Sometime after August 3rd, baby turtles will be released on the East Side of the island by the Department of Ecology. We witnessed one of these events last year and they are a lot of fun, especially for the kids involved. If you want to find out more about the turtle release program drop by the Dept. of Ecology at 65th and 11th from 9 am to 3 pm, or call 872-5792. It would be best if you know some Spanish.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, SEMARNAT, has finally weighed in on what to do about the cenote blocking the road to the new car ferry pier on Cozumel. SEMARNAT is the same group that allowed the destructive sand dredging from Cozumel's North Sand Bank, and their word is final. They have decreed that Cozumel shall build a bridge over the cenote and nothing shall touch this waterhole. The media has flip-flopped on the issue, and now the once sacred and untouchable cenote has now become nothing more than "a breeding ground for toads and dengue carrying mosquitoes." We think the new disapproval stems from the projected cost to tax payers of the bridge, some 8 million pesos. Pesos that could be better spent on other island projects.
An Isla Mujeres fisherman has become the first victim of a Lion Fish attack near that island. The fisherman was 6K off shore when he was stung, and was raced to the hospital by his friends. He was treated for severe pain and observed for several hours before he was released in good condition. The article noted that there has not been enough effort to rid the waters around Isla of Lion Fish, and that Cozumel was doing the best job by far of capturing and killing the invading fish.The latest report of attempted rental car fraud comes from Island Choppers, located on Juarez between 10th and 15th Avenue. When a family of Colombians returned their rental vehicle, damage was found on the car. When the renters pointed out that the damage had been noted on their rental agreement the agent said "too bad, you owe 2500 pesos." The renters said no way, and even though they were about to miss their ferry, drove to the police station and got the cops involved. At that point the rep from Island Choppers backed down and agreed that nothing more was owed. Sometimes you just have to stand your ground and say "NO" to highway robbery!
You would think that journalists would know better than to believe everything they read, but apparently not. A group of reporters from Guadalajara booked a week stay at the very trendy Mosquito Blue Hotel and Spa in Playa Del Carmen. They believed the website when it promised "the perfect oasis" and they ponied up several thousand dollars based on website hooks like: Mosquito Blue redefines luxury and pampering with special touches that are the hallmark...for this unique Mexico resort. Reality did not agree with internet hype and when the reporters found the floor of their room crawling with mold, broken doors and windows, dirty bathrooms, and faulty air conditioning they wanted their money back. When that failed, they complained to the Department of Tourism demanding that hotels be punished for false advertising and creating a poor image of the area. False advertisers beware!
Unfortunately, the Cozumel City Dump is still a drop off point for anyone wanting to get rid of a dog. This is not a good thing, as these strays are wandering the East Side beaches and have the potential to destroy turtle nests and disrupt turtle egg laying operations. The Animal Control Center has started rounding up these no longer loved family members, capturing 12 in the past week. There is not a happy ending for these abandoned doggies.Officials are reporting that 862 turtle nests have been located on the East Side so far this year. They say that 1600 baby turtles have already hatched. The article notes that those baby turtles will be released sometime in August. Officials request that East Side visitors not mess with those stakes that mark the nests and to let someone know if they see baby turtles making a run to the water.
From our "Why don't they do this on Cozumel?" department comes a nifty idea from Cancun...Pedicabs! Horseless carriages for 2 that are pulled by bicycle power. The cabs cost around 6000 pesos and are very Eco friendly, which we like. They would also be cheaper to operate than the maligned horse and buggy rides currently on the island, and may encourage operators to give up the use of horses altogether. Sounds like a win-win to us!
Cozumel Reefs National Park (PNAC) is celebrating its 14th year in operation. The park is visited by some 400,000 divers a year and is home to 289 species of fish. The PNAC is also responsible for ecosystems above the water such as tropical forests, coastal scrub and mangroves. The park is 11 thousand 987 hectares large and runs from south of the International Piers around the south end of the island and a ways up the East coast. Check it out your next trip to Cozumel.
It looks like the life of island casino, Club 21, will be a contentious one. The casino had just opened and has now been closed following a late night inspection by City Officials. They found violations a plenty, including lack of signage marking evacuation routes, employees who did not know how to use first aid kits and electrical cables arranged in a disorderly manner. Even though there were no signs to point the way out, casino patrons seemed to find the door easily enough when officials started unplugging the slot machines.Word on the street is to avoid the HSBC ATM machine at the Mega Grocery store on Cozumel. It seems that it will not pay off in pesos but will deduct money from your bank account. Don't let bank issues ruin your Cozumel holiday.
We mentioned some time ago that the owners of Passion Island are 3 years behind on fees owed the city. It seems there is a charge to use the federal zone, the area that extends a distance from the water's edge inland, and that fee of 3 million pesos has not been paid. The city has begun the legal process to seize Passion Island from the owner/operators. We doubt anything will happen for a long time though as the Mexican Court System also operates on "Manana Time!"
Cozumel's first casino, Club 21, held it's grand opening over the weekend, and according to reports, the invitation only event was a huge success. In spite of that success, the current mayor of the island does not want this business in island neighborhoods and has thrown up obstacles to stop the project. The most recent is the threat that the casino will be subject to more taxes and fees. But for now it seems those obstacles have been over come and Club 21 is here to stay. Word on the street is that they have the loosest slots on the island!
A new mayor of Cozumel has been elected and is just waiting to be sworn in to take office. Mayor elect, Joaquin Gonzalez Aurelio, is gearing his administration towards attracting more tourism and generating more jobs for Cozumeleņos. He says he will also focus on issues raised by his constituency: education, public safety, health and sports. This sounds like the usual political fare to us. The real issue is will he allow Club 21 to stay in it's current location on 7th avenue or make them move it to another more tourist friendly spot?We have heard disturbing news about some of the car rental agencies on Cozumel. It seems they are requiring that the renter take out full coverage insurance and then not buying that insurance from the provider. The payment for insurance coverage, a substantial amount that easily doubles the cost of the rent car, just goes into the owners pocket. That leaves the renter stuck with the bill should there be an accident. One recent case involved a lady severely injured and hospitalized who, after thinking she was paying for insurance, found out she had to cover ALL costs out of her own pocket! Until this shakes out maybe the best thing to do is use a reputable national rental chain when you rent a car on Cozumel.The word is that tourist complaints, about buying fake jewelery and over priced timeshares on Cozumel, are down for the year. PROFECO, kind of like Mexico's Better Business Bureau, is were everyone, including foreigners, goes to complain about deals gone bad in Mexico. PROFECO reports that while much time may go by before a claim is settled, all claims by foreigners are settled in their favor. That is a surprise to us but good news indeed!
So far this year there have been 7 dog attacks of Cozumeleņos. Most of the victims have been under age children. Officials blame the dog's owners for not giving the animals the attention they need...regular walks at least 3 times a week...and owners should not treat their pets mean. The article notes that 463 stray dogs have been captured on the streets this year and of those 406 have been euthanized. Bottom line is more walks, less strays and happier pets.
Just an early heads up that Cozumel will play host to the Ironman Event for the second year in a row. The mega race will be held on Sunday, November 28, 2010. So far over 1800 participants have signed up and paid the $550 non-refundable fee to compete in the swimming, bicycling and running events. Sponsors anticipate some 5000 plus athletes and supporters will visit Cozumel during this event. Last year's participants gave Cozumel very high marks as one of the best Ironman locations ever.
Cozumel's new car ferry pier at Caletita is essentially finished. There is now a parking lot for cars and trucks, complete with restaurants and waiting areas for passengers, on 30th. Avenue 30 is going to get very busy with traffic as all vehicles will queue up there before boarding the ferry. The only thing that is causing a delay is the large sink hole that is blocking the new road to the pier, and that is causing some considerable head scratching. By law the cenote can't just be filled in. And the city does not own the land so can't just build around it. A bridge has been considered and apparently rejected for now. The city is open to any an all suggestions regarding what to do about this natural impasse.
Islands Magazine has picked Cozumel as one of the best islands in the world to live on. We already knew that, and finally Islands Mag has jumped on board our Cozumel bandwagon! The criterion for selection was based on such factors as real estate values, ease of immigration, expat communities, and quality of island life. Cozumel was ranked 16th on the list, while Hawaii's Big Island took the top spot.One of Cozumel's City Council members has taken on the role of school yard bully and has been censured by the Town Council. Manuel Barrientos Gurrigutia has started at least 3 fights in City Hall, the last of which involved throwing things, and was witnessed by several citizens including a young athlete. The fights are mostly with other councilmen. The Mayor has apologized for the brawling and said that this is not the way city officials should behave. For the remainder of his term Manuel will not be allowed to brawl in City Hall, and must move his office to another, as of yet unnamed, location.If you will be on Cozumel this July 4th weekend keep in mind that alcohol sales will be curtailed on Sunday. This occurs whenever a big election is happening on the island, and is an effort to keep the citizens sober and focused on the exciting world of politics (see preceding article). The ban will begin at 12 am Sunday and run to 12 pm Sunday. As far as we know, only packaged liquor sales will be effected. Hotels and restaurants catering to tourists will be providing the usual island libations.
The cruise industry, and Cozumel's life blood, is continuing to generate bad press on the island. The latest affront comes in the form of a brochure that encourages cruisers to not waste their precious time on Cozumel shopping, but to "Make Memories" instead. Then do all the shopping on board ship where they will receive a no hassle money back guarantee for everything they buy. Maybe cruisers could just forget about shopping entirely and buy stuff on sale at their neighborhood department store...they get the same money back guarantee there too.For passengers arriving on Cozumel by ferry from Playa they may soon be disembarking via runways to the second floor of the new ferry building...maybe. It seems the new, and pricey, ramps were built 3 feet higher than the ships they will service and are just not safe to use. Of course with the oceans reportedly rising, then given enough time, things could eventually work themselves out and the ramps would be good to go.A program Called "Clean Cozumel" has been in operation for a year now, and it is responsible for having swept up 250 abandoned cars from city streets. Once a car is determined to be abandoned then it is towed to the impound lot. If the owner even wants the rusty scrap of metal back then he needs to pay 700 pesos for it. We like this idea of getting these eye sores off the streets, and imagine that at some point the bulk of these vehicles will be sold for scrap.Two of Cozumel's Finest were injured by rubber bullets while the boys were playing at cops and robbers. One officer was shot several times in the shoulder and another was bleeding from head wounds. We did not even know that Cozumel Cops had rubber bullets to play with, but hope the next time they practice with them they wear protective head and eye gear.
Counterfeit 200 and 500 peso bills are making the rounds on Cozumel. You might pay attention to the source you get pesos from, but beyond that if you get stuck with bogus bills you are pretty much out of luck as far as getting your money back.
Pullmantur Cruises has concluded its first season of using Cozumel as a Mini-Home Port. Pullmantur was reportedly so successful that they will conduct the same cruise next season. Cozumel did not fare as well and that prompted some to ask "Is that all there is?" Most tour providers were not even aware the ship was on the island since they got no business from it. Cancun received the lion share of hotel stays since all flights went in to CUN and not CZM. Cozumeleņos would like to see more of a commitment from Pullmantur to train locals for jobs with the cruise line and bring cruisers to the island for a longer period of time so restaurants, taxistas and shops can receive some economic benefit too.Cozumel Police Officers are seeing more kids riding motorcycles, and in this case that is not a good thing. More and more kids on Cozumel are driving the family scooter without a license, but with permission from Mom and Dad to take the moto for a spin. This year there have been 497 accidents on Cozumel and 34% of them have been caused by motorcycle drivers acting irresponsibly or reckless...Sounds like typical teens to us.
As of this week banks on Cozumel are supposed to be converting US Dollars into pesos again. Banks were ordered some time ago to stop taking dollars in an effort to curb money laundering, but that also impacted negatively on the tourist trade...who wants to lose money using one of the Casas de Cambio in the street when they should be able to get a much better rate at the local bank. To make a transaction at a bank you will need your passport. Good luck and let us know how how it goes.
We are 30 days into turtle nesting season on Cozumel and 110 nests have been located on the East Side so far. The Director of Ecology says that every night, 3 or 4 turtles arrive on the beach and lay between 90 and 120 eggs per nest. He anticipates greater numbers of turtles arriving in the next few days. Volunteers are patrolling the beaches nightly to mark nests and protect the turtles from predators. We are assuming that the East Side road will be closed to citizens after sundown, unless they are involved with helping in the turtle preservation program.
No transsexuals will be allowed to participate in a Gay Beauty Pageant this Friday on Cozumel. Gay Contestants only will be judged for singing, modeling and costume design. Proceeds from the event will go to DIF, a program to help pregnant teens and children with cancer on Cozumel. What with the Hotel Fontan going "Gay and Lesbian" there does seem to be a certain pinkish tint to the island these days.
More news has come out about the devastation at Cozumel's North Sand Bank. The dredging, that ended in February, sucked up way more sand than the law allowed. In fact, in some areas, they dredged over 3 meters down to bare rock and doing so removed a layer of micro algae that served as food for the endangered pink conch. Biologists say it will take 10 years for the area to recover to its pre-dredging status. We are surprised that it has taken 4 months for any report about the area to come out.
If you had been on Ave Melgar Monday night you may have thought a hurricane was coming, as several merchants raced to install their hurricane shutters. Turns out it was just for practice so new and old employees could get the hang of hanging the mostly wooden shutters. Remember, there were no hurricane threats last year, but lots of storm activity is forecast for this season. Hopefully the shutters will not be needed again, but practice makes perfect.Just when we thought no one cared anymore, along comes a story about the devastation on Cozumel's North Sand Bank. Reportedly the remains of the sand bank are now a bleak reminder of its past splendor before the dredging. The area is littered with the remains of conch shells, and broken coral. We have heard, but not confirmed, that the eagle rays have not returned to the area. Hopefully the video and pictures (which we are waiting to see) will prevent further dredging from taking place in this protected and environmentally sensitive area.
Lot's of illegal stuff has been going on in Cozumel's Marine Park, apparently because Park Rangers have only been concerned with collecting a fee per tourist in the park and not really patrolling for trouble. In addition to the illegal underwater cemetery we mentioned, now we have word of poaching and illegal fishing activities. Long lines with dozens of hooks have been found attached to buoys and unmarked boats have been seen illegally fishing in the Marine Park in broad daylight...these poachers have no fear of the law. Park officials are appealing to Cozumel fishermen to stop fishing where it is against federal law!
One of our favorite little restaurants on the square has been closed, reportedly for not paying taxes. Mozaicoz reportedly owes some 150,000 pesos in back taxes and the restaurant will stay shuttered until the owners come to an agreement with City Hall. Workers at the restaurant are bummed at losing their jobs, especially during another slow season.
We did not know this, but apparently Palancar Reef has become a sort of memorial for deceased divers who have loved Cozumel and wanted some memory of them to remain with the island. Metal crosses, plaques and water proof photos are just some of the mementos left behind. All that is about to end though as divers have now begun to nail plaques into the living coral. This is not a good thing as the coral will die. The management of the Marine Park says "no mas" and to stop it now! We wonder if they will have some sort of security watching the area for violators.
Our Jet Blue flight from Orlando to Cancun was great. We arrived in Terminal 2...no crowd. There were thermal scanners set up at Immigration, and everyone HAD to fill out a form...you could write anything on it, but you had to write something down. One lady failed to hand in a form, and she was stopped until she had completed one.
The ticket counter for the bus to Playa is now outside, right where the buses depart at Terminal 2 (the old terminal). The entire east end of Terminal 2 is now sealed off to entry (exit only), and there are no vendors there anymore. We were also accosted to buy a timeshare, take a taxi, or book a shuttle a minimum of 10 times (far more than in the past), which may be a sign of slow times.
The bus departed at 3:39 pm and only had about 7 people on board. We were not sure if they had added a bus or not, but we were very happy with the quick connection.
The new highway through/over Puerto Morelos is going to be nice when completed. You will be able to pass over PM and not slow down at all. As for now, you still have to take the side road.
We had about an hour to wait for the next ferry at Playa, so we enjoyed Happy Hour Negra Modelo and Limonada on the beach. The 6pm Mexico Boat was packed and slow leaving the pier. The new ferry pier on Cozumel was nice, and Glo said they had the "best bathrooms ever" - still clean and new with toilet seats intact!
A taxi whisked us to the condo and only over-charged us 10 pesos. Our penthouse was spotlessly clean as always, and one of our Cozumel amigos had left us a bag of limes at the door...It was Margarita Time!
We did dinner at Thai Noodle Bar just 2 blocks from our place. The food was better than we remembered, and they had taken the prices back to their original lower ones. The small bowl was $6 and the large was $9. Ernesto was a great host as always.
Saturday we picked up the rental car from Avis (we got a free upgrade to an automatic) and then went to meet Mom at the Coz airport. This was her second visit in 7 years. Big delay in the airport, as one, solitary guy was off-loading 5 pieces of luggage at a time and then running around to x-ray them in the scanner...only in Mexico!
We grabbed a bite at Pancho's Backyard. We had never been there for lunch (usually a big cruiser hang then) and it was really good. The Chicken Nachos were named by us the new "best on the island."
We settled Mom in at the Melia and then made the Mega run...$80 for a week's worth of breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and lots of Marg fixings!
We were surprised to find that the internet often worked at the Melia this trip.
Also we were delighted to find that the beach at the Melia was wider than we have seen it in the last 9 years! Also there were no submerged rocks any more - it is only a sandy entrance into the water! The water was a mixed bag of clear and cloudy, and still affected by the silt from the northern mangrove swamp. Word was that the Melia was only 20% occupied.
Over at the El Cozumeleno, they are building a sand bag wall to save their beach. The water entrance is far more rocky than we remember it, too.
Dinner that night was at Kinta.
We were able to get an indoor table, but some folks were turned away...advice is to make a reservation! We got a couple of the snapper dishes and were disappointed. While the sauce was great, the fish was on the mushy side. Glory's veggie "Chiladas" were great, and she said it was one of her best meals on the island!
Now things kind of run together, as they so often do with any Cozumel visit. We did a few projects at our condo. Glory traded out massages with Sally. We sat in the sun a few days and did a lot of reading and eating. We did a great East Side tour, though.
Senor Iguana's for lunch. It was our first time to try this spot, and we did miss having our toes in the sand, a la Mezcalito's (we ate inside the restaurant to save Mom the steep climb down the stairs to the beach). Burgers, while smallish, were fine...50 pesos. They did a very nice salad for Glory. Watch the bill, though....they are still tacking on the IVA tax. The waiter immediately removed it when I pointed out the error! The place was very busy with cruisers, and if they all paid the tax (and I'm sure they did) then Sr Iguana's did a nice job of adding to their bottom line!
From there we drove down to the beach with the Arches. Glory started chatting with a black coral salesman and of course he made us a deal!
Black Coral for everyone for Christmas this year! We finished out our crawl at Palancar Beach. The waiters were happy to see us, in spite of our only ordering drinks.
The Palancar peacocks performed very colorful mating rituals for us!
We ended the afternoon watching a fantastic sunset from the now closed Pyrates Bar. Note that if you open a car door or window at sunset you will be swarmed by mosquitoes!
La Choza for lobster...210 pesos per meal and it was pretty good. Veggie fajitas were spot on, as usual. Not a big crowd in the house.
Casa Denis, where we met up with Scuba Tony, Encarna, and the gang from Casa Amor. My Pork Pibil was pretty salty, veggie fajitas were greasy, and the chicken was on the dry side. The only thing to say about the free margs was that they were free. The restaurant was busy.
Mission Grill on 30th...We went on a very hot night. The grilled mero was excellent and well priced at 80 pesos. Everything else was perfect. Big surprise was the great Marg...tres fuerte! A good showing of locals in the house.
Sorrisi for pizza and salads. The pizza was great and the evening would have been perfect, except the waiter who wanted to bring us a bottle of water (charge) instead of a glass of water (no charge). The restaurant was pretty empty while we were there. The Gelato shop across the street is spacious and open and the gelato is tasty...we hit it three nights in a row. Currently you can dine al fresco at the Gelato Shop and order off the Sorrisi menu. Their waiters will walk the food across the street. You can NOT currently order gelato to be delivered to your table in Sorrisi...go figure!
We liked it so much we went back to the Thai Noodle House. Another big crowd with Tommy and Sarah from Villas Zaz Tun and John and Jackie from Casa Amor. Coz I Can David sat in as well. If you have a crowd you might want to make reservations here, as this is a very small venue.
Our last night we took Mom to another of her favorite spots, Pancho's Backyard. She thinks this is one of the most colorful restaurants on the island...food is good, too! Glory loves the Banana and Walnut-Stuffed Chili Rellenos. The shrimp and fish were very well prepared. Note: you cannot smoke at indoor tables at La Choza or Mission Grill (open-air restaurants), but there is not a problem smoking at Pancho's.
As soon as I pulled out a cigar the waiter was there to light it up for me! Also you get a 20% discount on meals at Pancho's if you are local.
An odd thing occurred with our Avis rental car. Half way through the week we got a call from Avis telling us they needed to come pick up our car for critical servicing for our safety. They could not be more specific, but did offer us any car in their fleet. As long as it was automatic, anything was fine with us. The replacement was a big red Dodge with a full tank of gas. There was no mention made, or charge for, the half tank of gas we had already used in the car we turned in. We never did find out why they needed the first car back in such a rush. Maybe this was some kind of customer reward program.
Side notes...they were taking "empty" water bottles away from passengers as they boarded flights out of Cancun. They took Mom's knitting needles as she departed Cozumel. Maybe Mexican TSA knows something American TSA does not! While you cannot go to Cozumel banks and get pesos for dollars, you can get pesos at Playa Banks...go figure!