Mexico: Akumal and the Cricket Artisan in Playa

Midweek, we went to the beach at Akumal, a quiet, laid-back community of villas, condos and beautiful, gracefully arching bays, clear, turquoise waters and clean, sharp horizons. In Yucatec Mayan, Akumal means "place of the turtles."

Not (yet) a major tourist destination, Akumal is a beautiful, mostly unspoiled area where visitors can swim with the sea turtles. It's also home to a non-profit group dedicated to protecting the sea turtles and the ecological health of the area.

As we drove through the little white-arched entrance, there was a collection of small shops, apartments, homes and businesses all loosely gathered together along the narrow packed-dirt road. We parked in front of La Cueva del Pescador, The Cave of the Fisherman. La Cueva was part of a small cluster of buildings in a shady palm grove. Behind it was a little clothing shop and at an angle behind the shop was Turtle Bay Bakery.

There were a few small tables outside; inside, the floor was simply sand (I don't think there was an actual floor below the sand) and there was a pool table where two young men were playing and an order window for the kitchen. Inside, the walls were covered with photographs of fishermen with their catches. Very picturesque, almost Hemingwayish. One of the servers told us that if we chartered a fishing trip on his boat, that they'd cook whatever we caught right there: "Hook it and cook it!" (We didn't do it, but thought it was a cool idea.) Terrific lunch!

After lunch, we walked across the road to the beach to rent snorkeling equipment for the family. There were charter tours available that would take the family out to swim with the turtles, but they decided to just rent the equipment ... and simply watch where the tours went and swim out to the same area. They put their equipment on and out they went. My daughter saw at least 8 turtles, some bigger than my 9-yr-old granddaughter, all swimming around and below them. Awesome, amazing and beautiful!

I sat on the beach (I can't swim) and had a wonderfully peaceful time sitting there just enjoying the ocean, the waves, the breeze. Just a perfect day! Very refreshing. (I have fibromyalgia so peaceful, calming experiences are very helpful in managing the pain. And after Xcaret, I could use the peace and quiet.)

There weren't many people in the area where I was so it was pretty quiet and calming. After about an hour or so of lazy, drowsy watching, I heard - and felt!- a solid *thud!* next to my hand. A coconut had fallen and barely missed me. Whew! Close call. I turned back to that gorgeous expanse of Caribbean before me and just as I started to drift again ... *bam!* Another coconut fell right next to me! I looked up into the tree. One ... two ... There were two more up there so I moved out of the line of fire! My son-in-law opened up one of them when they came back onshore. Tasty, fresh coconut!

After Akumal, we drove into Playa Del Carmen for dinner at Yaxche, known for its authentic Mayan cuisine. We chose an outdoor table right on the street. Shortly after being seated, a gentleman approached our table from the street and placed something on our table. It was a large green cricket! He started singing a song and dancing the cricket around on the table. As he sang, he made cricket sounds (I have no idea how to write a cricket sound in letters!) and jumped quickly up and down like a cricket. So delightful! A natural artisan, he'd fashioned these wonderful crickets from palm leaves, very intricately plaited, wth wooden skewers for legs. I'd love to go back and learn how to make these from him!

Such a wonderful day! I fell in love with Akumal. If the circumstances ever present themselves, I would love to buy a little place there and live in the peace and beauty of the place of the turtles.

Mexico: Xcaret!

One day is not enough to see and enjoy all there is in Xcaret (pronounced "ish-carette")! It's a sprawling eco park with an abundance of natural beauty. You can explore on foot through the pathways or jump in the water for some snorkeling. The emphasis on the preservation and conservation of the natural habitats is evident everywhere. On land, there is the butterfly pavilion, manatee lagoon, monkey island, deer, flamingos, orchids, turtles ... in the water, there is Paradise River, snorkeling, snuba-ing, subterranean rivers, cenotes, dolphins, beaches, natural pools.

The Mayan culture is celebrated throughout the park. Explore the various archaelogical sites, enjoy watching a Mayan ball game, see the Mexico Espectacular show with over 300 artists showcasing the traditions, history and beauty of Mexico from pre-hispanic times to the present. Just a beautiful place!

Above is the bell tower near the entrance.

Paradise River - A raft takes visitors along the river to explore various areas of the park by boat.

In the subterranean river:

The blues of the Caribbean!

SeaTrek - An underwater walk wearing a breathing helmet. Lots of tropical fish to see and feed. Bri decided to opt out after they put the helmet on her.

See the white helmets? Those are Amber, Brian and Jasmine walking underwater.

Me, relaxing while waiting for the family to come back from SeaTrek. Aaahhhhhh ...

View from a hammock:


Jasmine and, behind her, Amber (taking a picture of me taking a picture of them):

Tortugas! (Turtles)

The rope ladder. The girls were having a great time ... then Daddy created some mayhem and Jasmine fell into the water. :-)

One of the performers for the Mayan show:

At the Mayan show. It was packed, standing room only.

We spent the entire day there and didn't get to see it all. Guess that means I have to go back!

Mexico!

Grand Mayan entrance

We had a wonderful vacation sunning and funning in the Riviera Maya area in early June. My daughter, son-in-law, two granddaughters and I enjoyed the pleasures of the beautiful Grand Mayan resort, south of Cancun and near Playa Del Carmen. This is a huge, sprawling resort; our rooms were amazing and the service was impeccable. We had two large bedroom suites, with sitting areas and bathrooms, connected in the middle by a larger sitting area, kitchen and dining space, a ton of space for the five of us. The total square footage was larger than my home!

On our balcony: a cooling pool, perfect for casual lounging. And the resort pools were all interconnected; everywhere you went there was pool, pool and more pool. And we took full advantage of them, day and night.


I love this area of Mexico; the language(s), the culture, the people, the courtesy and kindness of the people we met. I love the simplicity of life and the way the Mayan culture is celebrated here. There is no official national language in Mexico; the languages of the 63 indigenous cultures are all considered national languages. But I love the soft, susurrous sound of spoken Spanish; I wish I spoke it. The country is truly amazing in their efforts to preserve cultural identities, languages and practices, as well as their efforts in environmental and ecological consciousness. Eco-tourism thrives in this area.

Jas and Bri, loving sisters!

The turquoise waters of the Caribbean, palm trees swaying in the breeze, soft white sand between one’s toes, warm weather – what more could a person ask of a vacation? We spent time on the beach relaxing, we lounged in the pool, visited Cancun and Playa Del Carmen for dining and shopping.

La Habichuela restaurant (Cancun)

We spent one day in Xcaret, an ecological theme park. Lots of snorkeling, Mayan archaeological sites – there is so much to see and do here that one day is not enough to explore Xcaret. Another day was spent in Akumal (which means “place of the turtles” in Mayan). We had a delicious lunch at La Cueva Del Pescador, where the motto is “Hook it and Cook it”: the local fishermen who own this little place will take you out fishing and then prepare your catch for your meal. Friendly place!

We took a tour to visit Xel-Ha and Tulum. Xel-Ha is a wonderful open-sea “aquarium.” You can spend the entire day in this biological preserve (I spent part of mine in a hammock watching the waves of the Caribbean exploding on the rocks), exploring the jungle, snorkeling with brightly colored fish – it’s water, water, everywhere, with a deep commitment to preserving this beautiful natural wonder where Mayans once lived. At Tulum, we were so very fortunate to have Javier Savala as our guide. His passion for the Mayan culture and his extensive knowledge of the scientific, mathematical, political, architectural and cultural details were contagious. A brilliant man who I respect a great deal.


It was a wonderful, memorable week! If I could, I’d buy a little place in Akumal for my retirement and live there along the bay, among the warm and welcoming people and the sea turtles, writing and painting, taking morning walks on the beach – ahhh … I love Mexico.

Coming up: a tad more on Xcaret, Akumal, Xel-Ha and Tulum (short posts, I promise!)

My Tios' 60th Wedding Anniversary

Photo: Tia Goya, Tio Lolo, Mom (Mary Oropeza)

Note: I promise to post later this week about our Mexico vacation!

This past Saturday night we celebrated my tios’ (aunt and uncle) 60th wedding anniversary. My Tio Lolo (Richard) is my mom’s youngest brother; in a family of 9 (I believe it was 9?), he and my mom were the youngest and were always very close. He and my Tia Goya (Georgia) have 9 children so family visits to their house when we were kids were always a kid-filled, kid-fun blast.



Being Oropezas, visits bubbled over with lively laughter and loving teasing, filled with extended family and friends. Great food would be cooking on the grill and in the kitchen, and the get-on-your-feet music would spawn a bit of singing and dancing. Saying goodbye when we’d visit them would take at least an hour with the conversation continuing on and on as the family walked us out to the car and everyone kept on talking and laughing and wishing us a safe drive.

Saturday night was another wonderful Oropeza party and for an especially momentous occasion as we celebrated my tios’ 60th anniversary. I saw Oropeza cousins that I hadn’t seen in a long time, except perhaps at the funerals that we’ve had too many of this past year or so. Much better to gather for a happier occasion this time. A great celebration of love and commitment.

My Dad has always said that Tio Lolo is his hero. He’s always admired how hard my tio worked for his family, carrying two jobs despite a very serious war injury (he lost a leg to a land mine in Korea), playing sports with his kids, barbequing on Sundays. Dad’s always felt that Tio is a singular example of a good man.

My Tia provided child care (yes, even with 9 of her own) and all those kids and their families became extended family to them. I think everyone in Oxnard knows and loves the Oropezas!

Photo: Oropeza cousins

I feel so at home when I’m with my mother’s people. It was a wonderful party. Happy 60th, Tia and Tio!

Rose

PS. As I prepared to leave, I said my goodbyes to my tios and headed toward the door. Half an hour later, I was still there, talking to cousins, as my tio passed by and smiled as he said “Still here? I thought you were leaving an hour ago!” Some things don’t change.

Dad and Daughter

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself. ~John Gregory Brown

Pic above: Dad's high school graduation portrait. He and the other boys in his graduating class each borrowed the photographer's jacket and tie for their portraits.

I spent a wonderful Friday afternoon at my Dad's house, just talking and being together (along with his wife), catching up on things, sharing memories, being present to one another. I count myself enormously blessed to still have him with us. He was born in 1929 and will be 80 this year. Mom crossed over in 1990, and we all miss her so much; I can't even think of Dad's crossing over without tearing up. I pray he lives many more years; he's had a couple of strokes, which have affected his memory, and as he says, he "can't hear worth a darn." He's been recently diagnosed with depression, probably because of his wife's own health challenges. He mourned so deeply when Mom crossed over and I'm sure he doesn't want to go through it again.

Pic above: Dad about 20 yrs. old

He's always been my hero, my champion, the most hard-working man I've ever known. He always worked two jobs throughout my childhood, rising very early, coming home very late, stopping home for a quick dinner between jobs. I had ballet lessons and piano lessons, one brother had trumpet lessons and a beautiful Besson trumpet, another brother played sports, paid for by Dad's long hours to ensure his family had what we needed to excel in life.

Pic above: Dad's ship, the USS Ernest G. Small. My youngest brother is named for the ship.

Dad's a quiet man with a wicked sense of humor and a multitude of catchphrases that always make me smile. My cousin Patsy's told me that when thinks of him, she always remembers his sayings, like "she looks like 40 miles of bad road."

His mom was half Apache and people can see the Native American in him. I asked him yesterday what his father was; "Good for nothing", he said, and left it at that. His father was an abusive man who did some pretty horrible things to all in the family. I think Dad's quiet strength comes as a result of a very hard childhood.

Pic above: Dad's Navy portrait

He loved being in the Navy, he's told me, and loved to be out at sea, away from everyone. I'm so much like him in that way, very comfortable in my own company, not one for big crowds and commotion, very calm and peaceful. I once painted an oil painting for him of a flowing river, because that's what he reminds me of: a smoothly flowing river, constant and calming.

Pic above: Some of Dad's medals and a letter from the Korean government commemorating his service in the Korean War.

As the only daughter, Dad may have spoiled me just a bit. For every ballet performance, he always brought me pink roses. When Mom would get frustrated with trying to teach me to cook or crochet or sew, she'd send me outside with a terse "Go outside and help your father!" My love of gardening developed because of him; I could spend hours digging in the dirt with him. Sweetpeas are my favorite flower because of the abundance of vines he grew against the chainlink fence in the backyard.

My Dad's my hero, my champion; a man of strong integrity, polite manners, a good, noble heart, kindness and gentleness, strong faith. I'm proud of him, and I adore and love him with all my heart.

Back from Mexico!

We returned from Mexico very late Saturday (6/13). What a wonderful time! The people, the culture, the language, the sights - I'm in love with Mexico! Of course, being on vacation in a beautiful resort helps, too. I'm ready to go back!

I've tried to carve out time this week to post about the trip, but it's just been busy-busy since we came home. Reconciling the expenses, receipts, Visa charges and all the foreign transaction fees, converting from dollars to pesos and pesos to dollars - whew! Pics are uploaded from the camera; now I just have to edit, name and file them and then write a post or two about the trip. I'll be back!

Pic above: Just a shot of the Caribbean from a cozy little hammock in a deserted area of Xel-Ha. All by myself, just me and the sea. aaaaaahhhhh ...

Vacation!

I'm just posting a quick note because I'm leaving tomorrow on vacation! I'm taking my daughter's family (daughter, son-in-law, two granddaughters) to Cancun. I'd taken my daughter there for her high school graduation and we absolutely loved it. Last year, I saved and saved and saved and saved my money and then around Christmas, I told my daughter and family that I wanted to take them to Cancun on vacation!

We found good airfare and we got a great deal on our hotel. My daughter and son-in-law had timeshare points that they had to redeem so we used them toward our hotel and as a result we're staying at a beautiful resort, in a 2bd suite with a kitchenette, living room, dining area, and a balcony with a cooling pool right on the deck. Sweet! It really saved us a lot of money and the pics of the resort look awesome.

We're planning on taking a couple of excursions: Tulum (Mayan ruins) and Xcaret (an eco park), places my daughter and I visited last time. Xcaret has these amazing underground rivers that you float through and can use snorkeling equipment to view the fish below.

Anyone who knows me and my love of dance won't be surprised to learn that one of my favorite parts of our trip last time was watching the dancing. Oh my! It seems like there was dancing everywhere we went. Beautiful, colorful costumes, passionate dancers, brilliant performances. One of my favorite traditional dances is what I called the Old Man Dance, with the dancers hobbling around with canes and imitating old men who were still trying to dance on their unsteady feet.

I think my favorite part of this trip, though, is just knowing the excitement and enjoyment I'll be seeing and sharing with my family. It just adds so much to the excitement I already feel. I can imagine my granddaughters snorkeling underground, watching the flashing feet of the dancers, seeing the ancient ruins ...

I'd best get back to packing! This is the first time I've used a passport; I obviously don't get to travel much. It just costs so much, but I really pinched my pennies the past year or so just so we could do this. I'm so very excited!

See you in a week!