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A Sneak Peak at the New Teatro de Playa del Carmen

Last week, I was invited to tag along with a group from Explayarte to check out the new Teatro de la Ciudad (the theatre of the city) being built in the Ejido, next to the big Walmart on the Arco Vial. This one of several ambitious municipal projects being completed by the Municipal Government of Solidaridad. Read More...
Posted Thursday, February 7, 2013 5:00 AM by Rob Kinnon | 0 Comments

What Lies Beneath.....

So, I though you all might like to see what some of the cenotes look like that have been found in our little Xpu Ha neighborhood. This is the cenote that is on Jeff's lot. He is Mitch and Sev's builder and has completed several homes in the same enclave. His experience dealing with his own cenote has given him invaluable insight as to what they can bring to the process....the good and the bad. With his own property, be decided to make the cenote a real center-point for the back yard plan. As you can see, the pool is built around it with the entertainment palapa (that's a fancy word for bar) serving as an observation point and entry point. Read More...
Posted Friday, October 8, 2010 7:00 AM by Rob Kinnon | 1 Comments

Building in Mexico - Mitch and Sev - Part 2

I had hoped to be able to post an update before now but life somehow got in the way. Lots of progress being made on site as you will see from the photo update. One big surprise since our last blog entry...a dry cenote was uncovered near (but not in) the shallow end of the pool. The opening has been enlarged a bit for ease of entry and an open space has been found that could be suitable for use as a fun subterranean reading area or meditation room. A wine cellar was suggested but I think the heat and the humidity will not be suitable for keeping wine at a consistently cool temperature. From this opening there is a tunnel that runs out quite a distance, out past the boundaries of the lot. One of the workmen has climbed through quite a way but there is a drop off that will require bringing in a ladder of sorts if they are to investigate any further. It's pretty neat but not as cool as the cenote that the builder, Jeff, has at his house. I'll post some pictures of that soon.... Read More...
Posted Wednesday, October 6, 2010 7:00 AM by Rob Kinnon | 1 Comments

Building in Mexico - Mitch and Sev - Part 1

As some of you may know, Rob and I have finally decided to settle down and build our home in Mexico. Almost by accident, we found the perfect neighborhood in Xpu Ha, in the jungle about 20 minutes south of Playa del Carmen. The lots are good sized, very reasonably priced, the development is gorgeous and all the services we need are available, including wireless internet. We are 5 minutes from the beach in Xpu Ha and close to dozens of cenotes. Read More...
Posted Saturday, August 21, 2010 7:00 AM by Rob Kinnon | 7 Comments

Biointensive Gardening in Playa del Carmen

One Saturday every month, Ak Lu'um International School hosts a workshop called Sustainable Saturdays in which the public is invited to come and get some hands on experience learning about sustainable building and living techniques that can be implemented Read More...
Posted Tuesday, March 2, 2010 10:55 AM by Rob Kinnon | 5 Comments

Sustainable Living Workshops in Playa del Carmen

Starting October 24th 2009, Ak Lu'um School will host a series of Sustainable Living Workshops in coordination with BambuSur, a locally owned, ecologically responsible building company. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about sustainable building Read More...
Posted Monday, October 5, 2009 10:41 PM by Rob Kinnon | 1 Comments

Ak Lu’um International School Opens Their New Jungle Campus in Playa del Carmen!

After a very successful second year in their temporary Campestre home, Ak Lu’um International School inaugurated their beautiful new and permanent jungle campus with a well attended Open House. A small ceremony of was performed to give thanks and Read More...
Posted Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:46 PM by Rob Kinnon | 3 Comments

Casa Kinnon - Good News and Bad News

Good news - The plans and drawing for the house are moving along splendidly and we are really pleased with our architect. He has strong opinions but is still open to our crazy ideas and doesn't mind sketching and re-sketching as we go along. We still Read More...
Posted Monday, June 23, 2008 7:02 AM by Rob Kinnon | 8 Comments

Taninah

In our efforts to design our own home we have been doing a fair bit of investigating. Much of this time has been spent visiting other homes in the area such as those being built in Sac Be and checking out what building materials and methods have been Read More...
Posted Friday, June 20, 2008 3:00 AM by Rob Kinnon | 4 Comments

Casa Kinnon - Ideas and Drawings

We have been working with our architect, Carlos Alamillo, for a few weeks now, going back and forth with ideas, looking at sketches and researching ideas for a "green" house. In contrast to the homes that we visited in SacBe , most of the "eco Read More...
Posted Saturday, June 7, 2008 8:26 PM by Rob Kinnon | 3 Comments

A Home of Our Own - Building in Playa del Carmen

Well, after almost four years living in Playa del Carmen, we are finally making plans to build a home of our own. We have selected the lot, a nice 831 square meter parcel backing up to the jungle in an area west of 307 called The Campestre. We have hired Read More...
Posted Monday, May 26, 2008 8:26 AM by Rob Kinnon | 9 Comments