A Canuck in Cancun

Cancun New Year's Eve

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:46:00 +0000

Why is that gringa taking pictures of underwear?

New Year's Eve, always a day filled with high expectations of big celebrations and the promise of a fresh start in a new year. Everyone and every place has their own traditions and the rituals in Mexico offer up some unique fun!

The Foundations. Choosing underwear colour is of prime importance. Since the beginning of December the stores have been filled with displays of red and yellow "chones" (though why the bras are all "B" cup I will never understand). Looking for passionate love? Red is for you. Looking for prosperity and success in money? Yellow panties will help fill your wallet.

Clean start. Begin the new year preparing your space for new things, clean your house from the inside out, sweeping the old out the front door. Burn incense close to midnight as a cleansing ritual. At the toll of midnight, open the door and symbolically sweep out the old and throw a bucket of water out the window. Throw twelve coins and sweep them inside to bring money in the coming year. (note, the cleaning part is my least favourite aspect of the Mexican new year traditions but I do like the pretty incense!)

Get outta town. If you are looking to travel in the new year, take your suitcases out for a walk around the house or around the block. The further you walk, the longer your trip will be. For couch potatoes (or those who have had too much champagne to be trusted in the streets), simply place your suitcases in the middle of the room and walk around them a few times.

Demons be gone! Fireworks (and gunfire) are said to frighten off evil spirits and demons. Midnight brings the CRACK BANG and lit up skies of "cohetes" and "bombas" followed by the smell of the acrid smoke. I'm feeling pretty confident that my neighbourhood will have a Demon-Free 2012, the fireworks have been going off nightly since the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12th.

A mouthful of wishes. With a glass of champagne in your right hand, stand on your left foot and at each chime of the clock at midnight, eat a grape and make a wish. When you are finished choking down the 12 grapes (I highly recommend seedless), drink the champagne and put your foot down, starting the year off "on the right foot". (I have never managed to complete this feat without laughing so hard I spit half-chewed grapes all over my friends. I think this year I'll stick to the more Canadian tradition of kissing the man I love.)

These are just a few of the quirky traditions you'll find in Mexico to celebrate the new year. However you celebrate, I wish you all the best for 2012, may it be a year full of love, light, happiness and adventure!

Disclosure: I am being compensated for my work in creating and managing content as a Contributor for the México Today Program. All stories, opinions and passion for all things México shared here are completely my own.

Cancun Christmas Posadas

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:28:00 +0000

The "pastorela" of good and evil

It's "posada" time once again in Cancun! In towns with a bit more history, this would mean embracing the traditional events of the season, children going door to door with "La Rama" singing for coins, neighbourhoods filled with processions of candle-bearing folks singing the "Pidiendo Posada" song and sharing ponche and hot chocolate, recreating Joseph and Mary's search for shelter. This is my ninth Christmas spent in Mexico and I must be honest....I've never experienced the "traditional" posada! It may exist, probably does, but "posada" seems to have a different meaning in modern Cancun. In my experience, there are three kinds of Cancun posadas.

1. The House Party Posada

Any excuse is a good excuse for a fiesta, and Christmas is as good as any. House parties flourish at this time of year, friends and family gathering together to eat, drink and be merry. I've only been to one house party posada where the "Pidiendo Posada" song was sang and it was done after several bottles of tequila had been polished off. People wear their best chanklas and sparkly blouses and of course there is FOOD. Carne asada, tamales, or pizza and definitely a cake or flan. Everyone will bring a little something to share, lots of beer and certainly good holiday vibes.

Max's First Grade Christmas Salsa Dance Squad

2. The School Posada

Every year schools around the city hold their annual Christmas posada. Now, I didn't have any experience with kids back in Canada, but if memory serves from my own childhood, these are pretty much like normal Christmas concerts "north of border", but with a little Mexican flavour. The kids dress up for their parts, angels and devils, shepherds or snowmen, singing Christmas carols and putting on the "pastorela". The "pastorelas" put a humourous spin on the story of Joseph and Mary seeking shelter, full of "albur" (double sense) and "bombas" (traditional jokes from the Yucatan which are pretty "punny"), even when done by tiny kindergarten students. Piñatas are broken, some child always ends up crying on stage and the sugar-loaded munchkins meet Santa and get small gifts. This year Max's school put on quite a production, the school band played "Color Esperanza", there was a multilingual Christmas rap, break dancing, a "Cirque de Soleil" number with hula hoops and a presentation in English on "Christmas in Canada" (thanks Miss Sharon!) Max's first grade class did a fabulous salsa dance routine, not exactly what I think of for Christmas but it had all of us in the audience clapping and screaming as these six and seven year olds brought the "Azucar!" to the festivities.

3. The Corporate Posada

The corporate posada is akin to the company Christmas party thrown by every company around the world. Held in hotel ballrooms or restaurants, banquet food for hundreds, watered down drinks and a DJ that tries to please everyone and usually ends up pleasing no one. We eat, we dance like fools and try not to get drunk in front of the boss. Everyone sits patiently through the speeches, applauds politely, anticipating THE event of the night. Nope, it's not a piñata at the grown up parties, it´s the raffle! Every good corporate posada has giveaways and lots of them. In past years I've won a television, coffee maker, camera, dishes, I almost always walk away with something from the fiestas. This year I've got my eyes on an iPad (come on corporate Santa, bring it to me!) While it seems like an obligation to go (and it is!), the payoff is in the prizes and the after party that inevitably happens with your closest co-workers, with many beers being drunk and a karaoke contest breaking out and everyone getting home as the sun comes up.

Looking back over the archives of my Cancun Christmas past, I recall one of my favourite company posadas which took place on a pirate cruise to Isla Mujeres (only in Cancun, right?) Handsome pirates, pretty wenches, buffet dinner and open bar, can't be beat! And then, this.....the traditional Christmas spanking by 50 women?

What makes you think most of las posadas? This post is part of a blog hop about posadas. I encourage you to check out some of the other related posts about how others celebrate the holidays in Mexico. If you’ve written about posadas, please feel free to add a link to your post!

A Yucatan Wedding Road Trip

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:23:00 +0000

"You must come to a wedding with me in Valladolid".

"Is that an invitation?"

"No, it's a command, you ARE coming with me".

And so went the conversation a few months back with one of my dearest friends. Her husband is from a small village in the Yucatan and his sister was getting married and apparently it was imperative that I attend. Fun! Road trip with a bestie, explore the village of Chichimilá, a weekend in Valladolid and my first Mexican/Mayan wedding? Of course I was in!

City Hall Chichimilá

I had been to the colonial town of Valladolid once before for a quick visit, but I had not been to the nearby village of Chichimilá. I was tickled to discover that the name Chichimilá means "ver pezón duro", yes, "look at the hard nipple". (Really, you can't make this stuff up my friends).

The wise women of Chichimilá

We set off on the free road a few hours later than expected, driving into the setting sun. It's a couple of hours to Valladolid from Cancun, driving through the jungle and passing villages that flash by in two seconds flat. We stopped for some dinner on the way and had the worst tamales ever made, I have never had a tamal break a fork before and I'm pretty sure there was a feather in mine. We arrived in Valladolid after dark and made our way to the hotel. My travel buddies left me to go to the village to see their family and I explored the zocalo and soaked in the laid back vibe. The square was lit up with pretty pink lights and the imposing cathedral was the backdrop for a beautiful night.

Pretty spot in the Valladolid zocalo

Cathedral, every Colonial town's gotta have one

The next day was wedding day, up and at'em early, dressed up pretty and ready for romance. In true Mexican style, everything ran late but ni modo, we were going with the flow. The village of Chichimilá is about 5 kms from Valladolid and we made it there in record time with the brother of the bride behind the wheel. I really had no idea what to expect from the wedding, but it turned out to be not much different than any other wedding I had been to. It was a typical Catholic church wedding, sweet little flower girls, the priest repeating the words that have been said a million times. Village people wandered in and out of the service, some guests were dressed to the nines, others were in jeans and chanklas, most of the women wearing the traditional huipiles. Babies cried and old ladies fanned themselves in the heat and my non-religious self was glad to not get struck by lightning for being in a church. The bride was beautiful, the groom was nervous and then they were tied together for life. Literally, ropes were put round both their necks to join them (the somewhat cynical side of me snickered at the image of marriage being like a noose).

Blessed by a ray of sun

Kicking up our heels at the reception

The rest of the day was spent celebrating at the reception. The bride's mother made delicious food, a LOT of beer was drunk and we danced to cumbia music all night long. The groomsmen carried the groom away and came back with all his clothes and the bride had to go and dress him again. The bride threw the bouquet and I deftly ducked out of the way to avoid it. There was a delicious lack of speeches and pomp, a few quick words (and I mean QUICK) from the bride's brother and bam, back to the party. Late that night we had a few after party tacos in Valladolid then some serious z's after a long day.

Jailed Waiter Serves Bad Food

The next day we went on the hunt for breakfast, not an easy task when the town is packed for a parade celebrating the revolution. We had bad luck once again with food, slow service and nasty food from a hole in the wall across from the zocalo. Bestie's husband was staying in the village and we were taking the express bus back to Cancun, at least that was the plan. Of course, being on Mexican time (and the running theme of the weekend was "late"), the bus was missed and we found ourselves on the second class chicken bus all the way home. All just part of the ride. It was an exhausting weekend, lots of laughs, good food, horrid food and a taste of the laid back Yucatan life.

The Big Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:06:00 +0000

Why is Canuck so smiley?

Soo, I think it's time we played a little catch up. I've been pretty "blog blocked" lately, banging my head on the keyboard and virtually crumpling non-existent balls of paper and throwing them in the trash when I couldn't get the words to come out right. I had lost my voice. Have lost. Had lost. I guess we'll see if it comes back to me as I write this.

This last year has been so full of issues and dramas and changes, it's been tough to write about the daily goings on or adventures and NOT mention personal stuff. It's all so tied together, my trip out of town alone without Max because it's Daddy's custody weekend. My visit to Valladolid where I had fun but missed someone very much. My phenomenal escape to Tulum with someone amazing. There were a variety of reasons I wasn't sharing the personal, some valid, some I'll have to talk about with my shrink, but I guess I am ready to come out of the dark, find my voice and get on with my adventures.

Since separating from Max's Dad, life has moved forward. Not many changes really, at least nothing major like a household move. (Most of the changes are inside of me, good things, healthy things). Max changed schools and that was an adjustment at first, but he seems to be settling in. Max's Dad has moved in with someone else and her kids, but that really is a story that won't be shared here, his story, not mine (well, not really). Max is growing and maturing and making me laugh, he has developed a sense of "cool" that I didn't think I would see until his teen years. It's pretty much impossible to buy him clothes or get him dressed in the morning, he insists that he must look "pop" (read: Justin Bieber oh dear god save me).

So now, here we go, deep breath. Ooooh, finally, Canuck is going to spill the beans! Some of you have sent messages saying you are "reading between the lines" and guessing about what is going on in my life or asking "What the heck is up?". Well, here it is.....I'm involved with someone who makes me extremely happy. A romantic somebody. I'm walking on air, cartoon hearts are coming out of my eyes and I'm pretty sure if I hold still tiny songbirds will alight on my shoulders. Gross, right? Uh, yup, I'm THAT girl right now. In love. Enamorada. All kissy faces and dreamy sighs. At the moment it's a long distance love affair, burning up the Skype wires and Whatsapping all day, but we're hoping that is going to change soon. I have visited him, he has visited me and he is coming back again in a couple of weeks to celebrate the new year with me. And it all feels good. Oh so good. I'm singing "The Carpenters" for breakfast and the "Sound of Music" for lunch. And the nights were made for Barry White. Ahem.

Phew. Ok, that's out in the open. Feels good. I feel good. James Brown good. I knew that I would.

Best Riviera Maya Video Ever

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:57:00 +0000

Every morning I start the day checking the bazillion social network accounts I work with on Facebook, Twitter, and G+ in addition to my emails and Google Alerts. This morning I came across a video on one of my Riviera Maya pages that simply blew my mind. Not only is the video technically beautiful in gorgeous HD, but in a very eerie way it is an encapsulation of my life here in the Mexican Caribbean (and it was made by fellow Canadians). Every step the hosts took were on paths I have gone down before and plan to visit again. I have a friend coming down next week and the itinerary I have set out is pretty much exactly what is in this video, Tulum, Coba, eating in Playa, snorkeling, cenotes, it is spooky, this video seems to have covered my upcoming vacation in an extremely precise way, like they were reading my mind.

I feel as though I never have to write another email response to "What should we do in the Riviera Maya?", I can simply forward this video and say "Study this". If anyone asks me about safety in Mexico, I can simply share this link. Where to eat in Playa del Carmen? Watch the video. What is a cenote? Watch the video. What ruins should I see? Watch the video. What do you do living in Cancun? Watch the video.

The video is long, 45 minutes, but trust me when I say it is worth every single viewing second. If you want to know why I live here and what I do and what I love....watch the video.

Big thanks to Tripulu for creating such a beautiful masterpiece. Next time you guys come down here, look me up, I'd love to work with you! And hey, I feel like Steph is my soul sister, please send her my saludos.

Marca País – Imagen de México, is a joint public and private sector initiative designed to help promote Mexico as a global business partner and an unrivaled tourist destination. This program is designed to shine a light on the Mexico that its people experience every day.

Disclosure: I am being compensated for my work in creating and managing content as a Contributor for the México Today Program.All stories, opinions and passion for all things México shared here are completely my own

Day of the Dead- Festival of Life and Death at Xcaret

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 02:04:00 +0000

"To the people of New York, Paris, or London, "death" is a word that is never pronounced because it burns the lips. The Mexican, however, frequents it, jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it; it is one of his favorite toys and most steadfast love. Of course, in his attitude perhaps there is as much fear as there is in one of the others; at least he does not hide it; he confronts it face to face with patience, disdain, or irony." -Octavio Paz, Mexican poet 1914-1998

"Dia de los Muertos" or "Day of the Dead", is a colourful celebration in many Latin American countries welcoming the souls of the dearly departed every year between October 31st and November 2nd. It's a blend of pre-Hispanic and Catholic traditions, incorporating indigenous culture and Christian beliefs in the afterlife. In Mexico it is a time for families to come together, share memories, laughs and good food and drink. Altars are built with offerings for the dead, with "Zempaxóchitl" flowers, candles, photos, tequila and other favourite items of the deceased. "Pan de muerto" ("bread of the dead") is shared with friends and hot chocolate is everywhere. Each region brings their own special flavours to the party, here in the Yucatan Peninsula the "mucbipollo" is prepared (like a large, delicious, scrumptious tamal) and the event is called "Hanal Pixan" in Maya.

While many of the ancient cities of Mexico lay claim to having the best "Day of the Dead" celebrations, here in Quintana Roo THE place to be is Xcaret Park for their annual "Festival de Vida y Muerte" or "Festival of Life and Death". Every year from October 31st to November 2nd, the park is transformed, candles and torches light up the paths, aromatic "copal" smoke permeates the breeze, stunning altars grace the grounds and music and dance performances create beautiful spectacle. Make-up booths are spread around the park, allowing guests to paint their faces like the traditional "calaveras" (painted skulls). A children's pavilion invites kids to participate in workshops, creating jewelry or playing traditional games. Food stands serve tamales, mucbipollo, tortas de cochinita, hot chocolate and churros (the festival is worth the trip for the food alone!).

Max and I attended the festival for the first time last year and had a grand time, we were excited to return to Xcaret this year. After seeing some gorgeous "calavera" faces during our first experience, I studied and practiced our make-up and I think we looked smashing (if I do say so myself). I got a lot of double-takes on the hour long drive and the cops at the check point had a good laugh at the painted skull driving down the highway. The event this year was completely sold out, sadly the park had to cancel two days of the event with Tropical Storm Rina playing a little havoc with our weather, so the place was packed when we arrived. Being "experienced" festival goers, we bought our souvenirs first and headed right to the kids' area to grab tickets for the popular workshops. Max made himself a lovely bracelet while I wandered taking photos and running into friends. We gorged ourselves on tamales and tortas, Max asked a GAZILLION questions and we wandered through the park checking out the altars and dancers and listening to music. A very pleasant evening, full of colour and laughs and learning (shhh, don't tell Max it was educational!!!) We'll be back next year (and again and again and again), it's certainly one of the finest events in the region and even worth a special trip during this important time of year. Xcaret is a class act and puts on a wonderful show, "Festival de Vida y Muerte" is an exceptional experience for the whole family.

For more photos, please check out this "Festival of Life and Death"set on the "Canuck in Cancun" Facebook page!

Disclosure: I am being compensated for my work in creating and managing content as a Contribtor for the México Today Program.All stories, opinions and passion for all things México shared here are completely my own

The Versatile Blogger Award- Aw, Shucks!

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:32:00 +0000

Cozumel photographers and bloggers Michael S. Lewis and Jennifer Homsher Lewis of Latin Journeys were kind enough to nominate me for a "Versatile Blogger Award". They are contributing photographers to National Geographic, be sure to visit their blog and check out their gorgeous images! Thanks so much guys, I'll need to take a trip over to my old hometown and buy you a drink or two in exchange.

Now, to keep playing along, I need to do two things, a) write seven things that you may not know about me and b) nominate other blogs for the award. Let's start with the secrets (that are not really secrets since I am about to announce them to you all).

1. I hate onions. Despise them. Abhor them. One of the first things I learned to say in Spanish was "sin cebolla por favor" ("hold the onions PLEASE"). Except...I like onion rings. Go figure.

2. I am Canadian but was born on the border with the US (my parents live in Windsor but my Daddy works in Detroit). It wasn't until I moved to Toronto for university that I discovered (by being mocked relentlessly) my American accent. I apparently kicked that accent in exchange for a very Canadian one if recent video proves correct. "Tooooo-nah". Of course, now I am told I speak "Bien Yuca" when speaking Spanish, so who knows what my accent really is.

3. I once worked for IBM when I was young. No, not that IBM, the "International Brotherhood of Magicians" IBM. I rode in the back of a Ryder truck for endless hours on a road trip with illusion equipment and several rabbits and doves, to be cut in half and made to disappear while wearing a costume made for a girl much, much smaller than I. Good times.

4. When I was in first grade I gave a speech for show and tell on how to make beer. My parents received several concerned phone calls. But it was their fault really, they took me on the brewery tour at Frankenmuth!

5. I have a fascination with ghosts. Since I was a kid, I have been interested in the supernatural. When my family visited England when I was nine, I bought all the books I could find on hauntings in Britain and my parents were kind enough to indulge me in visiting many of the sites. Much to my disappointment, I saw nary a single floating head nor white mist, never mind a howling, bloody ghoul.

6. I have a "thing" about long hair. It freaks me out. I don't like to touch it or really even be near it, though I swallow hard and suck it up, keeping my mouth shut when friends toss their locks about. I just can't help thinking about a fact I learned in science class that the only living part of hair is the follicle. So, those curls you are proud of are just dead things hanging out of your head. Shudder.

7. I am adopted. When my parents told me (I was four, had been to church and learned the ten commandments. I came home and asked what "adultery" was and got the basic sex talk and the "you didn't come from mommy's tummy" news). My parents ALWAYS told me how special I was, how they picked me out to come live with them. For a long time I thought they got me at the Humane Society and picked me out of a cage like our dog.

And there you have it, seven random facts about Cancun Canuck. Now, on to the nominations...drum roll please....

The Mexile

Countdown to Mexico

Mexpatriate: In the Key of Steve

Motherhood in Mexico

Erica's Living in Mexico

Gringo in Paradise

Blah blah blah Ginger

Gringation's Blog

Ashlie's Cancun Blog

Adios Tropical Storm Rina

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:34:00 +0000

Tropical Storm Rina making her entrance on Oct. 27
(thanks to webcamsdemexico for the photo)

She came, she blew, she left. Hurricane Rina/Tropical Storm Rina played more havoc with our minds than our environment this week, teasing us with the possibility of a major hurricane before disintegrating into a simple storm. Yes, the winds blew hard last night, we lost power and we had a terrific lightning and thunder storm, but overall she was just a pussy cat compared to other storms that have passed through Cancun.

Waking up this morning to very little damage and clearing skies, I took a jaunt around town and out to the hotel zone to see what damage she may have wrought. My discovery? NOTHING. A few branches down, trees at an angle but nothing serious at all. The hotel zone was getting back to normal, businesses taking down the boards from the windows and opening for business. Tourists on the beach enjoying the sunshine and surprisingly calm seas. Today I am proud to be Cancunense, the authorities took no risks, they were fantastic about advising everyone of the latest news, warning people to stay safe and protect their homes and families and ensuring the safety of everyone. Citizens did not panic, took care and took cover and started the clean up of blown leaves immediately this morning. The city is back to business as usual and except for piles of leaves and branches waiting to be picked up, it looks as though nothing ever happened.

Since there is little left to say, I will let the pictures do the talking, here's a look at Cancun this morning...

"El Mirador" at Playa Delfines Cancun

Playa Delfines Cancun

Tourists enjoying the sun on Playa Delfines Cancun

Back to suntanning at the Riu Cancun

Playa Caracol Cancun

The Riu Cancun

The Party Center Cancun (ready to party tonight)

It was a fun ride, though lots of work covering a hurricane, I am exhausted! Happy to see Rina gone and to see Cancun back to normal. Come on down, the water is fine, wish you were here!

"La Llorona": A Mexican Legend of Terror

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:56:00 +0000

"La Llorona"
(image courtesy http://tenoch.scimexico.com)

"Mis hijooooos, mis hijoooooos!" the ghostly voice travels through the night sky under the full moon, bringing terror into the hearts of children across Mexico. The cry of "my children, my children" is the lament of "La Llorona" or "The Crying Woman", an ancient tale famous in Mexico and Latin America, told for centuries in a myriad of variations. As we approach the end of October and the "Day of the Dead" and Halloween, it seems an appropriately scary story to share.

Habia una vez...ahem...Once upon a time, there was a very beautiful woman named Maria living in a small town in Mexico. She was beautiful, but she was also arrogant, and was determined not to marry a man from the pueblo, but a man of stature, good looks and wealth. One day a handsome wanderer arrived in the town and Maria set her mind to making him her husband. She used her feminine wiles, knowing that in ignoring the man she would make him hers. The man fell for Maria and asked her to be his, they married and she bore him two children. The man eventually returned to his wandering ways, rejecting Maria and leaving town. Maria became distraught and blaming the children for the loss of her husband, she tossed them into the river to their death. Upon seeing what she had done and realizing her mistake, Maria threw herself in the river after them. After that day, the villagers would hear her cries on the nights of the full moon, "my childreeeeen, my childreeeeeen" as the ghost of Maria searched for the souls of her lost niños.

This is only one variation of many and the origin of the story goes back centuries. One theory is that the tale is based on the history of La Malinche and Cortes, the Spanish conqueror. La Malinche was born to a noble Aztec family in 1505, but was sold into slavery to the Mayans. Cortes, who came from Spain to conquer Mexico, used La Malinche as an interpreter for her abilities to speak Nahautl and Mayan, and she became his lover, bearing him twin boys. Cortes later decides to return to Spain, announcing his decision to leave La Malinche and take his children with him. La Malinche realizes that she has betrayed her people in helping Cortes in his massacres and calls upon her gods for help. One of these gods tells her that if she allows Cortes to leave with her children, one of them will return and destroy her people. She brings her children to a lake near Mexico City, stabs them with a dagger and throws them in the water, crying out "Mis hijos, mis hijos!" After the death of La Malinche, her ghost is seen on the shores of the lake and her cries are heard for her missing children, giving her the name "La Llorona", "The Crying Woman". (There is no evidence that this tale is true or that La Malinche killed her children, though her role in the conquest is truth).

The story has been told to children for centuries, as a warning for them to behave or "La Llorona will come to take you". Movies have been made of the story, plays are performed every year for the "Day of the Dead" and there is a famous song by Chavela Vargas, "La Llorona", about a heart-broken person begging the Crying Woman to take them to the river. This month a new animated movie, "La Leyenda de La Llorona" was released in Mexico, an adventure story set in Xochimilco following the adventures of children seeking the Crying Woman. I was delighted to take my son to the theater and see it full of families, a thrill to see support for a Mexican-made movie (and a testament to the popularity of the story). This is a vital piece of Mexican culture, I love the legends and love sharing them with my MexiCanadian. If you get a chance, please go see this movie and support the Mexican film industry! And this Halloween or Day of the Dead, share the tale with your children (use your spookiest voice please!)

Hurricane Rina Cancun

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:45:00 +0000

Hurricane Rina becomes Tropical Storm Rina

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Hurricane Rina Cancun Update- Wednesday Oct. 26th 10 pm

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Hurricane Rina Cancun Update- Wednesday Oct. 26th, 3 pm

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Hurricane Rina Cancun Update- Wednesday Oct. 26th, 9 am

Hurricane Rina continues her path towards the Yucatan Peninsula this morning, currently a Category 2 though she is expected convert to a dangerous Category 3 before striking the coast of the Riviera Maya and Cancun on Thursday. A hurricane warning is in effect for the entire coast of Quintana Roo and the state government has issued an "orange alert" for municipalities in the south (full story Hurricane Rina update)

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Hurricane Rina Cancun Update- Tuesday Oct. 25th, 7 pm

Hurricane Rina continues to strengthen in the Atlantic basin, now a strong category 2 hurricane with expectations of developing into a category 3 Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. At 5 pm CST, Hurricane Rina was located approximately 430 km south of Chetumal (southernmost city in Quintana Roo, the state where Cancun and the Riviera Maya are located). Rina is moving west north-west slowly at 3 mph, heading towards Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula with winds around 110 mph. Current models have Rina moving towards the coast of the Riviera Maya for a possible strike on Thursday. (full story Hurricane Rina update)

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Hurricane Rina Cancun Tuesday Oct. 25th, 7 am

Hurricane Rina formed as a tropical depression in the Atlantic basin Sunday evening and quickly converted into a category one hurricane on Monday. She became a hurricane after only 21 hours of becoming a tropical depression, the second fastest intensification in history after Hurricane Humberto of 2007. Waking up today, Tuesday, she has gathered strength and is now a category 2.

Current models have Hurricane Rina on track to impact the Yucatan Peninsula and the coast of the Riviera Maya and Cancun on Thursday, possibly as a strong category 3 hurricane. Listening to a radio report this morning, the meteorologist predicted that the movements of Rina will bring her up the entire coastline of the Riviera Maya, all residents of Quintana Roo must take precautions. The government has issued a hurricane "watch" and residents are being asked to make the necessary preparations. Heavy rains and winds are expected but it is the waves and storm surge that causes the most worry in a case like this.

For residents, the precautions include securing outside areas like gardens to ensure there are no objects that may become projectiles, filling tinacos and cisterns (water tanks) to ensure a water supply and so that they do not fly around the neighbourhood. Gas tanks and satellite dishes must be secured. Clear any debris. Indoors be sure to gather vital paper documents in a plastic bag, protect electronic equipment and move delicate items away from windows. Some suggest taping windows to prevent the glass from flying if they should break, others will board up the windows with wood if possible. Be prepared for an electricity outage with flashlights and batteries and a radio, charge cel phones and laptops and have a cooler with ice for food (and drinks). Withdraw enough cash for a few days in case the ATMs go down and fill the car with gas. Ensure your pets are safe, have a place to "do their business" indoors and have adequate food. Contact family outside of the city to inform them of the situation. Foreigners should contact their consulates and update their location. Expect electricity to be turned off in advance of the storm and the "ley seca" (dry law) to be implemented. Monitor the storm on your favourite hurricane site, I am a big fan of Dr. Jeff Masters on Wunderground and of course the National Hurricane Center.

Tourists in the region should discuss with their hotel staff the emergency procedures and ask about the location of the shelters. This information should be passed to family back home and the consulate of your country. Pack your things, secure documents and buy a few essentials like alcohol hand gel, extra toilet paper and non-perishable foods. Hotels will absolutely take good care of you and will have a plan in place to ensure your safety and relative comfort should an evacuation be ordered. (As of this moment there is no order for evacuations). Bring something to entertain yourself during the storm, a deck of cards, books, something for the kids to colour. There is unofficial word that the airport may be closed on Thursday morning, please contact your travel agents to discuss any changes and your travel insurance coverage.

As a resident of Cancun we must always be aware of the weather situation and we monitor storms like this closely. As a survivor of Hurricane Wilma, there is no sense of fear or anxiety, I know we can survive anything, but I must take the necessary precautions. There is NO NEED TO PANIC, we will get wet, we will get wind, but if you use common sense, your physical safety is not in jeopardy. Stay informed, secure your home and your family and do not do anything stupid like go outside during the hurricane or drink yourself into oblivion. Yes, most of us who live here will be passing the time with family and friends, perhaps having a few drinks and playing dominos, but we must be aware that we may need to deal with a crisis at any moment.

I will be posting updates on my Cancun Canuck Facebook page and on Twitter, if we lose power I'll do my best to update from my phone as long as there is service. Please do not ask me what the effects will be on your trip for next week or next month, I couldn't even guess what may happen, though if you have a trip scheduled this week, I would recommend rethinking your plans.

Tuesday October 25th, 7:05 am CST (please note the date and time of this post as information may change)

Hurricane Rina becomes Tropical Storm Rina

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:44:00 +0000

Hurricane Rina has now been downgraded to Tropical Storm Rina, great news for the Yucatan Peninsula. The storm is located about 145 km south of Cozumel island and is moving at a pace of 9 km/h to the north-northwest with winds about 110 km/h, with gusts up to 139 km/h. The alert from the government of the state is still at "orange" level for most of the state, indicating the danger of tropical storm force winds today.

While the disintegration from hurricane to tropical storm is a very good thing, this does not mean that the population should let their guard down. A tropical storm will still bring heavy rains and strong winds and those along the coast must be extremely aware of the danger of a storm surge. We expect heavy flooding in the region today and tomorrow as Tropical Storm Rina passes through.

This morning in Cancun's hotel zone
(thanks again to Diane for the photo!)

Currently in Cancun it is cloudy with some minor rain and very little wind (downtown at least, have not been out to the hotel zone). The feeling here among many is "What a let down!", not to indicate that anyone wished for damages or anything serious, but after so much build up, it's like beating away at a piñata only to have it break and have no candy fall out.

I did an interview with Tom Walters of CTV National News in Canada that aired last night, you can see the video above. Gosh I sound so Canadian, eh? "Tooona". I will never live that down.
I will post any updates as things change and we start to feel the storm's effects. Hoping that we won't lose electricity or internet connections. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus.

Hurricane Rina Cancun Update: Wed. Oct. 26 10 pm

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:59:00 +0000

Hurricane Rina has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane, with sustained winds of 85 mph, moving towards the Yucatan Peninsula at a speed of 6 mph. Reports indicate that she will likely continue to lose strength and the probability is that she will make landfall as a Tropical Storm. Cozumel will feel the first effects and the coast of the Riviera Maya and Cancun will begin to experience tropical storm conditions Thursday morning, intensifying throughout the day as she passes. Despite her weakening and apparent disintegration, Hurricane Rina still threatens to bring heavy rainfall to the region and a dangerous storm surge of up to 2 to 4 feet.

The entire state of Quintana Roo is now on "orange alert" and authorities are urging people to remain vigilant in spite of Rina's weakened state. Shelters are open and 4200 people in vulnerable areas have been evacuated. The entire island of Isla Holbox (population 2600) has been evacuated and 600 tourists from Isla Mujeres have been relocated to the mainland of Cancun. The secretary of tourism, Juan Carlos Gonzalez Hernandez has indicated that there are approximately 23000 tourists in Cancun and 46000 in the Riviera Maya and that every effort is being made to ensure their safety. Many tourists were able to leave today in anticipation of the coming storm. The airport remains open, though 18 flights have been cancelled.

Cancun tonight (thanks to Diane for the photo!)

Currently in Cancun we have a bit of an "eerie" calm. No rain, no wind, not even a breeze. Quite a pleasant evening actually. The people of Cancun are prepared, settled in and are waiting to see what Rina will bring. The mood is one of "come on, let's do this!" as with days of build up we are all ready to have Miss Rina show herself and move on. I am confident that we are going to be just fine, everyone will be safe and we'll just be a little wet. We still take this storm seriously and are monitoring her movements, but the threat of serious damage and danger seems to have passed. Flooding and storm surge are our main worries. And, boredom as we wait her out.

I will be posting updates on my Cancun Canuck Facebook page and on Twitter, if we lose power I'll do my best to update from my phone as long as there is service. If I have power and internet tomorrow, I will be doing a live report via Google +, you can find the broadcast on the KOMU live streamcast at 4 pm CST Thursday afternoon. My Canadian friends can see me tonight on CTV national news at 11, I did an interview on the beach this morning with Tom Walters. Stay tuned my friends and to all my amigos in the region, stay vigilant, stay dry and keep me posted as to conditions where you are!

Hurricane Rina Update- Wed. Oct. 26th 3 pm

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:59:00 +0000

Hurricane Rina has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane this afternoon, though she is still on track to hit the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday at hurricane strength. Not much news this afternoon, Cancun remains on "yellow alert" while the southern part of the state continue on "orange alert". Though Rina may have lost some of her strength, authorities are urging people to remain vigilant and to rush to finish preparations before the winds arrive. The region should start to feel tropical storm force winds today before the full hurricane force winds of Rina arrive on Thursday. Hurricane Rina is expected to make landfall in Cozumel before moving north to Cancun.

The weather today in Cancun started out as hot and partly cloudy. I took a trip out to the hotel zone to photograph preparations and found myself very, very sweaty as I tromped up and down the beach in my "Happy Hurricane" boots and wearing my work uniform. The clouds began to roll in towards noon and as I left the hotel zone the rains came down. It has currently cleared a bit, not raining but definitely cloudy. Here are some photos of the hotel zone of Cancun this morning, anticipating the arrival of Hurricane Rina.

My "Happy Hurricane" boots in a big muddy puddle

Preparing "The Columbus" galleon for Hurricane Rina

A little futbol before the storm while workers prepare
"Chilis" and "The Hard Rock Cafe" in the background

Haagen Dazs is ready, Carlos n Charlies was working on it

Beautiful surf waiting for Hurricane Rina

Surfer may be a little lost in the party center instead of the sea

A smile from a friendly worker removing lights from behind the Hard Rock Cafe Cancun

I am just about ready to leave the office, we are shutting down and will not return to work until Monday. I will continue to update from home on Twitter, Facebook and Google + (after a nap, I'm beat after all that walking in the sun!) My friends in Canada can see me tonight on the CTV national news at 11, I had a nice chat with Tom Walters while I was out this morning.

Hurricane Rina Cancun Update- Wed. Oct. 26th 9 am

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:59:00 +0000

Hurricane Rina continues her path towards the Yucatan Peninsula this morning, currently a Category 2 though she is expected to convert to a dangerous Category 3 before striking the coast of the Riviera Maya and Cancun on Thursday. A hurricane warning is in effect for the entire coast of Quintana Roo and the state government has issued an "orange alert" for municipalities in the south (elevated danger levels, tropical storm force winds expected within 12 hours) and the central and northern parts of the state are currently on "yellow alert", though an order for "orange alert" for the entire state is expected within a few hours. It appears that Hurricane Rina will make landfall on Thursday on Cozumel before moving north to Cancun.

Towns in the southern end of the state are being evacuated to designated shelters. Tourists in Tulum are being moved to safety from the small hotels on the beach. The island of Holbox and the areas around Chiquila are being evacuated. Cozumel has halted all small water craft activity and boats are being removed from the water. More than 65 brigades of 700 personnel are prepared to assist in any emergency in the state. Shelters are open and ready to receive refugees. Schools are closed until further notice and the "dry law" that prohibits the sale of alcohol goes into effect at 6 pm this evening (with the exception of the hotel zone of Cancun). The airport remains open though some flights have been cancelled, tourists are advised to contact their airlines or travel agents for information. No orders of evacuations have been made in Cancun though shelters are open and ready.

Boat being secured in Cozumel
photo courtesy sipse.com

Tourists currently in Cancun and the Riviera Maya should continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Rina and follow the directions of hotel staff. It is recommended to contact your consulate to notify them of your location and let family and friends back home know the situation. Keep travel documents on your person in a plastic bag and have a small bag packed in case of an evacuation (you will likely not be able to bring all of your things, simply the essentials). Bring documents, a change of clothes, extra toilet paper, alcohol hand gel, snacks and something to pass the hours of the storm and avoid boredom. It is important NOT to panic, remain calm and follow the guidance of hotel staff and authorities. While the "dry law" is not in effect for tourists, it is in your best interest to be moderate in your drinking to maintain a clear head in case of a crisis. The hurricane plans and strategies to protect citizens and tourists are well developed and the physical safety of all is of primary concern.

Cancun sunshine over the lagoon 9 am Oct. 26th

Currently Cancun is partly cloudy, the sun shining through, with a light wind. Traffic was light this morning due to the cancellation of classes and there is a sense of calm in the city. Very few windows have been boarded up, though some businesses have rolled out the "anti-hurricane" shutters. The mood is light, the people of Cancun have been through this before and the usual jokes are being bantered about. That is not to say that we are taking this lightly, simply that we know what has to be done and it is "business as usual" for hurricane season. Hotels are securing all areas, bringing in lounge chairs and outdoor decor and taking all precautions necessary to protect their guests and staff. Many businesses are closing early to allow staff to tend to their homes and families

I will continue to update throughout the day on CancunCanuck Twitter, Canuck in Cancun Facebook
and Google +. If anyone has photos of activity in the region, I would love to share them, please contact me through any of the mentioned networks or email CancunCanuck. I will be going out to the hotel zone in a few moments to take photos of preparations.

Hurricane Rina Cancun Update - Tuesday Oct. 25th, 7 pm

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:53:00 +0000

At a meeting of the Quintana Roo hurricane committee this afternoon, authorities upgraded the official alert to "yellow" for the entire state, from Chetumal to Cancun and a hurricane warning has been issued. A "yellow alert" signifies "moderate" danger, citizens and businesses must prepare for a hurricane impact within 12-60 hours with a minimum wind speed of 63 km/h. Schools remain open tomorrow until further notice and there has been no announcement regarding the "dry law" (alcohol sales are prohibited during emergency situations). I have just heard personal reports about evacuations in the Riviera Maya, but nothing official. Authorities are well prepared for these type of meteorological events and the safety of citizens and tourists is paramount.

The view in Cancun on Tuesday afternoon

I took a quick trip out to the hotel zone in Cancun this afternoon, businesses are beginning to bring in outside decorations and secure their buildings. All is being done with a sense of calm, the plans are in place and are being implemented. Traffic was heavier than usual, people are out and about gathering supplies and preparing their homes for Rina's visit. Walmart was busy, but again, everyone was very calm, it did not appear to be "panic shopping" and there were plenty of fully stocked shelves. The current Cancun weather is rainy with a little bit of gusty wind, the storm is still quite a distance away.

The astronauts in the space station gave us this incredible view of Hurricane Rina, you can see just how big she appears from space. She looks mighty impressive!
I will continue to update local conditions and any progress of Hurricane Rita on Twitter, Facebook and G+ as we receive more news about Hurricane Rina. If I have electricity and internet, I am hoping to have a Google Hangout tomorrow evening as Hurricane Rina gets closer, will keep you posted. Stay safe and dry everyone!

Hurricane Wilma Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:56:00 +0000

Oct. 21/22, 2005, Hurricane Wilma struck Cancun, parking on top of us and delivering a battering ram of destruction. Every year at this time, anyone who survived Wilma looks back and remembers, the fear, the sounds, the smells....friends and I know that we suffered PTSD and the anniversary brings back a sense of anxiety, a profound feeling that is difficult to describe. This year, I asked some friends to share their thoughts, here's what they had to say.....

"My strongest memories of Hurricane Wilma are not during the three days we were holed up bailing water and listening to that horrible wind, but of the tenacity of the human spirit in the days, weeks and months afterward. Hard to believe it's been six years."- Joyce

"Our front door blew in and the wind picked me up and threw me into the living room. The kitchen cabinet doors, coffee machine and toaster landed on top of me. Then, as the windows blew out, I watched one of our cats, the big black guy Pepe, sail over my head and out the window. We fought the wind for the entire night, finally getting the front door nailed into its frame as the eye came over and the wind eased. We were able to tarp the windows the next day. Three days later,while I was prowling the garden looking for him, Pepe appeared out of thin air (as cats do), head-bumped my leg, and life was good......The guest bedroom had all kinds of Ritz Carlton artifacts blown in including Do Not Disturb door knob signs, towels, etc. We were in Florida, not paying attention and flew back the day before. Too late to buy plywood. Anticiclonicas were on the schedule, but not yet installed. Only our bedroom survived and that's where we lived with a mommy cat and her litter surviving on PB&J and bottled water we "salvaged" from the street for the week until the windows were replaced. I know it sounds odd, but it was one of the best times of our lives."- Mel

"We had moved to Mexico about six weeks before getting the first warning about Wilma. We spent the day boarding up the hotel and getting guests out of town on the last flights. We wrapped files, records and computers in plastic and moved them to the second floor rooms. Then we walked through the nearly deserted streets of Playa hoping that Wilma's path would change enough to miss us. We heard someone say that Wilma was projected to come over Cozumel and make landfall. We looked out over the sea at the island of Cozumel directly in front of us. "Shit" we both said at the same time. Welcome to Mexico."--Tony

" I can only say that 2005 took me years to get over. Mentally debilitating especially after having been thru Emily"- Kay

"One of the things that I remember the most, after being terrified, was the aftermath. I had only been in Mexico for a short time and thought, OMG they will never get this fixed. It was amazing how they opened up the public phones and allowed everyone to call anywhere in the world for free! You only had 3 minutes for the calls but you could tell your family you were alive and safe. I thought that was a wonderful testimonial for Mexico. The way the people pulled together and shared food and drink was something I will never forget!"- Teresa

"We had just moved to Mexico in August, only to have Wilma hit in October. We have lots of stories of our experiences from that time, but one thing we remember so clearly is seeing how quickly and efficiently Mexico and the Riviera Maya handled cleanup and assistance after the storm. It was especially interesting to watch since less than three months earlier the entire world watched the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans and saw how badly that was handled. Mexico, a developing nation, handled this crisis about a million times better than the US handled its. We were very impressed with our newly adopted country."- Cheri

"As the news came in we would get our fair share of the hurricane, I started preparing the house for the worst case scenario - my husband took the last flight out of Cancun to attend a job elsewhere, so I was left alone, with the confidence that everything would be fine.On Thursday evening, as the rain started to pour down, and the wind speed picked up, I got in touch with my neighbors and they agreed to come over to my place to sit this one out.... however, by the time they realized it was really serious, their entire yard was flooded and the weather was so awful they never made it over to my place. There I was, about to go through the darkest 72 hours of my existence, alone with a 6 week old puppy to keep me busy.

I saw the wood paneling fly away from my living room window so I started picking up every piece of furniture I could lift ans shoved it all into my kitchen and then I ran upstairs to my bathroom to seek refuge to what turned out to be my worst nightmare. As the storm picked up speed on Friday, the dome on my roof "left the building" and with a huge gap in my roof, the pressure mad 2 windows in the living room downstairs implode so now Wilma literally entered the house. I pulled a mattress into my bathroom and went to sleep, exhausted after fighting the water and wind for hours on end, hoping that it would all be only a bad dream.

When I woke up several hours later the Eye of Wilma was sitting above us and all was calm, that is when it hit me.. the brick fence around my house was missing... the walls had come down entirely and they were laying below a good meter of water in the yard. the entire first floor was flooded, glass was everywhere, it was a huge disaster zone and we still had half a hurricane to go.. so I just gave up... went back upstairs to read a book and wait it out.

on Sunday morning, all of a sudden all was calm... the sun was shining.... no more clouds or rain, but the sight of the neighborhood was one of destruction, dead trees, devastation and sadness. I waded through the water towards my neighbors' house, and met several other neighbors on my way over, we all gathered, hugged and informed about the damages we all sustained to our homes. We sat down and prepared lunch, chatted, had a laugh and started planning to help each other out... we agreed on gathering in on particular neighbor's house that had next to no damage, so we could all shower, take a break and have a good meal.the solidarity among us was pulled us through.

2 days later, my best friend finally got through to my house and the first thing she did was slap me in the face.... they had no clue for 4 days if I was ok... I had no way of letting them know... I promised myself, never to stay alone again during a hurricane, and learned that the material stuff does not matter... I did however have to learn this the hard way."--Severine

Hurricane Wilma is by far the MOST intense experience I have ever had. Today I am feeling the pangs, the twist in the gut, the sadness but most of all the pride in Cancun for surviving, rebuilding and thriving after such devastation. Thanks to all my friends for sharing their thoughts, think of this as a little bit of group therapy if you will. If you have your own experiences to share, please leave a comment, I 'd love to hear from you.

Enamorada in Mexico City

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:47:00 +0000

Yes, yes, I know this is a "Cancun" blog, but a girl with a passion for Mexico has the right to expand her horizons once in awhile! This past weekend I had the chance to experience a place I had never been before, Mexico City or as it's known down here, "D.F.". I'll admit I went with some preconceived notions in my head, it's one of the largest and most heavily populated cities in the world and I expected to find a big, bad concrete jungle (with some cool museums thrown in the mix of course, I was starved for "cultcha").

Lake Chapultepec

What I discovered was something completely different. A magical place, all the things I love about Toronto and Chicago and New York City rolled into one with something extra, like a spicy salsa thrown on top of my favourite metropolises. This city is ALIVE, pulsating, vibrant and warm, and yet still somehow laid back enough that I never felt a moment of anxiety or heart-racing panic. Most surprising was just how green it was, soaring trees everywhere, plants and flowers lining the streets and beautiful parks with sculptures and bubbling fountains.

Angel of Independence

I only had one short weekend but I made the most of it, packing in some of the city's highlights and seeing the things that had most piqued my interest. I arrived on Friday night, checked into the hotel and set off for the "Zona Rosa", getting my first glimpse of the famous "Angel of Independence" statue lit up in the night as I walked. I filled my lungs with big city air and felt refreshed as we meandered past packed restaurants and bars filled with young and old alike, bookstores and coffee shops and neon pink "love" stores. I enjoyed tacos on plastic chairs as I let the sounds of the city wash over me, sirens and honking and car accidents and laughter. We found a tranquil bar inside a huge book store and drank civilized drinks and people watched the street below us. My big city heart was full and happy and I was exhilarated.

Chapultepec Castle

The next day was a biggie, time to see the sights and act like a tourist. We set off early, errr, too early nothing was even open! We had intended to start out at the Museum of Anthropology but arrived an hour before opening time so we crossed the street to Chapultepec Park. The air was fresh (ok ok, I was shivering with cold, my body is definitely accustomed to the heat of Cancun), the sky was blue and it was a peaceful walk through the lush grounds. The princess in me was drawn to Chapultepec Castle, the former home of "Maximiliano" (I knew I HAD to get some photos for Max of "his" castillo). Wandering the halls filled with history and art was a fabulous way to start the day. We headed back to the anthropology museum, an emotional experience for me, the energy in the artifacts was powerful and it hit me right in the solar plexus.

Tlaloc at the Museum of Anthropology

In the afternoon we hooked up with my "amuga" (labeled forever due to an iphone typing error) Cristina of the fabulous blog "Mexico Cooks". We wandered an artist market and she then took us to eat the BEST pozole I have ever tasted. Nap time followed, then a great Argentinian dinner and a night of belting out tunes in a karaoke bar. And not to brag, but I DID win a bottle of champagne in the karaoke contest.

Historic center with the Torre LatinoAmericano in the background

The next day was spent in the historic center, wandering the delightfully crowded streets, seeing the monuments, towering sky scrapers set amidst the old buildings, the cathedral, the Palacio where the President of Mexico delivers his famous "El Grito" speech and spending time in Bellas Artes admiring the murals and paintings. I couldn't resist lining up for a "limpieza" (a cleansing) by a shaman from the Mexica tribe, he banged my body with a small, hard fruit, brushed me with leaves, sprinkled me with some liquid substance and blessed me with abundance, prosperity and love. I've decided I am a firm believer and all those things are coming my way.

Mexican shaman blessing CancunCanuck

It was a jam-packed weekend, full of adventure and energy, physical and emotional exhaustion set in and I got on the plane feeling strangely tired and elated at the same time. Mexico City, my dear D.F., estoy enamorada, encantada! Perhaps the shaman put a spell on me, or maybe it was just the magic of the city but I've left my heart in D.F. and I know that I will be back soon.

(for all my photos, check out my "Mexico City" Flickr set)

Mexico Today Social Magazine wants YOU

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:36:00 +0000

"Mexico Today" launches an innovative social magazine on Facebook!

Many of you know that I am a part of the "Mexico Today" initiative from Marca Pais, a project aimed at promoting all the positive aspects of Mexico through real voices of people with a passion for the country. There are 24 of us lending our expertise and love through blog posts and social media efforts and now you can be a part of this too. The "Mexico Today Social Magazine" invites submissions from anyone with amor for Mexico, you can submit your blog posts or articles to be shared on Facebook and become a part of this great community. This means YOU, from all the ex-pat bloggers I know and love to travel writers to the kid down the street, share your voice! Here's the skinny....

"The newly launched Mexico Today Social Magazine on Facebook profiles stories and submissions from leading Mexico bloggers and influencers, including the 24 Mexico Today Ambassadors.

This innovative tactic pushes the envelope of what is possible on Facebook, leveraging community participation from fans to produce a dynamic and evolving, socially-curated online publication. The intent is to create a grassroots movement by allowing submissions from those who are interested in Mexico’s culture, the Mexican economy, Mexico’s environment and more.

Help shape the conversation about today's Mexico. The Magazine accepts not only short links, but also longer blog posts. Submit your content today to enter a chance to win a $500 gift card."

What? $500 you say? Why yes! By simply adding your posts to the magazine you have a chance to win! Dig up your favourite posts about your neighbourhood, your favourite Mexico getaway or the taco stand down the street, all are welcome! Head over to the Mexico Today Facebook page and give them your "like", share your link and voila, easy peasy.

As a social media junkie myself, the project is truly exciting. I invite you to like the "A Canuck in Cancun" Facebook page as well and become a part of my little corner of the network and follow me on Twitter (@cancuncanuck of course). For you Twitter lovers, use the hashtag "#mexicotoday" on your Mexico tweets and be sure to join us for the fast moving Twitter parties, we've got one coming up on Monday October 17th that is not to be missed! Get social, be a part of the community and let's have some fun!

Living in Mexico- 8 Year Mexiversary!

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:23:00 +0000

Cancun Canuck 2003

On a chilly, rainy day in October 2003, I nervously boarded a plane with a back pack and a rough travel plan, not really knowing what to expect when I reached Cozumel. I didn't even know much about my destination, it was chosen with a spin of the globe, eyes closed and a jab of my finger to determine where I was heading. All I knew was that I was on a journey to learn more about myself and the world, meet interesting people and have some fun.

Jumping for joy on Isla Blanca

Eight years later I look back on that day and giggle at myself, if only I had known what was going to come. I am pretty sure I would have packed better for one, moving to Mexico with nothing but a mochila is not something I would recommend for everyone. I've learned a lot in these eight years, about myself, about the world and of course, about Mexico. Here are some lists of eight I've created reflecting on my journey thus far.

Hanging with a whale shark

8 Best Mexican Adventures

- Swimming with whale sharks
- Visiting Chichen Itza
- Camping at Xpu Ha
- Staying at Casa de las Olas in Tulum
- Traveling to Oaxaca
- Discovering Isla Holbox
- Zip lining everywhere
- Snorkeling the Meso-American Reef

Scuba diving & getting some dolphin love

8 Favourite Spanish Slang Expressions

- Ni modo
- Chido
- No manches
- Pinche
- Mocos
- Chamaco
- Que onda?
- Guey

Wild ride in Oaxaca

8 Less Than Enjoyable Experiences

- the dreaded "aguas malas" (sea lice)
- being deported.....twice....
- banking
- stomach parasites and the yearly Vermox/Daxon cleanse
- tabano bites
- the yearly battle with immigration
- Hurricane Wilma
- the birth of my son (to be clear, yes, he is one of the BEST things to happen, but the actual birth event was like something out of an alien abduction movie, shudder....)

Desperately trying to grow gills

8 Things I Have Learned in Mexico

- The concept of "Mexican time"
- A pareo has a million uses
- Spanish
- Patience is more than a virtue, it is a necessity if you wish to accomplish anything in Mexico
- Family is EVERYTHING
- Don't eat ceviche served out of the trunk of a car
- How to swear in Maya
- How to grow gills (Ok, ok, this is just something I wish I could learn so I could live under the sea)

Cancun Canuck 2011

There are a plethora of other experiences and lessons, most of them residing in a private place in my heart. I am a better person today than I was on that cold, rainy day in 2003. Most of what I have learned is about myself and that journey of discovery is still in process. But by far the best thing to come of my Mexico adventure is my son Max. I would not be the person I am today without him and he would not be with me if I had not taken the plunge in moving to Mexico. I can't thing of a better souvenir from my "Mexico vacation" than my little MexiCanadian, glad I chose him over the "One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor" t-shirt.

Mexico Today: "My Mexico" video featuring Cancun Canuck

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 21:08:00 +0000

Alternate blog title: "Look Ma, I'z on the Yoo Toob!"

Way back in June when I began working with the Mexico Today project, they asked me to be a part of a series of videos promoting the destination. I spent the day with an incredible film crew at Garrafon Park Isla Mujeres and met them once again for interviews in Oaxaca. I had SUCH a great time that I pretty much forgot that I was being filmed as I kayaked and zip lined and gazed dreamily out to sea. I've been awaiting the day we could see the finished product and here it is!

While it's always strange to hear recordings of your own voice or see yourself on video, I am really pleased with the finished product and proud to be a part of the Mexico Today adventure. I believe that Mexico is a destination for EVERYONE, tourists and travellers, families and couples and singles, adventurers and laze-arounders, history buffs and foodies. While my focus is usually on Cancun and the Riviera Maya, the diversity of the country is astounding and I am excited to have the opportunity to discover even a small portion of what the rest of the country has to offer. My visit to Oaxaca in June was amazing and I have some exciting travel plans set up for October (more on that later!) My "Mexico Bucket List" is LONG, from the Copper Canyon to Guanajuato to Campeche, Chiapas, Veracruz....ok, really I could just add every state to the list because they each offer unique experiences in nature, culture, history and gastronomy to thrill the senses! It may take me a lifetime to see it all, but I've got the time....

The video above is part of a series, the other videos are just as lovely! Check out the Mexico Today Youtube page to see more!
I also invite you to become a fan of "A Canuck in Cancun" on Facebook, I would love to have you be a part of my community, the more, the merrier!

And So First Grade Begins....

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:52:00 +0000

Primero. First grade. Or as we say in Canada "Grade One". Where the big boys play, no more kindergarten babies. I get a lot of questions from people about schooling in Mexico but I must admit, it's impossible for me to make a comparison to NOB schools as I didn't have any experience with kids "up there" and my own school days were spent doing arithmetic on cave walls and commuting on dinosaurs. I'm also pretty private about which school Max attends, safety issues et al, but I will try to give a peek into a typical day in primero in Cancun.

Our days start EARLY. Like, waaaaay too early. First class begins at 7 am. On Mondays they wear a uniform and the first thing they'll do is honour the flag and sing the national and state anthems. The rest of the week he actually gets to wear "normal" clothes and there is no anthem or ceremony. The wearing of "normal" clothes has become a bit of an issue in the house as Max has decided that HE gets to pick his clothes and he has to look "cool". Not many rules about dress code (except for the girls, no flip flops or high heels, no short skirts, no revealing tops). So shorts and t-shirts are the order of the day, except for my weird kid who thinks he's in the Arctic and demands to wear jeans and long sleeve shirts (he really wants to look like Justin Bieber, sigh).

He attends a bilingual school, in this case it means half the day in English, half the day in Spanish. English is not taught as a second language, they teach it as a first language. Sounds great in theory (and it is) but with Max being fully bilingual already, the "vocabulary" lessons are a bit dull for him. He is learning spelling and the BIG frustration of the year is that all the other kids already know cursive writing and he does not. (He skipped "pre-first" after an evaluation day and I guess that is where they all learned). So I am not only trying to help him with spelling, but with spelling in the "foreign" letters of cursive. He doesn't have the luxury of learning one letter at a time, he's just going full throttle into words and sentences. He was UBER frustrated the first week or two, but I am kind of blown away by how he's grasped the concept. We still struggle, he can spell all the words when I quiz him out loud but makes errors in the cursive and therefore doesn't ace the tests like I know he can.

Spanish class seems to be easy for him, he can read fluently (in English too) and he's nailing the math and science. I'm pretty proud of him, he's one year younger than all his classmates so I know this is a challenge for him, but he's doing great.

He studies math, reading, values, civics, social science, physical science, and computers. He has classes in "activating intelligence" which is really creative thinking (love this!). Swimming class is mandatory and is graded as well. Music class must be a riot to see, 18 little ones trying to bang out notes on the recorder (poor music teacher!)

Academic classes run from 7 am to 1:30 pm. At 1:30 they start their "talleres" (workshops). The kids were given a list of activities to choose from and have two different ones per semester. Max does soccer on Mondays and Wednesdays and capoeira on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He's also taking extra soccer classes, so four hours a week of soccer in total. He has mandated that he is the team paramedic and he "must" bring elastic bandages and bandaids to school everyday "just in case". Throw in his six hours of gymnastics a week and we've got a pretty darned active little kid.

Big changes for him, going from a tiny kindergarten where he was king of the castle to a large school where he is the new kid and the little one. More rules, more responsibility and a whole new social scheme, we've had some battles with behaviour issues. I'm not overly concerned, he "gets" it and has been improving. A couple of trips to the director's office, not being allowed recess time and getting kicked out of capoeira should be taking effect by now. He's not a "bad" kid, just a mouthy one (he's mostly in trouble for "groserias", bad words, gasp!)

I'm excited about his year and thrilled with the new school and the concepts they promote (values are HUGE, respect, honestly and responsibility). The teachers are tough, but not mean. The campus is sweet, filled with plants and flowers and palm trees and buildings with palapas. Eco-friendly is a big component and they teach kids right off the bat about being kind to the planet and responsible for the future. He has good days and bad, like all kids in all schools but hopefully the positive is going to shine and outweigh the negative.

Now, if I can get him to stop saying "No manches!" when the teachers ask him to do something, we'll be on the right road......

And She Was.....

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:07:00 +0000

I must confess, I am "ochentera" to the bone, a real 80's kind of gal. My "go to" music when I am happy, sad or angry is always something from the decade of leg warmers and parachute pants. One of the finest bands OF ALL TIME (well, in my humble opinion) is "The Talking Heads". One song in particular comes to mind as I make my way through this crazy thing called life, a song that makes me feel at peace with the world and connected to the planet. "And She Was" was written by David Byrne about a chick he knew in high school who would go drop acid by the Yoo Hoo factory, but I always feel it is less about a drug trip and more about accepting and embracing and enjoying where we are in life and the simple moments of just "being".

I have been somewhat stifled the last few months, not making enough effort to embrace being single and the new life I have. One of the things that I must do is make this house MINE. It is time to take down the old photos and bring new energy to my daily environment, do a spring cleaning and maybe even bring in a shaman for a "limpieza". To that end I have been going through the last nine months of photos to select a few to print to create an environment that will allow me to feel like the girl in the song, happy with where I am, in a place where I can just "be".

And so I bring to you a picture post, if it was in a gallery the show would be called "And She Was", a selection of photos that make me happy that will soon be adorning my walls....

I am "Sirenita", happiest under the sea

Happier still when I am having adventures with my boy

Good times with GREAT friends

Connecting with culture and history, powerful moments

The edge of the world at dawn

The biggest fish in the sea allowed me to "be"in his world

Appears to be one soul in this photo, but imagine
all the LIFE under that water

My amazing, incredible, most perfect creation
(He brings me more joy than anything on the planet)

And she was. I think surrounding myself with these images, moments of bliss, times of adventure and times of relaxation can only bring good things into my home and into my life. Let the spring cleaning begin, let the new life burst into action, it can only get better from here....

Mexican Independence Day in Cancun- Viva Mexico!

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Mexican Independence Day, a time to wave the old red, white and green, paint your face with the colours of the patria, eat chiles en nogada and shout out loud the pride one has in Mexico at the annual "El Grito" ceremony. People in every pueblo and city will gather in the "zocalos" (town squares) to hear the speeches given by the politicians and join their countrymen in shouting "Viva Mexico!" Others will gather with friends in a restaurant or bar or join their families in private celebrations. Much tequila will be drunk, politics will be discussed, the TV will be tuned to the president's speech and children will be told tales of Mexican history.

President Calderon delivering "El Grito" in Mexico City 2010

Cancun may not be a town of history, we don't have a "zocalo" or ancient cathedral, but that doesn't mean we don't celebrate the occasion. "El Grito" will be given at City Hall by the mayor, the decorations have been up for a while and preparations are well under way for the event. News sources say that popular Mexican singer Pablo Montero will be performing at the main event (in 2001 he serenaded Laura Bush on the White House lawn) and he is sure to please the crowds with other artists such as Celso Piña, king of cumbia!

If you are going to be in Cancun for the big day (September 15th of course), here is a short list of some places you may celebrate if you are not up for the crowds at the official "El Grito". (A huge shout of gratitude to "Cancun Foros" for the information!)

Restaurante Los de Jalisco. From midday on Sept. 15 to 4 am Sept 16th they will be serving traditional pozole and a lively atmosphere. Located on Avenida Luciernaga Esquina Granadillo, Supermanzana 500, behind IMSS Avenida Nichupte. Info 9981-193363.

Carlos’n Charlie’s, Cancún (Hotel Zone): Sept. 15 everyone is invited to "scream all they want" at this popular tourist bar. They will have a Mexican "kermes" (fair) with esquites (corn dish) and cotton candy, games of skill, Mariachi and dancing with "Las Adelitas". Reservations are recommended tel. 883-4468.

Restaurante Paloma Bonita (Hotel zone).- One of the most well known Mexican restaurants in Cancun, they will be serving a traditional Mexican menu for the festive day. (They are offering a 20% discount for Cancunenses too). Reservations 848-7000. Located beside hotel Dreams Cancun.

Señor Frog’s Cancún (Hotel zone): The “Unplugged” party with live bands and mariachis, and an "all inclusive" package for 350 pesos (three course meal, open bar and pozole for the next day) Reservations 883-3454.

Fiesta Mexicana Hoteles Be Live: Los hoteles Be Live Viva Beach y Be Live Grand Viva Beach estarán ofreciendo en sus instalaciones una Fiesta Mexicana que entre otras cosas incluirán: Música y Ballet Folklorico Mexicano, Comida Típica Mexicana, Mariachi, Postres, antojitos y juegos. Todo esto desde $ 350.00 pesos por persona y los niños tienen un 50% de descuento. Para mayores informes y reservaciones comunicate a los telefonos 848-7600 ext. 2844 de 9m a 6pm.

Restaurante La Joya (Hotel Zone).- Located in the Fiesta Americana Hotel at km 9.5, they will be holding a "Gala Night" with a dinner of traditional Mexican dishes and desserts. There will be shows with live music (mariachis of course) and an "El Grito" ceremony. Reservations and info 881-3200 Ext. 3380.

Barezzito.- This HOT nightclub in downtown Cancun is offering "tacos for everyone all night long!", live music, a Luis Miguel impersonator and lots of surprises. Cover 300 pesos for men, 150 pesos for women. Info 889-9966.

Bubba Gump.- "Parrillada Especial" ("Special Grill) plus five beers for 295 pesos and you can party like Forrest. Info and reservations 885-3010.

La Cantinita.- This is one of the most popular downtown restaurant/bars in Cancun, located in front of Plaza de Toros. For Sept. 15th they are offering dinner and a show with the bes of Pedro Fernandez, 400 pesos per person. Reservations 209-1370.

Hotel Ixchel, Isla Mujeres.- This lovely beach hotel on Isla Mujeres is offering packages from 625 pesos (2 night minimum) which includes standard room and a Mexican dinner on Sept. 15th. Reservations and info: 01800-717-0911.

Mexican Celebration at Sea.- Sail from Cancun to Isla Mujeres, enjoy a buffet dinner, open bar, games and a folklore show with Caribbean Carnaval. The ship sets sail from Playa Tortugas at 8:30 Sept. 15th. Reservations and info: 884-3760.

Servicio a Domicilio de Chiles en Nogada: If you don't feel like leaving the house (or cooking!), you can order authentic chiles en nogada (they promise to use the original recipe!) Call to order 9981 53 4542 o al 9981 421214.

Whatever you do, wherever you go, take a moment to reflect on all things positive about Mexico, the battles the country has fought and the pride in this great land. Viva Mexico!

(This post is part of a "Blog Hop", my fellow "Mexico Today" ambassadors are all writing pieces for "El Mes de Patria", there are some fantastic articles, see the links below and show them some love!)

Caution: Cancun Crab Crossing

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:11:00 +0000

Not a real crab

As I have been preparing this post in my head, my inner voice has taken on a Marlin Perkins tone, a little "Wild Kingdom" theme running through my head (brought to you by Mutual of Omaha, the company that pays). One of the joys of living in Cancun is being surrounded by nature and wildlife. On the downside, with the continued growth and development, the city is encroaching on the habitat of all the amazing creatures that have lived here for thousands of years..

A real blue crab

And thus the need for events like the "Crab Crossing" that happens every full moon in September and October. During this time, the female blue crabs migrate from the lagoon to the sea, full of eggs and ready to create the next generation of these pretty little snappers. Before Cancun was a destination for millions of tourists, this was an easy jaunt across a sand bar. Now it's a dangerous game crossing a four lane road with speeding cars and the necessity to find their way around concrete hotels.

Desperate crab hunter

For years now local agencies have solicited volunteers to help make the journey safer for the blue crab. Citizens come out armed with buckets, flashlights, bug spray and leather gloves to assist in the move and ensure the survival of the species. Last night Max and I made our way out to the hotel zone to participate in a crab crossing for the very first time. My little guy was pretty darned excited to be out doing something past his bedtime and contributing to "helping the planet". Like most little boys, he was totally intrigued by having "gear", the thick gloves, the flashlight and his own special reflective vest. During the orientation we learned a couple of important things. Number one, we were only to move the females, identified by the eggs on their underside. Number two, never touch the area where the eggs are attached, only lift the crab by the sides or by their limbs. Number three, we could pick up males if they were in the middle of the street.

Got her!

When darkness fell we headed over to the lagoon side of the street, anxious to do our part. We searched and we looked and we waited. And...nothing. We found a hole that had a crab in it, but every time a light flashed or a screaming teenager raced by, it ducked back into hiding. A friend showed up with her little girl and we went searching with them, ducking under the mangroves we found another little blue guy, but it quickly hid as well. The two little ones were getting pretty desperate when a group of teenagers approached with a bucket full of crabs. They were so kind, they asked if our kids had found any and when we said no, they let the munchkins take a crab each for their own buckets. Two smiling kidlets marched happily back to the crab reception area, feeling pretty darned proud.

A whole kiddie pool full of egg-laden females

The event will continue tonight and tomorrow (September 12 and 13th, 2011) and again next month. If you are in Cancun, come out and lend a hand! A unique experience and a chance to give a little something back to the creatures that were here long before we were. There are three main locations in Cancun, Playa las Perlas and Punta Nizuc in the hotel zone and Playa Niño near Puerto Juarez. If you haven't got your own gear (and I suspect most tourists don't travel with buckets and leather gloves), you can borrow some from the organizers if you leave your ID with them. If you are lucky, you'll witness the magical moment when all the female crabs are released on the beach and make their way to the sea, following the full moon and continuing the circle of life.

Tulum and the Art of Zen

noreply@blogger.com (CancunCanuck) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 01:26:00 +0000

The last few months have been....well....a bit of a ball of confusion. I went from having super lows to super highs and recently started having "highlows", feeling happy/sad/elated/crushed/overworked/bored/frustrated/peaceful/depressed/ecstatic all at the same time. This past Friday night I had an experience that left me feeling completely discombobulated and I realized I needed to reset and recharge. I woke up Saturday morning and booked myself a cabaña in Tulum and boarded the bus for the two hour trip south.

The hotel zone of Tulum is pretty much the opposite of Cancun. Where Cancun is high rise cement resorts, Tulum is small cabañas and palapas, off the "grid", running purely on solar/wind/generator power. Not many TVs or telephones in this retreat in paradise. The hotels are reached by a narrow road that leads from the town of Tulum through the Sian Kaan biosphere, surrounded by lush jungle, cenotes and the sea.

I made my way to Cabañas Tulum where I was greeted by a lovely receptionist from Ireland of all places. She welcomed me warmly, brought me a fruity cold beverage and took me to my sweet little escape. Like most hotels on the strip, it is small, right on the beach and filled with lush greenery and flowers. My room was clean and bright, with (surprise!) air conditioning (only available at night and I found I didn't need it with the ocean breeze) and a fantastic little porch with a couple of chairs and my very own hammock. I spent the remainder of the day drinking beers on the beach and unwinding completely.

I felt my confusion and angst and whirl of emotions sliding away. My head began to clear. I awoke EARLY the next morning and walked the few steps down to the beach to welcome the sun. (Super sappy cheesy moment warning....) When the sun peeked over the horizon and through the clouds, I felt a powerful surge of energy, tears came to my eyes, I got to my knees and I whispered "thank you". I really don't think the moment can be explained, you'll just have to experience it for yourself.

I took a million sunrise photos then crawled back into bed more relaxed than I had been in a long time. I set my alarm for nine, took a quick shower, donned my bikini and pareo and followed my growling stomach to the restaurant for some brekkie and coffee on the beach. Amazing how hungry inner peace can make you and the Eggs Benedict hit the spot perfectly.

Caffeinated and stuffed full of yummy goodness, I sought out my palm tree and lounge chair, slathered on sunblock and ran for the sea. It was a windy day, the waves intense and I let the ocean knock me around and enjoyed myself massively! I got pretty banged up, spun head over heels (lost my sunglasses and almost lost my bikini top) and took one wave to the kidney that I felt through my whole body like a punch from a prize fighter. And it was PERFECT.

Refreshed, renewed, healed and at peace, it was time to go home. Tulum has POWER, this was only two quick days and I felt ok with myself again. Zen. At one with nature and the universe and aware of my place in it and just fine with it all. I boarded the bus north with a contented grin on my face, ready to face the hustle bustle again. Namaste and ommmm everyone, peace and love......