Beach Book Review Juliet

Taking Care of Business in the Riviera Maya

Who takes care of business in Mexico?   It is the life of the Siesta, the place of ‘manana’ and things take a long long time.  Our secret is out, you can have all of this and take care of business, so how is that for a great life/work balance.

Where the heck am I going with this.  This post really stems from a client review that made me smile.  It was posted on facebook on our fanpage and said the following:

People always comment on the wonderful carving work on the doors when they see the photos…and Bouganvilla by the Pool and Lobby.

On another note, I’m not ga-ga over Elvis (Although growing up I liked his cheeky movies) but I DO remember his “Taking Care of Business” motto and TCB emblem he always wore…
The TCB logo and signage always reminded me of that (His had a Lightning bolt). But…The TCB DOES take care of business, so in a way, it relates~!

The history of the TCB logo is a funny one and shows how we make things simple.  I dont know if people know this but we have  few businessses, The Abyss Dive Center, Hotel Tropical CasaBlanca and Cenote Dive Center.  as we started to add more businesses, we started to create short forms for each of them.  Abyss Dive Center became ‘Abyss’, Cenote Dive Center became “CDC’ and Tropical CasaBlanca became TCB.  It became to difficult to refer to each business as its ‘real’ name so Dave and I started to speak in our own language.  The staff caught on, the customers caught on and now we have actually branded the businesses as such.

Now CDC is not to be mixed up with the Center for Disease Control, which, we did think about.  But we have no issue with TCB being mistaken for TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS as we actually like that.  And i think our track record has proven that we are taking care of business.

Very few hotels are as diverse as we are, taking care of guests who have very diverse interests and vacation intentions.  Located across the street from the beach, our prices are a great deal and you get many extras just to make your holiday that much easier. The employees are great at teaching, explaining, understanding, referring, talking, chatting and just making sure you are okay.  Whatever you need, they are up for finding it for you, or just pointing you in the right direction.  Bottom line is, we just care, we care about you, your experience, your comfort, your needs and the fact that you have chosen Mexico as your vacation destination.  That for any of us speaks a thousand words.  We love where we are and love our location.  But most importantly, we love to have you here, with us, under our roof and sharing our treasures, the cenote, the pool, our turtles, our fruit, and what we know.

If that is taking care of business, then we will take care of business each and every day, with a smile and loving it, as this is all effortless to us.

Beach Book Review WAR-Sebastian Junger

I found this a bit coincidental that I have just read Buddah and the Terrorist and then went into WAR but Sebastian Junger.  Hmmm, my explanation, none, but I have to say I have no regrets.  War was a great piece of jounalism that gave a NON War civilian an insiders perspective on what happens to a soldier, in this case during the Afghan war.

I am not a believer in War as a strategy, and this is not the platform to discuss this. But after reading this book,  I have to say I emailed every single soldier I have ever come in contact with and said, Thank you.  Whether i believe in this practice or not, Junger drove home what it is like to be behind the lines, the psyche of a combat soldier and the belief that many of them have in the idea of a team, the welfare of their  brothers and the reason they are out there.  It is a chosen lifestyle and I was floored as to why combat soldiers chose this profession and what really happened on the field.

Unlike other movies or renditions of War, Junger is conducting a piece of journalism, going out there with the combat soldiers, watching how they work, finding out how they think, and what makes a soldier stay alive in some of the worst conditions and land flights.  This is not a story about War, it is a story about the players in war and I could not put this book down!

The book is about leadership, family, community, respect for your brothers/sisters and trying to protect civilians in a war zone who you don’t even know.  It talks about the efficiency and necessity of  the combat plans but plans only work if each combat soldier is there to protect their comrads.  Junger has done some interesting research on the combat soldier showing that if the soldiers are not working as a team, with a brotherly love for each of the soldiers they work with, they would all die.  What set platoons apart was their innate desire to protect each other, to take a fall no matter what, to make sure they are all 100% for each other.  Soldiers who thinks as individuals, die, soldiers who think as a team dont.

These lessons can be brought out of combat and taken into our real lives.  No one can live on an island and if you do, you wont make it.  Living is about community, watching your neighbours back and them watching yours.  Life, like war is not a game, it is the real thing, and we have all to think of each other as a brother, like the combat soldiers do.  Junger mentions that the soldiers do not necessarily like each other, there are personalities that just dont click in a platoon, but that does not stop them for watching each others back in combat.

To all soldiers, I share my respect for how you have worked together, the philosophy that has kept you alive to talk about and your basic respect for the human life, no matter what it takes to save it.  My hat is off to you!

Here is a great article from the New York Times about Jungers Book.  And an additional one from the Washington Post.

Up, up and away in Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya

I had an amazing and eye opening experience a few weeks back which reminded me that everything is relative.  For the first time, and I am a bit embarrassed to say this, I went up in a mini plane and saw the coast of the Riviera Maya by air!  I am a bit embarrassed as I have been in the area for 10 years and can not believe that it has taken me this long to venture up into the sky.  I spent many years down below, scuba diving, which has given me some great experiences and perspectives, but going up was a wonderful trip!

It was a beautiful day and the ocean was calm.  This enabled me to see turtles and sting rays from the air, ruins in the jungle that had no path leading to them and the lagoons of the Sian Kaan from a perspective I have never ever seen before!  My thoughts after this trip are these:

1.  Playa is NOT as big as we all think it is.  Our perspective is relative and though we think it is a metropolis, it really is not.  Yes, it is bigger than the Playa del Carmen we knew many years ago but it is not a metropolis.  And there are no tall buildings that can be leaped in a single bound, like superman does in Chicago or New York.  Cancun from the air is big, Playa, not so much…it just feels big, that is all.

2.  There is a lot of dead space on the coast meaning, there is a lot of undeveloped jungle, beaches and areas where no one has gone in and built yet.  There is a lot of weekend adventure trips that can be made in search of something new, something unseen, something different.

3.  Resorts are BIG!  There are some resorts that i swear looked bigger than Akumal, as big as Playa and they are really mini cities.  Though my friends knew which was which, I just could not believe how enormous these places are.  When booking a resort think twice about what you are doing as you are likely booking a mini city experience without the cultural and Mexican flare that you can get in the small towns of the area.  Up to you, but when I travel I want a taste of the area.

4.  The ocean is grand and wonderful and amazing and blue!  wow, wow is all I can say.  I think I was far more mesmerized by the ocean than I was the land.  YOu could clearly see sting rays, turtles and coral reefs.  It is a vast pice of property and makes me think we should be taking care of the ocean first and land second.  WOW!!!

Here are some photos taken on my iphone.  No they are not great quality and I did not even think to bring a better camera.  It will have to do until my next trip when I go to Isla Holbox or Isla Mujeres, or somewhere else to see the coast from a different perspective.

Is thi a part from the plane?? before take off we found thi on the back seat. Quick jaime as the pilot if he needs it!!

The piolt, a super guy and great flyer!

The coast on land

Puerto Adventuras

Looking north from the Sian Kaan

Beach Book Review–Atonement by Ian McEwan

I have been waiting to read this book for years.  Ian McEwan is one of my favorite authors and those who have read it have only said great things about it!  Finally I have the chance to read this ‘Bucket” List book, and as usual a great read due to Mr. McEwan writing style.

I will give you a heads up on how to read this book.  (and I wish someone had done this for me).  The first 100 pages of character development is tough.  It is a necessary part of the story but hard to get through.  I was questioning the reviews when I was trying to get through this part, and I have to admit it took me seemingly forever.  Once I got through it, the book could not be put down!  It is a sorry where you stay up late, fall asleep with your reading glasses on and book in your lap as your mind does not want to stop but your body says Sleep please!

The book is placed in the early 1900′s around the time of the war.  The characters are simple in the beginning and though there is a lot of history that has to be relayed, you travel through 60 years of this family’s life.  It was a mix of Romeo and Juliet, Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Gone with the Wind all in one book.  It weaves the lives of this family brilliantly showing love, deceit, ego and forgiveness through one story.  All families have secrets, and this family has a big one.  The only people who know the truth are five characters and they are played brilliantly through the writing.

In other Ian McEwan novels, his shock in the story comes at the end.  In Atonement he just continues to shock you throughout the book.  If you saw the movie, don’t think that you can bypass the novel, it seems that the movie starts half way through the book and leaves out some important character development that will help in the telling of the tale.

His historical facts about the war are taken from the archives and letters in the Imperial War museum in London England.  I dont know if the story has some truth to it, or if it was inspired by the research he did.  Nevertheless, it is a great read, a writing victory again for Mr. McEwan and now off my Bucket list of things to read.

Read more about Atonement here Atonement: A Novel

And the winner is..the Riviera Maya!

ABC just released a survey that shows the top 10 travel destinations for the upcoming year.  Check out the article at ABC.com and see the results for yourself.

Playa Del Carmen, the Riviera Maya and Cancun rated in the top 10 of the best destinations to travel to for the Christmas Holidays, and 2010.  As people that live here, of course we think that these destinations should be #1, but there are some great reasons to visit this area of mexico if planning a holiday in the near or distant future.

1.  Amazing beaches.  This side of Mexico has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and they are all open to the public.  The white sandy beaches, the clear blue wates of the Caribbean ocean, fun places to sit and just listen to the waves….the Riviera Maya, whether it be Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Akumal, or any spots in between, are great beaches to hang out in, are quiet, are great for snorkeling and diving and give visitors a piece of tranquility.  there are some beach clubs that provide great music and a lively atmosphere for those who require company, but there are some great peaceful areas that provide visitors with a quiet moment.  Check out our post on Beaches in the Riviera Maya for a more detailed look at your options.

2.  Cultural Experiences The riviera Maya provides lots of mexican cultural experiences, from trips to the Ruins, events, dining experiences, activities and jungle excursions.  Roaming down 5th Ave. can be enough of a art adventure to make anyone happy.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, local artists are displaying their art in a project called ‘Caminarte’ where pedestrians can admire, or purchase local art.  The international melting pot that Playa is most famous for makes every interaction a cultural experience.  Though the area is prodimently Mayan, there is so much more to learn and experience

3.  Outdoor Activities.  The diversity of outdoor activities is vast, and it can be as simple as a walk on the beach to some of the worlds most extreme sports and experiences.  Cave diving, jungle excursions, parasailing, turtle watching, you name it, this area has it.  Coming soon is the infamous Bull shark observation dives where certified divers can observe bull sharks in their natural habitat…no feeding allowed, this is an educational and interesting dive for those who want to see these amazing creatures in their homes…

4.  International Wining and Dining  This is one of our favorite activities and as Playa Del carmen and the area as grown, so has the wining and dining experiences.  Tacos, seafood and vegetarian meals are offered by over 700 eateries in Playa del carmen alone and gives any visitor more choices than they would imagine could be in one place.  Local restaurants are building wine and food events each week so that they can enrich the dining experience of those who choose this area for thier vacation.  Mexico is not just about tacos anymore…it is a full culinary experience where chefs try out new mixes and fixes for their guests.

5.  Chill Factor.  Vacations are about letting our daily lives go for a bit and stretching our hearts and souls.  |It is about letting go and relaxing and that means many different things to many different people.  the Riviera Maya understands that everyone has different ideas as to what a vacation is, and accomodates the needs of many.  Determine what you want to do and you will find it here.  No one is left out in the cold, everyone can find something that makes them happy, engages them and leaves them renewed and refreshed when they go home.

6.  Accessible. Cancun Airport is an accessible airport from many destinations in the world.  In the high season months there are many charters that fly directly from your airport to Cancun.  This makes for an easy and pleasurable ride.  With airlines looking to increase travel, the prices are hitting rock bottom, so check out the charters that fly from your area.

It is not surprising that this area was named in 4 of the 10 best destination spots for a vacation.  If you know the Riviera Maya, you understand, if you dont know this area, it is time to

3.

Beach Book Review-The Lemony Snicket Series

Lemony Snicket Author

These books in the series of the The Unfortunate Events written by Lemony Snicket can have you laughing for a few hours and doubly will  serve as a Chapter book for your young adult.  It is a series that includes these three titles:

1.  The Bad Beginning

2.  The Reptile Room

3.  The Wide Window

I don´t want to say that this series is similar to Harry Potter as it is not, but it is a collection of books that can be read by adults and young readers alike.  They have a great sense of mystery, the author cleverly defines big words or catch phrases for its readers in a way that is educational for young readers but hilarious for more seasoned readers (I would not want to say old, as really anyone over 20 is not old, just seasoned).  It is more like watching Bugs Bunny here there is a certain sense of juvenile humor mixed cleverly with literary and adult references that will  keep adults engaged.  My all time favorite Bugs Bunny is when Elmer Fudd goes to the Barber and gets his head shaved by Bugs using the music from the Barber of Seville.  Whenever I listen to that piece of music, the visual is still Bugs Bunny massaging Elmer´s head.  This for me is what makes Looney Tunes, Harry Potter and my new addition, Lemony Snicket so clever, with the latter being a series of books I wanted to read.

It is easy to write for a certain niche audience, it is hard to write for many niche groups and keep then engaged.  Lemony Snicket is just this.  I read the three books in a day, and it made me smile all day, laugh in some places, imagine who Lemony Snicket really is and wished I had his imagination, wild visual imagination and his sensitivity to the interest of young adults.  But that is why he makes the big bucks and that is why he has not written 13 books with a new one being released this month, 13 Words.

Disengage for a day and just melt into the world of great fantasy and mystery with Lemony Snicket, a very clever man who has only bad news to tell you!  And if you are more a video person see the movie starring Jim Carey now on DVD!

Lemony Snicket Author