It seems strange to be talking about hurricanes when our hurricane season just finished but there is so much information to share that I figured we would just get started. Let me say first that I’m no weather or hurricane expert, before I moved to Playa del Carmen I didn’t even know what a hurricane was, but I’ve been here for several hurricane warnings and “lived through” hurricane Wilma in 2005 so I’ve learned a few things. This is the first post in a series about hurricanes and I`ll discuss the things that happen in a town like Playa del Carmen when there is a hurricane warning and when a hurricane actually hits. I’ll also try to shine a light on the things you, as a homeowner, can do to protect and prepare your property in Playa for a possible hurricane.

But first a few facts so we know what we’re talking about:

-          A hurricane is an intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 kt) or higher (source: National Hurricane Center)

-          Hurricanes are categorized according to the strength of their winds using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. A Category 1 storm has the lowest wind speeds, while a Category 5 hurricane has the strongest. (source: National Hurricane Center)

-          The official Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1^st until November 30^th.  August through October shows the biggest activity but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to get a storm earlier or later or even outside of the official hurricane season. Weather doesn’t stick to our schedules, it seems.

During the hurricane season those who live in the Riviera Maya keep a close watch on one or several websites that track tropical weather so we know what is happening and if there are any areas that show possibilities for tropical cyclone formation. If you live in Playa del Carmen or happen to be visiting during that time you will find out that EVERYBODY in town is an accomplished and well informed weather man or woman and can tell you all about the hurricane and whether or not it will hit us directly.  Don’t forget that you can be just as knowledgeable by checking the same websites (see below for a few examples). Of course, experience does count for something and it can be helpful to listen to other people´s opinion and advise.

Before a hurricane is a hurricane it goes through several phases. First it is a tropical depression, then a tropical storm and then it becomes a hurricane. Thankfully not all tropical depressions or tropical storms become hurricanes. Once there is a hurricane its wind strength is indicated by categories numbered 1 through 5. Don’t be fooled by a low number though, a Category 1 storm can bring as much destruction or more as a Category 5 storm, the wind strength is less but it could carry a lot of rain causing floods and landslides. Once a tropical depression becomes a tropical storm it is named, based on the Atlantic storm name list.

The following websites have a lot of information about tropical weather and hurricanes. You can use them to see projections of a storm’s path, storm and hurricane advisories, history, tips for protection of life and property, etc. National Hurricane Center,  Wunderground Tropical Weather, The Weather Channel

During the hurricane season you can also check out the Latido de Mexico Facebook page where we will update you on tropical storm and hurricane warnings as they get  published by the National Hurricane Center.

If you were thinking of taking home some quality souvenirs from Playa del Carmen make sure to stop by the little artesania store on 1^st Avenue and Calle 14. The place is called Siete Detalles and is owned and operated by a wonderful lady called Alicia Zamorano. She named the store Siete Detalles, the seven details, in honor of her 7!!! children.

Siete Detalles on 1st Avenue and Calle 14

The store is full of all kinds of typical Mexican handicraft, most of it produced by Alicia’s family or by manufacturing families Alicia’s been working with for over 16 years. Siete Detalles sells quality Mexican handicrafts ranging from real talavera pottery to pewter, hand blown glass and calabaza products.

Mexican handicraft shoppers heaven

If you have any questions about the method of production or the authenticity of the crafts you can ask Alicia, she’s a fountain of knowledge. I asked her a few questions when I was in the store and what was supposed to be a 5 minute thing turned into something much longer and better! Here’s a little of what I learned about talavera pottery that day:

Traditional talavera pottery from Puebla

All the Talavera pottery sold in the store is handmade in Mexico.

Talavera tradicional or Talavera Poblana – is pottery made in Puebla and it can be recognized by the cream colored background of the design and the use of blue paint.

Talavera tradicional is certified for authenticity and it is the most expensive of the talavera pottery. The Talavera pottery that is sold in the store has been made by a family in Puebla that Alicia has been working with for over 16 years.

Talavera moderna – pottery that similar to the traditional talavera but has a white background, it is also made in Puebla and sold in the Siete Detalles. Less pricey that the traditional pottery.

Tipo talavera – talavera type pottery which has no specific background color, and the pieces sold in the store are hand-made in by a family in Guanajuato.

Talavera, authentic Mexican pottery

The pewter sold in the store is made Alicia’s family. The hand blown glassware comes from Jalisco and the calabaza products from Guerrero.When you bring something home from this store you will truly have a piece of Mexican handicraft. It is highly unlikely you will have to peel off a “made in China” sticker before you give it to one of your friends or family or keep it for yourself (which is what I have in mind).

Siete Detalles is located on 1ra Avenida Norte and the corner of Calle 14, Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen. It’s open daily from 10 AM to 9 PM.  If you find the door locked just knock on the one next door or come back later. It’ll be worth it.

I’ve been hearing a lot about Chez Céline for some time now.   My neighbor raves over their croissants.  Another friend recently announced on Facebook that she had purchased a baguette, still warm from the oven.  Each time I pass, there is always a nice crowd enjoying the outdoor seating.   With all of the good reviews, it was time I see for myself.  Conveniently, I had two lunch meetings scheduled at Chez Céline within a week’s time.

On my first visit, I had a difficult time deciding what to order.  The longer I studied the menu, offering an assortment of sandwiches, salads, soup and quiche, the more difficult the choice became.  I finally decided on the roast beef sandwich – roast beef on a baguette with spinach and caramelized onions, served with a horseradish cream on the side.  What a great choice!  The bread was sooo fresh, the thinly sliced roast beef was moist and tender and the caramelized onions added a wonderful little touch of sweetness.  To drink, I had a refreshing limonada with ginger.

Yummy roast beef sandwich

Five days later I had the opportunity to enjoy another lunch at Chez Céline.  Deciding what to order was even more difficult.  I had enjoyed the roast beef sandwich so much; I wanted to order it again.  But there were still many other menu items that I wanted to try – the brie salad or sandwich, the quiche of the day, the onion soup – so many choices and all sounding so good.  I closed my eyes and put my finger on the menu.  The croque monsieur was my fortune.  This traditional French ham and cheese sandwich was wonderfully rich and filling.  A definite winner.

Cheese topped croque monsieur

Each of my lunches ended with a trip inside to purchase a fresh baguette to take home and to ogle the cases filled with the many other lovely breads and sweet treats that they offer.  With good food, attentive service and reasonable prices, Chez Céline has found a repeat customer in me.

An éclair to go, please

In addition to their lunch menu, Chez Céline also offers a daily lunch special (drink, quiche and desert for under $100 pesos), a menu of sweet or savory crepes, as well as a menu of appetizers with wine paring in the evenings – so much to try.  Chez Céline, located on the north end of 5^th Avenue at 34^th Street, is open from 8 am to 10 pm, Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday).  You can find Chez Céline on Facebook or visit their website.

I will order this salad with grilled vegetables and melty brie cheese on my next visit

I have become a bit obsessed by plants and gardens.  Everywhere I go I am checking out the plants. I’m taking pictures of plants.  I’m chatting with people and asking questions about their plants. Plants this… gardens that.  I’m very sure this must be wearing on my friends a bit.  Now that I think about it, I think I believe I have seen a decrease in dinner invitations lately …

The good thing about being obsessed with plants is that here and there you will run across another one of your ‘kind’.  Gardeners like to share – knowledge, advice, cuttings, you name it.  One afternoon I arrived home to find a small Caladium in a sandwich-sized zip lock bag sitting in front of our gate – a gift from an anonymous plant person.  We’ve  received  offers to come get cuttings from others’ gardens, we’ve received gifts of oregano, cacti, a baby banana tree, elephant ears,  a coconut palm, a chaya plant, a lime tree and some plants that I have yet to identify.  Some will hopefully be stunning when they bloom (please grow, please bloom, pleeeeeease). 

These Mock Bird of Paradise were cut from plants that are now in our garden

Sadly, some of the plants we received did not make it.  It’s kind of funny how I became more attached to one plant than another.  For example, when the Ixora bush died after we moved it, I was all, ‘Ho Hum, put something else in its place.’  On the other hand, I babied the banana tree until there was simply no hope at all. The demise of the coconut palm almost broke my heart.   BUT, many of my favorite plants, including the lime tree, seem to have made it and that’s all that really matters.

Our lime tree!

We are very fortunate to have all of these great plants in our garden now.  But wait…. Who turned off the water?!?  Seriously, just days after the planting was done, the sky dried up.  There has been no rain for what seems like forever!  Occasionally we get a dark cloud or two that teases us into believing that some rain might fall.  Nothing.  Nada.  It really has been a struggle to keep these new plants alive.  Even the cacti have begun to droop.  I water like crazy.  What little grass we have growing amidst the weeds has begun to go brown and get crispy.  Whenever I see the tiniest bit of green grass, I water it.  The yard has become polka-dotted with tiny little patches of green here and there.  It has now become a game trying to connect the green dots. 

You know it’s dry when the cactus droops

A few small patches of green grass dot the dry yard

Aside from the near drought conditions and the few sad mortalities, most of the plantings are doing well.  As I water, I study them closely for signs of tender new growth and I am always happy and a bit proud to see a new little leaf popping out on a bare branch. 

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Post script:  When this blog was originally written, we had no measurable rain for close to 3 months.  EVERYTHING was suffering from the lack of rain.   I am happy to report that those lovely tropical rains have once again returned and our weeds are growing like… well, weeds!

If you’ve missed my previous blogs on my tropical garden, it’s not too late to catch up!

How my tropical garden grows – I have dirt!

How my tropical garden grows – a big  job ahead

We now have a yard and flower beds (and weeds)!  Hooray!  It is obvious that it has been some time since anyone tended the yard or garden and things have gotten out of control.  There are also some existing plants that are not thriving in their current location and will need to be moved.  A big job lies ahead.

In a previous life I might have gotten out the checkbook, called the yard guy, made a quick trip to the nursery for a load of new plants and by the end of the day, ta-da, a nice, neat yard with pretty flowers and lush yard.   But these days, with a limited budget, this garden will mostly grow (or not) from our very own blood, sweat and muddy tears.

I did break down and buy some moss rose

I am a planner.  I can also be a bit of a procrastinator.  I like to study the situation and formulate a plan of action. I stand in the yard or stare out the window, strategizing each step.  I want to research the different plants and their growing needs.  Sometimes I spend too much time planning (procrastinating) and get nothing actually accomplished.  My partner, Jurgen, on the other hand, is a jump right in and ‘get er done’ kinda guy, often known to say, “Let’s do something, even if it is wrong.”  So with Jurgen and our friend Alex operating the heavy equipment (a shovel), that’s exactly what we did.

The first task was to relocate several existing plants. A leafless vine with 1 yellow flower (Yellow Allamanda) was moved to the bed by the front entry.  I hope this plant survives as I picture it in full flower, climbing the wall by our front door.  A sickly Ixora bush was put in the ground near the bedroom slider.  I’m pretty sure it will need more sunlight than what it will get back there, but for some reason I am pretty blasé about this plant.  A healthy Ixora bush is beautiful.  This one, not so much.

Will this Yellow Allamanda grow up to look….

like this one?

The biggest job, by far, was to move 4-5 bougainvillea plants.  These plants were sad, spindly things with few leaves and no flowers (bracts).  They had been planted in the shady part of the yard and were in much need of more sunshine if they were to ever become the big, beautiful, flowering plants we wanted.  So out they came and back in the ground along the exterior wall of our property where they would receive full sun.  Here in Playa you frequently see enormous bougainvillea plants with mounds of flowers cascading over a wall.  This is our dream for these babies.

Some day we hope these bougainvillea will…

climb up and over the wall like this

It was a full morning of back breaking work for Jurgen and Alex.  Just as the last of the plants were being watered in, we enjoyed a nice, warm tropical rain.  I will take this as a sign that Chaac, the Mayan God of Rain, is pleased with our work.

This post is long overdue. As a matter of fact I should have written about this restaurant at least 5 years ago and probably many times since because it is my all time favorite restaurant in Playa del Carmen. I must have eaten at John Gray’s Place every birthday, Christmas Eve and Valentines day since it opened in 2004. Because it is good, and when something is good you want it as often as you can. But it is pricy, so not really a restaurant you go to every week, unless you have really deep pockets, which I don´t.  And now all of this has changed. No my pockets have not gotten deeper but John Gray´s place has become more affordable. A lot more affordable. Really? Cheaper instead of more expensive? I’ll explain.

A few weeks ago John Gray introduced a weekly changing, fixed price menu. Lunch now costs 100 pesos which includes a soda, refillable iced tea, or a beer. Dinner costs 200 pesos and this includes an appetizer and a main course. The fixed menu changes often, some things will be added, others removed. The old menu has gone, you can only order of the new menu which has something for everyone including several of the all time favorites like the pate, fresh fish fillet with mango salsa and ” The Duck” made over.

I can hear you thinking: they must serve smaller portions. Absolutely not. Check out the picture of the rustic vegetable lasagna with Portobello mushrooms I had for lunch, does that look small to you?

or the Greek salad

So then the food on the fixed price menu must be of inferior quality. Are you kidding me? It is the same great food I´ve always enjoyed at John Gray´s Place. Maybe better because there is so much choice with the changing menu. And you get to try new stuff every time which is great if you’re like me because I´ve had lunch there 3 times and dinner once since the introduction of the fixed priced menu. So I guess the new strategy is working. Or at least, it is working for me.

Basically John Gray wants a lot of people to come to his restaurant to eat his wonderful food. His strategy is to make it more affordable. I think he´s on to something.

That's Tyra and me having lunch

John Gray’s Place is located in Calle Corazon between 5^th Avenue and Calle 14, Playa del Carmen

For reservations you can call 984-803-3689 or email JohnGraysPlace@gmail.com

Opening hours are lunch Monday-Sunday, 1:00pm – 6:00pm and dinner Monday-Sunday, 6:00pm – 11:00pm

Bucket List:  Swimming with Whale Sharks = CHECK

Prior to living in Playa Del Carmen I knew nothing about whale sharks.  I wasn’t in Playa long and swimming with them was added to my bucket list.

There are many different whale shark tours available in the Riviera Maya.  This day I chose a tour departing early in the morning from the small island of Holbox.  We made our own way to the island and once there we checked in with the guide, Roberto, and obtained our permits. I headed straight for the coffee.

Then we got in the speed boat and we’re on our way.  During the 1.5-2 hour boat ride, Roberto gave us an informative talk on the whale sharks we hoped to see, as well as instructions on how we were allowed to interact with them.  We would be allowed to enter the water, two at a time, with our guide.  We would not be allowed to touch them or swim underneath them.  These rules were developed in an effort to cause as little stress to the whale sharks as possible and any breach of the rules could result in our tour being stopped.

Drawing by Robbie Cada, www.fishbase.org

As we sped along the green waters of the Gulf, we all kept our eyes open for the other marine life that is frequently seen along the way.  Our group was elated to spot several wild dolphins and a manta ray.  Truly an added bonus!

It wasn’t long and we got word to start watching for whale sharks! Until that moment I hadn’t really given much thought to what I was about to do.  I was about to jump into the water with a shark.  Not just any shark, but a shark the size of a whale!  Even though I knew I would not be in any danger, I was more than a little anxious when our first whale shark was spotted.  This spotted fish was as large as our boat!

in the water to snorkel with these giants

The boat maneuvered into position and I watched as the first group donned their masks and fins and entered the water.  The smile on their faces as they emerged from the water was enough to quell my fears and turn up my excitement.

My turn, and I’m ready to go!  I lowered myself into the water as Roberto reached for my hand.  Together we swam toward the enormous creature.  Had I not had my teeth firmly sunk into my snorkel, my jaw would have surely dropped in awe.  We kicked hard to keep up with the shark, but it was as if Roberto and I moved in slow motion as the whale shark swam effortlessly by.  My memories of this first encounter play like still photographs in my mind; the large, wide mouth, the deep blackness of its eye, the gaping gills so large they seemed as though I could swim right through them.  A flick of the tail fin and it was gone.

truly awesome

For a couple of hours we motored around, stopping to snorkel with several different whale sharks, each of us having three or four chances to join them in the water.  All too soon it was time to say good bye to the whale sharks and make our return trip to Playa.

It was a long, tiring, wonderful day.  As I returned home I was too exhilarated to sleep, lying in bed reliving this once in a lifetime experience of swimming with the whale sharks.

Whale sharks migrate to the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula during the months of June to September.  For general information about the whale sharks click here.

There are a number of different tour options available to you to swim with the whale sharks.  Some take more time, others more money.  If you would like our assistance in booking your whale shark tour, please contact us at tyra@latidodemexico.com

Jose Cuervo factory with the church in the distance

I didn’t expect much from the tour of the Jose Cuervo factory but it turned out to be a lot of fun. It is entirely possible that the tequila samples provided along the way had something to do with its success. I did learn a few things about tequila though. For example, did you know that:

* tequila is made from the Weber blue agave plant and to be called Tequila it has to be made of at least 51%  blue agave that has grown and has been harvested in one of the 4 states certified by the Mexican government: Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.

* There are 2 categories of tequila: Tequila 100% de agave and tequila with a lower agave content that is called Tequila or  Tequila “mixto” (mixed)

* there are 5 types of tequila: blanco, joven, reposado, añejo and extra añejo and the difference has to do with the aging process and  the length of the aging of the tequila in the wooden barrels which cause the change in flavor and color

tequila barrels

* the traditional tequila glass is called caballito, little horse, or tequilita. Caballitos were originally called cuernitos, which means little horn.

the evolution of the tequila glass

* Jose Cuervo carries a lot of brands of tequila, including Jose Cuervo Especial Reposado, this is the most sold tequila world-wide, Tradicional, 1800, Centenario, and Reserva La Familia.

* the Jose Cuervo family has been making tequila for over 250 years

* Cuervo means crow! This explains the big crow called ´Pepe´ sitting in the cage at the factory. I had no idea. and yes I do speak Spanish.

Pepe

The tour ends at the bar, of course, where you get a free margarita before they send you on your way. Salud!

More information about Jose Cuervo and the tours of the factory  can be found on the Mundo Cuervo website. Another great source of information about Tequila in general can be found on the Tequila Source website.

When I moved to Playa del Carmen more than 10 years ago there were only a few beach clubs to choose from. The places I used to hang out were first the Blue Parrot and later Costa del Mar (or El Pirata). Things have certainly changed for the better. We now have so many beach clubs it is hard to choose where to go. There’s Bad Boys, Fusion, Zenzi and El Faro / Wicky’s, Mamitas, KOOL, and Canibal Royal to name only a few.

The beach at Indigo

Since 2010 there’s also Indigo Beach Club, located on Calle 14 and the beach. There are many things good at Indigo: the location (around the corner from my house), the sun beds, chairs and umbrellas (comfortable), the music (during the day it is low key lounge music with some exceptions), the food (Asian / Mexican fusion with Mediterranean influences), and the service (most of the time).

Indigo restaurant terrace

Some things are exceptionally good like the breakfast buffet that is served on the weekends. It is an Italian style buffet that offers several types of (home-made) breads both sweet and savory, jams, cheeses, salamis, ham, olives, artichokes, fresh fruit, yogurt and cereals. You can also order a hot dish, ranging from the standard stuff, omelets and fried eggs, to the more adventurous like huevos a la Mexicana or chilaquiles (a typical Mexican comfort food breakfast dish). You can also try the Eggs Benedictine, perfectly cooked, served on a muffin. The price of the buffet is also very nice, 130 pesos with a coffee/tea and juice included. Not bad for a Saturday on the beach in Playa del Carmen.

Indigo Beach Club

What annoys me however, and this is certainly not limited to Indigo, is the lack of transparency regarding the cost of the beach chairs. The beaches and beach clubs are all public in Playa, with the exception of the all inclusive hotels in Playacar, and most of them will be happy to have your business but nobody is ever able to tell you how much you will have to pay to use one or more beach chairs for the day. It seems to depend on how much you consume, how many other clients they have, how well the “season” is going, and if they like you (or not). It can happen that one day the chairs are for free and the next day they show up on your bill. It has been like this in Playa for as long as I can remember and if there’s one thing I’ve learned while living here, is that you don’t try to change, what you can’t change. So I just go with the flow. Grudgingly.

All in all Indigo is a wonderful beach club and restaurant, I’ll continue going there and not just because it is so close to my house.

Indigo Beach Club at El Taj on the beach

Feel free to comment with your ‘Playa-beach-chair-rental-experiences’. I’d love to hear about it.

Indigo Beach Club on Calle 14 and the beach, open daily. For more information you can check out Indigo’s website or Facebook page.

I sat at the computer listening to it rain outside.   As often is the case on a rainy day, my mind went to food.  Not just any food, but comfort food.  In no mood to cook for myself, I checked the Facebook page for Mom’s Bar & Grill to see what was on the menu that night.  CHICKEN FRIED STEAK!  Perfect!  To a Texan, nothing says comfort food better than Chicken Fried Steak and mashed potatoes, smothered in gravy.

Mom’s Bar and Grill is located on the corner of 30th Avenue and 4th Street, upstairs at Mom’s Hotel

So to Mom’s Bar and Grill I went.  After (over) filling my need for comfort food, I stuck around to socialize a bit.  Mom’s Bar & Grill is the ‘Cheers’ in Playa del Carmen.  It is the rare occasion to belly up to the bar and not find a group of expats telling stories, or a couple of tourists or hotel guests to meet and chat with.  Maybe a game of pool or throwing darts suits your fancy or if you happen to visit Mom’s Bar on a Tuesday or Thursday you can join in on a friendly game of Texas Hold ‘Em poker.

My enormous serving of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and corn!

Mom’s Bar and Grill is located on the corner of 30^th Avenue and 4^th Street, upstairs at Mom’s Hotel.  In addition to being a full service bar, with great prices, Mom’s also offers a nightly dinner special.  The proprietor and chef at Mom’s Bar & Grill, Jurgen Janz , welcomes guests into his ‘living room’ Monday through Friday from 5 pm to 11 pm, with dinner served from 6 pm to 10 pm, or until the food runs out.   With a rotating menu of meals such as meatloaf, hickory smoked baby back ribs, bacon and portabella mushroom stuffed pork chops, just to name a few, you would swear they were cooked by mom herself.   The best part is that the prices won’t break the bank (half orders start at $50 pesos with full orders starting at $80 pesos).

Jurgen and his beautiful bartenders, Tanya and Yessica

So the next time you feel the need for comfort food in Playa del Carmen, check out Mom’s Bar & Grill…. where something good is always cooking.

Glad I saved room for the chocolate devil rum cake