Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen : 2008, Travel

I Thought You Were Driving!

Rob Kinnon — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:16:00 GMT

Recently, while Rob and I were doing our Spotlight Interview for Playa Maya News, the question came up. A question I have been asked and have answered hundreds of times since we arrived in Playa del Carmen with our children nearly four years ago.

"What made you decide to move to Mexico?"

While, from a business standpoint, as real estate developers, the answer is obvious, our personal reasons for moving our family from upstate New York to Playa del Carmen are a bit more involved. Certainly, as many investors successfully do, we could have bought, built and sold our properties remotely, maintaining our home and comfortable lifestyle in the United States. Rather, we saw a tremendous opportunity to make a significant and meaningful change in our lives and the lives of our children.

Read Part 1 of the series here: "I Thought You Were Driving!" ~ How a nice suburban family ended up in Playa del Carmen, Mexico~

Rob and I in the garden at La Cueva del Chango in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

SEAduced in Belize!!

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:34:00 GMT

Patting ourselves on the back for being such good little doobies and getting a proper night's rest, we all met up for a day of sun and fun on the SEAduced Catamaran. The crew, Sylvan, Leon and Jody, took great care of us and we had an amazing day.Eighteen of us made the trip, each bringing something yummy to eat and drink, making for a fine feast. We sailed north along the shoreline and anchored off of Mexico Rocks near some huge coral heads. Birdie and I braved the odd currents (no doubt some part of Gustav) for some snorkeling and saw our first nurse shark.

Jody chillin'.

Beautiful Belize shoreline and the pier at Wet Willy's.

Tacogirl strikes a pose. See her great photos here.

Cindy with Taco Paul, Rob and Kiwi Paul.

Geronimoooooo!!!

Jody lends a hand up and becomes Cole's new best friend.

Silly Cindy with Jillian and Sharon. (I tried to warn them about the dreaded "seaweed rash" but they would have none of it.)

Birdie and Daddy check out the reef.

Taco with cocktail.

Birdie keeps watch for pirates!

Pirates indeed! Dick, Carol and Ziggy request permission to board!

Belize Babes!!

Birthday Babe!

Zippy and Carol catch some rays.

Giggly girls, Sharon and Marie.

Rudy and Forrest. Check out Forrest's photos here.

Daddy and Cole cuddling.

The obligatory 'arty" photo.

Cole with new pal Jody.

Rob, telling tall tales, I'm sure.

Jim is amused.

Marie is not buying any of it!

Dick and Carol, just back from Canada.

Designated driver.

Poor Paul caught nothing but grief for his efforts.

Cole and Birdie share chocolate eggs with Jody.

The beautiful birthday girl!!

Tanned and tipsy, we poured ourselves off the boat and on to the next event: a birthday party for Don, the owner of Crazy Canucks. Boy, does this island know how to party!! There were water baloons, party games, fire dancing and even a pinata! All this, on what had to be the hottest, stillest, stickiest night in San Pedro's history.

Taco Paul and Cindy hamming it up.

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Jesse (San Pedro Daily) and Laurie (Tacogirl) feeling the heat.

Tina (Invest in Belize) gettin' down!! Check out Tina's great pics of the evening here.

Forrest cutting the rug.

Tacogirl documenting the debauchery.

Don swings for the fences!

Cindy jumps in to man the video.

Jesse (San Pedro Daily) and Dennis Wolfe, momentarily without the Ususal Suspects.

Lara and Paul treated us to some fire-dancing. (Lara, please accept my apologies for my "darling" husband. He's got a thing for women with flames!)

To noone's surprise, Cindy and I left our "better halves" to make their own way home. Plans for breakfast at Estel's the next day were confirmed and we both went home to hit the sack. Cindy (a far more patient and understanding woman than me) baby-sat the boys when they turned up at her house at "o-dark-thirty" and finally sent mine safely home in a cab. Tomorrow would be rougher on some of us than others.

More to come........

Belize Birthday Bash!!

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:32:00 GMT

I absolutely love surprises. I like being surprised and even better, I like surprising friends. About a month ago, when our dear friend Cindy popped off an email to me and casually invited us to the island to share her birthday with her, I politely declined. Secretly, the wheels were in motion to make a family trip to Ambergris Caye and turn up unannounced to help celebrate her special day! As you can imagine, keeping a secret on an island as small as Ambergris within a close group of ex-pats is no small feat. I coordinated our travel plans through friends Laurie and Paul (Tacogirl) and made no mention to anyone else, even to friends in Playa as word travels fast down the Costa Maya. Our mission was well accomplished and we spent a few fun filled days with Cindy and Paul, the Tacos and all the usual suspects.

No trip to San Pedro would be complete without a visit to Estel's. Charlie was in good form as usual, serving up the best breakfast on the beach anywhere! Our diets were already a bust for the week after too many Belikins at Wet Willy's the previous evening.

As my children now refer to it, this is our "good morning picture".

Nothing sooths a hangover like fried eggs, crispy bacon and grits smothered in butter. Hmmmmmm.... grits.

The view is not too bad either.

Leaving Rob and the kids to their own defenses, (island residents beware) I made a prearranged visit to the Holy Cross Anglican School with Laurie and Mary. We dropped off some donations and toured the San Mateo neighborhood and the school facilities, watching as teachers, administrators and volunteers readied themselves and the classrooms for the first day of classes.

I am not going to elaborate at this time on the particular needs of this community and the Holy Cross School. Suffice it to say, I was overwhelmed by the scope of the problems they face and the monumental task set before them. I have a blog entry in the works dedicated specifically to this neighborhood and the school that I will be posting soon in anticipation of Blog Action Day.

What is perhaps most amazing, is the remarkable dichotamy between the inside of the school and its rather bleak surroundings. Just inside the doors is a cheerful, clean and secure place filled with tools for learning and enthusiastic teachers and volunteers all ready and willing to give 110% to the children of this distressed area.

Miss Linda signing up a new student in the colorful school offices.

The school has a clean, well-stocked dental clinic onsite for the care of the students, their families and members of the San Mateo community.

The brand new computer lab with 40 brand new Dell desktops generously donated by by numerous angels and the members of the Parish of St. Matthew’s in Pacific Palisades, California.

Clean, well organized classrooms with plenty of books and lessons to live by for us all.

With one of the only feeding programs on the island, Holy Cross School provides a healthy breakfast and lunch to each of its 500 students. These are likely the only meals they receive. There is so much need, so many living with so little. This school is a bright light, the one beacon of hope for the children of San Mateo.

After our morning across "the cut", I rejoined my family for lunch and a trip to the used bookstore, Barefoot Books. Word travels fast on this tiny island and almost immediately, British ex-pat and fellow blogger, Colette, recognized me and the children from previous entries on Tacogirl. Naturally, she knew of our plans to surprise Cindy and was eager to hear the details. Good thing we had kept our trip a secret!!

The Kinnon girls: A self-portrait.

A healthy lunch at The Hungry Monkey Sub Shop.

Colette!!

Dinner was a delicious affair at the Tacos' amazing new pad. Cindy and her Paul joined in the fun and we all enjoyed Laurie's mouth-watering quesadillas, juicy slices of watermelon and too many Belikins (again). We all tucked in early, excited for the next day: a catamaran cruise for the birthday girl, Miss Cindy, and all of her lunatic friends!! Stay tuned.......

Weekend Getaway - Isla Mujeres Part 2

Rob Kinnon — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:00:00 GMT

I'm not, by nature, an early riser but I do enjoy the quiet of downtown Isla Mujeres in the mornings. Watching the shopkeepers open their stores, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and banana bread pouring out into the streets. I try to make a point of letting Rob sleep in and taking some time to myself to wander about and capture images of the island waking up.

Our favorite morning spot, Manana, was closed so we settled in for breakfast at Bistro Francais.

Next, a golf cart ride to Punta Sur, the easternmost point of Mexico. Here, over 150 iguanas happily share their place in the sun with local vendors hawking the usual wares. My purchase of a small handpainted bowl also buys me a banana, a favorite treat of the resident lizards.

After a quick detour to look at a hotel property we are considering for development, we brought the kids to the turtle hatchery. They (we) were all delighted to see and feed all the baby turtles.

Hot and hungry, we spent the rest of our afternoon cooling off in the water at Playa Norte until it was time to return our carts, collect our belongings from the hotel and catch the ferry back to the mainland. Sleepy from the sun, we made our way back to Playa, looking forward to our next opportunity to show off more of this beautiful corner of Mexico we are so happy to call home.

Weekend Getaway - Isla Mujeres

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:57:00 GMT

As a treat for the kids, who returned to school today, we took them away to one of their favorite places for a weekend of fun in the sun. Isla Mujeres has captivated our whole family from the moment we first got off of the ferry from Puerto Juarez. We always stay in the same hotel right on Hidalgo and our children know all the neighboring shopkeepers and restaurant workers. They take great joy in running amok, spending their allowances or, more likely, running their own "tabs" for us to settle up at the end of our stay. I wonder where they learned that trick from ;)

This weekend, we introduced the Carwithen family and our pal Stuart to Isla Mujeres. Needless to say, we have five more converts. We had a fun filled weekend, Rob and Stuart accomplished a fair bit of work researching properties for a new customer and we returned to Playa sun-burnt and exhausted. So much for a relaxing get-away!

After unloading at Plaza Almendros, we rented some carts and headed south to our very favorite beach club, Zama. Under renovation during our last trip to the island, we were anxious to see the face-lift, hoping they had not changed too much. We were relieved to see that only the open air restaurant and bar had been expanded under an enormous new palapa. The beautiful multi-level pools that once housed dolphins for Dolphin Discovery remained the same and the beach was as pristine as always.

After a delicious lunch and a full afternoon of sun, we wandered back to the hotel for a quick wash-up before heading out on the town. This weekend, Isla Mujeres continued the celebration of her 158th anniversary and the whole island was abuzz with activity. A huge stage had been erected in the Municipal Plaza and a colorful fair with dozens of vendors and carnival rides stretched out down the malecon. Bands played, people danced and we all shared an evening of appreciation for this wonderful island.

It was quite a night. Stay tuned to see if I survived the perilously ill-maintained carnie rides!

Weekend Getaway - Isla Mujeres Part 2

Shake, Rattle and Rollercoasters

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:49:00 GMT

One of our last days in the northeastern United States was spent at the nation's oldest amusement park, Lake Compounce in Bristol Connecticut. The park has an interesting history and, while it's not the biggest in the region, it sure packs in a full day of fun with a nice water park and rides for kids of all ages. The entrance fee is about half that of larger, big name parks and includes unlimited fountain sodas and water free of charge all day long. That alone accounts for a tremendous savings making Lake Compounce a great value for families trying to stretch their summer vacation dollars. We stayed from the time they opened the gates until they tossed us out.

Chillin' in the water park.

"The Pirate Ship" got us warmed up for big fun.

Everyone loves a Carousel. This is one of America's oldest with an authentic Wurlitzer piping out tunes from eras long past.

Up, up and away.....

"The Rotor"...guaranteed to make you puke!

The kids strap into "The Drop Zone"......

.....and they're off!!

Mike and Dave tried to get me on the grown up tower drop, the impressive "Down Time".

yeah...I don't think so.

Hin-dudes having fun!

Thrills on "The Arctic Express".

"The Enterprise" gave Mike and Mady some serious "G's".

"Boulder Dash", voted the best wooden roller coaster in America, was also my top pick of the day. The "Ghost Hunt", a cross between a haunted house and a laser carnival shooting gallery, was a favorite with the kids and, of course, the water park with its spiraling tube slides, lazy river and wave pool has something for everyone. My brother, the daredevil of the group, made his way through all the thrill rides. This year, both Birdie and Cole were big enough to enjoy quite a few of the more exciting rides, some alone and some accompanied by me. A great day was had by all and we look forward to a return visit next summer!

Cenotes in New England?

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:48:00 GMT

Well not really but my brother and his friend did take us to the Becket Quarry for a fun afternoon of "cliff" jumping and tadpole catching. Founded in 1991 by concerned local residents, the not-for-profit Becket Land Trust now owns and maintains the 300 acre Forest and Historical Quarry purchased and donated back to the trust by the ctizens of Becket Massachusetts. The quarry, an integral part of Becket's history, was the source of the granite used for many important regional monuments and buildings and was actively in use from the 1850s through the 1960s. Today, the parcel of land has miles of walking trails and a great self guided walking tour past abandoned mining equipment and other relics of eras past. The area is reportedly haunted by the ghosts of the over 200 men who died in the construction and operation of the quarry. Numerous reports of eerie events and strange sightings keep the Becket Quarry high on the list of thrill seekers and spirit chasers. For our part, the thrills we were seeking were of this world only.

Into the woods

The old quarry

Watching the cliff jumpers

Local thrill seekers

Cole sizes up his jump

And he's off....

Little fish catching tadpoles

The members of the Land Trust will neither confirm nor deny stories of hikers being chased from the forest. We found nothing more than our own high spirits on this trip to the quarry. While none of us braved the legendary 53' foot plunge, we certainly had fun watching local teens test their muster and their aerial acrobatic skills. We brought back a few tadpoles to keep company with the fish and frogs in the little pond at home and some nice memories.

If you find yourself in the beautiful Berkshires, be sure to spend an afternoon exploring the forest and cooling off in the Becket Quarry. To get there, take Route 20 to Becket. At the intersection of Route 20, Route 8 North, and Bonny Rigg Hill Road, turn onto Bonny Rig Hill Road. At a 4-point intersection, turn left onto Quarry Road. Continue on Quarry Road, until you see the signs and parking area on the right. The quarry and trails are open from dawn til dusk. Past that, you take your chances with the restless souls that call the quarry home.

Polo anyone?

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:00:00 GMT

One summer afternoon in 1984, my friend and fellow horse fanatic, Allison invited me to attend a Polo match with her parents in historic Saratoga Springs. From that day on, watching Polo has become a favorite summer activity that I have been able to share with Rob and the kids. While I have been grossly negligent about investigating the Polo matches that are held just north of us in Puerto Morelos, I waste no time in packing the kids into the truck and hauling them up to Saratoga Polo at every opportunity. Because this summer trip is abbreviated and we have a lot of family and friends to accomodate, we are only able to attend one match. Here are some of the photos from our afternoon taken with my unbelievably complicated new "grown up" camera (Nikon D60 VR). Thank you Rob!!!

In the 6th chucker, Buckleigh Farm bested Team Tackeria and took the match. For those of you who have an interest in this exciting game The United States Polo Association has a great website with excellent information about the sport, its history, rules for play and Polo clubs all across the country. Whether you learn to play or just want to watch from the sidelines, this sport of kings is a fast-paced, high-spirited activity that can be enjoyed by everyone, young and old, from all walks of life. So, pack up the car with a picnic basket, folding chairs and a good pair of binoculars to catch all the action. I guarantee you'll be hooked!

Past Lives Revisited

Rob Kinnon — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:50:00 GMT

Who ever coined the phrase "You can never go home" must have burned all his bridges behind him. One of the things I enjoy best about our annual trip back to the U.S. and my hometown is visiting friends I haven't seen in a long time and making un-announced stops at previous places of employment and other old haunts. I have had the extreme good fortune throughout my life to find myself in the right place at the right time. During a particularly painful period, after the death of my mother, I found myself back in Albany, parentless, unemployed, painfully single and responsible for taking care of my brother and cleaning up an estate nightmare left to me to sort out. In search of gainful, temporary (I thought) employment, I applied for a job waiting tables at a nice northern Italian restaurant, Milano, just a few moments from my childhood home. Thankfully, the owner/chef, Dan Darves, saw something in me (past a grief-stricken, vodka soaked, emotional wreck) and hired me on. Over the next few years, the Milano family was there to support me through the healing process, didn't fire me for showing up hung-over or worse, promoted me to manager, catered my first wedding, watched without criticism as the marriage quickly dissolved and gratiously let me move on when I was finally ready to take on new challenges in my life. Needless to say, Milano is one of the first places I gravitate to when I return to my hometown. This time, I treated Birdie and Cole to lunch so they could meet my old friends, taste some of the best food in the Capital District and experience a little bit of their Mom's history.

Margherita Pizza (Wood-oven fired Pizza with Fresh Plum Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, Basil and Mozzarella)

Tortellini Arcobaleno (Tri-Color Cheese Tortellini with Prosciutto and Peas In a Parmigiano Cream Sauce).

It was great to see some of the old crew, Scott and Timmy, and of course, one of the original "Milano Girls" and my dear friend, Heidi. It's nice to be able to come back to open arms and people who have always been supportive of your efforts (no matter how mis-guided they were at times) and are happy to see you happy and successful in life. OK, now I'm a little bit teary, damnit!

If you are ever in the Albany area, be sure to stop in to Milano and let them know Michele in Mexico sent you with love.

To Grandmother's House We Go

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:30:00 GMT

Birdie and Cole and I have been staying at Grandma's house for the past few days, relaxing and having fun. Sunday night, the kids helped Grandma bake homemade granola bars. They came out warm, chewy and delicious! Here is the recipe and a few pictures.

1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup powdered, non-fat dry milk
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Place all ingredients except the maple syrup and eggs in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. In a large bowl combine and wisk the eggs and maple syrup. Add this to the food processor and pulse until well combined to form a coarse paste. Evenly spread the granola mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish and press flat. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and cut into bars.

Patty's Getting Married!!!

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:46:00 GMT

Greeting from Albany, New York to all "Life's a Beach" readers!! We are here and settled and trying to accomplish all of our annual "stateside" goals. Clothes for the kids, new cameras, spices and seasonings: all these things and more need to be purchased and "muled" back to Mexico when we return in two weeks. This year, we are rotating our stay between friends and family: a few nights with Grandma, three days with friends Deirdre and Dan and their children, five days with my brother and three with my friend Patty's Mom, a woman who was as instrumental in my up-bringing as my own mother. I am really looking forward to spending time with her as this September, her only child and my dear friend Patty is getting married. I have been in asked to be a bridesmaid and part of this trip will be focused on the bridal shower, dress fittings and wedding preparations! Yippee!!!

Saturday, Beth Sullivan, Jean MacAffer and I hosted Patty's shower at one of my favorite venues: the historic Saratoga Polo Club in Saratoga Springs, New York. Here are some pictures of the event taken with my new blogging camera. (Canon Powershot SD 870 IS) Thanks for the early birthday present, honey!!

The Clubhouse at Saratoga Polo

Patty, Amy and Susan

Christine and Deirdre

Aunt Pat, Marilyn (Mom) and Jean

Patty's Grammy Francis

Patty and Susan

Caroline, Molly, Patty and Patty English

Jill and Nancy

Aunt Marcia and Marilyn (MAP).

Jean helping Patty with gifts.

The girls dishing.

Amy and Jen

Pretty present from Mom.

Kimberly, Patty and Donna

Aunt Marcia, Christine, Deirdre and Jen

Elizabeth, Bennett and Jill

Mom and Grammy

Donna and Susan

Ciara and Beth

Me, Beth and Patty

The bride-to-be with hat-by-Beth!

Proud mother-of-the-bride-to-be!

Despite my initital culture shock and painful feet, I really enjoyed this lovely day and I am so pleased to be included in my friend's special day. It was nice to see old friends and catch up with everyone. Congratulations and best wishes to Patty and Jeff. May you have a lifetime of love and laughter together! I can't wait for the wedding!!

Would you like to know.....what it looks like inside a cenote?

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:48:00 GMT

Cenote Dzitnup in Valladolid

Would you like to know........what a Jabiru is?

Rob Kinnon — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:25:00 GMT

Would you like to know........where to eat in Burrell Boom, Belize?

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:20:00 GMT

Miss Robina's. Just ask anyone.

Would you like to know........where to get a home-cooked meal in Playa del Carmen?

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:57:00 GMT

Dona Juanita on Juarez at Avenida 45.