Showing posts with label Day Trips from Tulum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Day Trips from Tulum. Show all posts

9 happy years

Okay, this has been a little while but here is my "hell yeah- Happy anniversary to me" post.

Ruben and I have been together for 9 years now.  For my website Tulum Living I write posts about the hotels and restaurants and what not that we try.  One of the hotels was kind enough to invite me to stay for a few nights so that I could review another one of their hotels. 



This was very exciting for me because- y'all I live here- and as cheap as the hotel rooms are here- we still do not make that sort of living- so seeing the hotels is not something that gets to happen as much.  We stayed 2 days at Azulik- a beautiful adults only hotel that sits right up on the cliff. 

When we first got there- we were amazed.  The whole hotel is beautiful.  I will be posting a review of the hotel on Tulum Living soon.

We are parents of 2 young children that do a great job of wearing us down and cutting in beautifully on our sleeping time.  The first night - we fell asleep at 5 and did not wake up again until just before sunrise the next morning.  Now I know this is horrible- I have lived here for over a year and a half and i had never seen the sunrise over the water.  I am from the West coast of the USA and I am used to the sun setting on the Ocean.  It was so beautiful to see it rise.  We had a nice breakfast but I must say... i have totally given up on finding Eggs Benedict here in Mexico.  I have even eaten it at some pretty nice places- It does not fly- oh well. 

We spent --literally-- the ENTIRE day- sitting on our little balcony in the sun that was not too warm- which was perfect.  We took a long walk on the beach- another thing we do not do when we have the kids. It was wonderful.  We found some great pieces of coral that had washed up on the shore. 

**JUST A REMINDER*** If you are here- well- anywhere for that matter NEVER touch the reef or the coral.  It is a living breathing creature that is rapidly being damaged by people who do not know or do not care.  The reef is not a souvenir.  Having said that... there are many pieces along the beach that naturally break off and come to the beach.  Feel free to take those- I do not know anything about on the plane or whatnot- but please- please - please--- do not touch or break the living coral that makes this area so amazing. ****


Anyway.  Friday night we went over to Zamas for live music and some great drinks!  It was great.  I love that after 9 years- we never run out of things to talk about or laugh about.  That is not to say there are not plenty of times when we get to sit back and not say anything.  It is  such a great feeling. 

The next day- Ruben went and got the kids as I prepared to head over to the other hotel.  The second hotel was Zahra- and although related to the first- was very different.  It was very low key and really nice.  Not fancy nice- but rustic simple and perfect for a vacation with the kids. 

Zahra is on a secluded section of beach - it was nice to just open the door and let them run crazy.  on Saturday night we headed over to Luna Maya and watched their amazing flamenco show.  It was great. The food was not all the impressive but it was for a wide appeal audience so- oh well. 

The kids go to bed normally between 8 and 8:30- so they were zonked out sleeping on the floor before the show even started.  Ruben walked the kids across the beach and put them to bed.  It was great because we could see our room door from our table.  The show was great fun to watch. 

The next day we got a real treat.  Ruben had set up for us to go on what is called a fun trip.  This is where tour companies will take you on a rapid version of their tour so that you can sell it at your location. We did 2 tours in 1 day so it was pretty fast.  It was great.

The first tour was Mayan Extreme.  It is a great zip line- well 3 in fact- 50-60 and 70 feet off the ground and 150 meters long.  I was very cool.  Then there is a repel.  A free base- repel.  I had never done this before and it was a great time.  I want to do more of it.  Then we went swimming in a beautiful cave.  That was the first tour.

The second tour was great also.  It was a snorkeling tour.  We went to a beautiful cenote and then to the lagoon in Akumal. it was like swimming in an aquarium.  This is the very first place i am taking the next person who comes to visit me.  It was incredible. 
They took photos throughout the day which was good because we did not.  jajaja

That afternoon- we went and got the kids from our neighbor.  We really needed a quick clean of the house so we did that too.  It was tempting to stay at the house- make some dinner and just chill- the kids have school early in the morning- etc.

Yeah- screw that.  We are incredibly broke people that have been given a free nights stay on the beach.  There is no way we are not going. So we grabbed the kids uniforms and headed off to the beach.

It was pretty cold and already pretty late.  We were sitting on the beach- on 2 wooden chairs- a kid on each of our laps wrapped up in blankets - a rum and coke in one hand and a smoke in the other (Ruben his and mine- mine jajaja)  I turned to Ruben and said... "there is nothing wrong in our lives.  there is nothing exceedingly amazing or wonderful- but everything is content.  The kids are happy and healthy, we do not have a lot of money but we have enough to have some sandwiches and a homemade cocktail, We are sitting on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world- and we are so happy. "
it is one of those moments in life when you see that everything is exactly as it should be.  Things are really heading in the right direction.

My school project is going to take off- I know it.  And I know that my calendar idea is a good one too.  Now I just nee to get everything together and executed.  I was always the kid that did the homework and did it well- but would not turn it in.  that cannot happen anymore.  I have  a lot of good ideas and I need to get them into action.

YEAH!!!

Posted at 3/23/2010 08:32:00 AM | Labels: , , , | 7 Comments  

My new Job- Yaaj-Zimbal Jungle Tours


Well, I have been writing from home for a while now and I really like it.. but we are broke - so when a job literally came knocking on my door- what else could I do but consider it.

Now I have worked 1 of the past 6 years for companies that I did not own and it has been almost 2 years since I worked on anything but freelance writing and my Tulum Living website- which at the moment makes no money at all - but there is always the goal. Anyway.

I was invited on a tour recently that my friend is the tour guide for. It is a really fun tour that takes you on a serious 4X4 trip through the jungle. And I mean a serious 4X4ing trip. I have been 4x4ing before tons of times but in mud, snow and sand dunes but this... this is totally different. In the jungle we visit a tall tower that over looks the jungle, some dry caves, small cenotes.

After the 4X4 ride we take them on a zip line and then into a cenote where we will look at a ton of stalagmites and stalactites. After the cenote we are off to a wonderful Mexican bbq! Yummy! I am really excited to start.

I am really excited to possibly be making some payments towards something that we want to get done but I do not want to be away from my family much. But I could use a little break. It is sort of my turn.


Here is a post from when I went of the tour before. It is really cool

Posted at 12/15/2009 07:35:00 PM | Labels: , , | 7 Comments  

Dutzi Designs - Swine Flu Rescue Bag

** I have a lot more pictures coming!***

It is not very often that you hear about something that someone is doing and it just makes you smile from the inside. Well, the project of Dutzi Designs Inc. is one such story.

The project is that of Ariane Dutzi. Ariane lives here in the Yucatan and has started a line, Dutzi Designs Inc., to help the communities of the Yucatan. As a former fashion editor from New York and Paris, she moved to Mexico and where she is making an impact in the beautiful community that she is now a part of. I just got to meet her and she is ever so as amazing as this project and I cannot wait to do an interview with her.


When the Swine Flu scare erupted in Mexico last April it created a mass exodus of tourists in the Yucatan and the communities of the area really suffered. As the “infodemic” spun out of control, a whole bunch of totally healthy people sat in the deserted towns of the Yucatan and the found themselves without people to sell their handiwork to. Ariane has since developed the Dutzi Design Rescue Bag.

Complete with a label befitting of the project, a small outlined face of a pig, these bags are as eco-friendly green as they are well made and beautiful.
The whole project really is something special. As a way of helping the Mayan community that lives in the areas around Valladolid, about 70 women as well as some men make each and every bag. The project is not only a means for so many women to help provide for their families, but also helps preserve the beautiful culture of the indigenous Maya. With all of the proceeds from the sales of the bag going directly into the project, this community of women continues to be able to help sustain themselves especially in a time where so many of us here in the Yucatan are feeling the devastating consequences of the hype of the swine flu.


I have not even started to tell you about the amazing bags themselves… these bags, made of vintage burlap or 100% recycled white raffia. They are absolutely beautiful and are not only made by hand with love and care but, probably because of that fact, are incredibly well made.

These bags are being sold in stores and boutiques all over New York as well as in Paris, Santa Fe, Malibu, CA, Mexico and over the Internet. One of the best ways to get your own Rescue Bag is to drive over and see the project for yourself. Valladolid is a beautiful town about an hour from Tulum and wonderfully worth a visit. What a fantastic souvenir of a trip to the Yucatan. Luckily you can also buy one online and have it sent to you. Check out the website with information about how to purchase your very own bag.

These bags are perfect for both men and women. I especially love the bike messenger bag for men. These bags reflect both a consciousness for the earth and an effort to protect and cherish it, but also for the wonderful communities of Mayan women in the Yucatan.

I am trying to get the word out as far and as wide as I can. I simple love this project and i know that there are so many others out there that will too. Please pass this information along. If you own or manage a shop-- These would be a GREAT thing to carry. You can get more information from their website. Or feel free to contact me and I can pass you along. Here are some great links for Dutzi Designs. I will also be featuring them on www.TulumLiving.com very soon.

Tattooluum
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Posted at 9/08/2009 01:33:00 PM | Labels: , , , , , | 2 Comments  

I am back with lots to tell!!!

I am back from one of the most memorable weeks of my life. I have so much to tell and show about the last few days that it is going to take several posts. Please stay tuned for all of the details. Let's just say that this weekend included farming, new babies, a wedding, several beers, scandal, a fight, a priest taking off- decorations being hung by 5 frantic white chicks in an ALL Mayan town in the middle of the Yucatan peninsula and the baking of 2 wedding cakes. There were also caves, hiking through ruins, being followed by monkey that swung from 4 meters away, exploring old haciendas, swimming with bats in cenotes, seeing the serpent on the side of Chichen Itza's El Castillo during the spring equinox- you name it, we did it.

Seeing as this was a weekend full of kids, cooking, translating, craziness, fun and a lot of cervezas... it is going to take me some time to get it up.

Sorry for those of you who have emailed with questions about this beautiful area- I will be returning emails soon.

Posted at 3/24/2009 11:05:00 AM | Labels: , , , | 3 Comments  

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