPER INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS Changes! At long, long, long, long, long, long last, Hola Asia opened their rooftop bar. I guess Liza and Miguel just wanted everything to be perfect, so they took their time. Boy did they take their time! The result though is worth it. A great place to enjoy a tropical drink or a cold cervesa with a view of the ocean and town square. Cafe del Puerto closed for a couple of days for renovations and now has a beautiful & practical palapa roof. Rain will never again chase away hungry customers! Beracudas in the Hacienda Hotel is now featuring a live music jam on the beach every Sunday afternoon. You can join in! Bodo's, a new German restaurant has now opened on Avenue Ninos Heroes. Early reviews are excellent.
Dive Puerto Morelos just moved into new digs just past Goyos on the main road, Rojo Gomez. Check out their website, built by Alma Libre Bookstore, at www.DivePuertoMorelos.com Wet Set Water Adventures has also opened a storefront on Rojo Gomez, in the space that used to be occupied by Chip's Bar and more recently by a pizza place. www.wetset.com Next door to Dive Puerto Morelos is "Pixan", a new gift shop featuring wonderful handmade local art. You may have seen Pixan greeting cards in the bookstore. Hotel Ceiba del Mar has a wooden boardwalk that will take you into the mangrove. A short walk leads to a palapa where you can observe the birds and plant life of the mangrove without getting your feet wet. The boardwalk starts at Ceiba's parking lot. What a great addition to the town!
Still at Ceiba, the gift shop is under new management and features special items from all over Mexico. Worth a look whether you are a guest or not. You've vacationed here, now why not live here! Cabanas Puerto Morelos is for sale again. We also know of a condo at Villas Playasol for sale. Check out their website here. Tell them we sent ya! Current Exchange Rates (In Puerto Morelos) USA Dollar 10.65 CDN Dollar 7.80This Just In! New Books & Products at Alma Libre Books!
Secrets of the Talking Jaguar by Martin Prechtel This is the story of the author's physical and spiritual journey from the southwestern US to the highlands of Central America. There he becomes apprenticed to a local shaman who teaches Pretchel much about indigenous Mayan life, and about life in general. "Humorous, yet poetic at times, the writer has a gift to share, and he does so with incredible dexterity." - Amazon.com reader
The Maya by Michael Coe This is the book for those who want a good overview of the Maya, but don't want to read a pile of textbooks. "The Maya" is complete, but very readable. Hundreds of photographs. "A great general reference as well as a good read." - Amazon.com reader
We waited for this one a long time, but now it's here. This exhaustive guide has just been freshly updated and we have lots in stock. Now features colour photos! "The definitive guide to the region" - Amazon.com reader
El Cid
At the other end of the development scale is Genesis Ek Balam. Located right next to the Ek Balam ruins in the pueblo of Ek Balam, Calgarian Lee Christie has built a retreat that is as clever as it is relaxing. Clever because it is well designed and built to showcase the features of the land, not to hide them. Even the naturally shaped swimming pool uses a bio-filtration system to avoid using the chemicals. Clever too because she has designed a number of informal programs to allow an intercultural exchange between visitors and the Maya locals. Genesis is designed to contribute to the preservation and appreciation of nature and the traditional lifestyle of the Maya. You'll appreciate the relaxing surroundings and the beautiful gardens. Perhaps the most amazing thing about Genesis is that it has all come together in just one year. Check out their website to learn more or book your cabana. www.genesisretreat.com (Ek Balam is located just north of Valladolid, which is 90 minutes from Puerto Morelos.) Red Tape: Despite efforts to streamline the process, it still takes an average of 57 days to start a business in Mexico. Burp! Mexicans are the world's largest consumers of soft drinks, with a per capita consumption of 487 8-ounce bottles a year. Coke has 45% of the market share and Pepsi has 30%. A new company from Peru called "Big Cola" has 5% of the market.
Just a reminder that we are in our high season hours now. That is Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am until 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Sunday we are open 4:00 to 9:00. We are open Mondays in March from 10 to 3 and 6 to 9. Our hours are always posted on the front page of our website at www.almalibrebooks.com. We take trades every day, so our selection is constantly changing. If you are planning a trip down, why not bring some recent bestsellers to trade and check out our store. For you locals, remember we are always bringing in Special Orders. Contact us for details. Amazon can't touch us! We look forward to seeing you in Puerto Morelos!
This is Year #2, Issue #4. March 2004. If you have any comments or suggestions, please Contact Us Retransmission & Redistribution of this newsletter without express written consent is just fine by us! Send this newsletter to a friend! |
News From Puerto Morelos
On the Road Again.
House
Renovation Update
John Gray's Kitchen
recently closed on a recent Saturday night so that everyone could attend Head Waiter Hector's wedding.
The picture to the left shows the roofless church where the ceremony was held
and a shot of the bride and groom. The wedding took place in Saban, Quintana Roo.
Photos courtesy of Bush & Gail.
The Church in town
is having more services. Listen for the bells on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday at 7:30. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Adventure
Guide: Yucatan, Cancun, Cozumel
by Bruce & June Conord
Mexican Handmade Style:
Make your own memories of Mexico. This book features twenty easy to make
projects to brighten your home and garden. This beautiful book features more
than 150 colour photographs. "Each
project is a twist on a traditional method. They are easy to read and follow and
offer a bit of history about where they came from." - Amazon.com reader
A Taste of Mexico: The
best place to recreate a little of your trip to Mexico when you are back home is
in the kitchen. "A Taste of Mexico" features 70 exotic recipes packed with the
colour and flavour of Mexico. Recipes range from soup to desserts to drinks.
Step by step colour photographs illustrate each recipe.
The new Marina at El Cid has opened. Located just south of the
town of Puerto Morelos, this is a development that locals having been watching
closely for a long time. The builders have been dumping rock and concrete for
months, building a harbour that can accommodate up to 300 vessels ranging size
from 25 to 120 feet in length. The floating concrete docks are built to rise
with the tide providing safe mooring. Slip fees range from $0.60 to $1.50 US per
foot per day during high season. Electricity is extra.
Genesis Ek Balam
