NEW YEAR EVE SERVICE 11 p.m. Sta. Teresita in the Poblado
NEW YEAR ELECTRONIC FIXES – See Alan on services page
SUSHI AT HOME FOR NEW YEAR – See on dining page
DIVE INTO THE NEW YEAR – Just click on “Dive Aventuras” logo

Will 2012 deliver us whole unto 2013 ?

Posted 12/25/11 by Pelican Paulie
Earth and its organisms are about to enter the ominously dark and potentially catastrophic year of 2012. It is the year in which apocryphal Mayan lore, rising like a toxic fog from the ancient and occult jungle not too far from Puerto Aventuras, predicts by some accounts, that Armageddon will visit the world’s degenerate populations and culminate in the annihilation of the present universe.
G-Gulp and egads!
You have until the winter solstice of Dec. 21, 2012, to spend all your money, use up all of nature’s bounty in one massive epicurean blitzkrieg of travel and dining – hurry up, see everything, do everything, eat everything, sate yourself – before a singular cosmic clash with a black hole or meteor shatters us and our world into micro-particles of nothingness, ashes to ashes and dust to dust, a reverse Big Bang and dinosaur extinction simultaneously reprised. Or even worse! Social Security runs out of money and the FM3 process is further complicated!
     Or… you can saddle your angst and take these apocalyptic fortunes for the myths they are, save your money and safely spread your penchant for the good life over a much longer period of time. There’s no rush if you lean toward the more enlightened interpretations of primitive Mayan prognoses.
How embryonic Mayan history from 2,000 BC was deciphered into a prophesy of dated catastrophe– the winter solstice of Dec, 21, 2012 – from a 1,300 year old mysteriously imprinted tablet, is understandable in the context of a culture that idolized jaguars, which once roamed Puerto Aventuras and the Yucatan, creating a blend of religion and superstition based on primal physical and emotional forays into the unknown. And the world does have its share of over-imaginative kooks, no?
Behind the suggestion of chaos on that date is the Mayan long-count calendar that, briefly, views Dec. 21, 2012, as the end-date of a 5,125-year-long era and since it purports that the calendar merely stops there, not time, it gives rise to transformative pseudo-scientific theories including disaster for the pessimist and renewal for the optimist.

Modern Mayanists and scientists find little support for any of the life-altering expectations attached to the end of the long-count calendar, but that doesn’t stop Mexico – which itself does not believe in the calendar’s significance – from employing the misguided prophecies to attract in 2012 an estimated 52 million visitors into the cauldron of superstition stew and have fun with it. Normal tourist activity is about 22 million for the whole country.
In the jungles outside Cancun, for example, there are plans to bury time capsules with photos and messages. This is among some 500 various events – masked priests performing ancient voodoo-like rituals, burning incense, chanting and dancing like the colorful but intimidating actors along Avenida Cinco in Playa del Carmen giving us a glimpse, however embellished or moderated, of ancient times.
Will Puerto Aventuras position itself to also employ this rare non-event to attract more tourists and give its businesses a boost? Hurry! Think of something!
And will it be a Boo Year or a Renew Year for you? … By the way, what are you doing on Dec. 22, 2012…that is, if the world is still turning?

 

Dredging more new sand may not be the answer

Posted 12/24/11 by Juanito
     Puerto Aventuras isn’t the only place along the Mayan Riviera that has experienced disappearing beaches.

For whatever reason, be it removal of mangrove forests, overdevelopment or destruction of reefs, it is evident that the coastline between Cancun and Tulum is changing. It is most evident along the beaches at Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Puerto Aventuras where, coincidently, there has been aggressive commercial and residential buildup during the past decade. The phenomenon seems to have escalated in recent years.
Fearing a major loss of tourism, and following a plan used along the Hotel Zone in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, roughly 15 miles north of Puerto Aventuras, decided to take on the costly chore of dredging sand from the depths of the Caribbean to rebuild the beaches along what is known as Playa’s “Golden Zone”.
The zone is a 2.7 mile stretch of sand that runs from Avenue Constituyentes, down to the Ferry Dock, and then continuing south through Playacar’s Hotel Zone. The project, which took nearly all of January 2010 to complete, deposited 2.6 billion cubic feet of new sand along the entire 2.7 mile stretch of beach.
The sand was dredged using huge pipes that extended a considerable distance from shore, out to where no coral would be disturbed and was of the same sugar white consistency that rates Mexico’s Riviera Maya among the top ten beach destinations in the world.
I remember walking the “new beach” soon after its transformation in 2010. It was immense! A true marvel of modern engineering. At the time, there was a lot of hubbub. “Why don’t we do that in Puerto Aventuras”, the locals wanted to know? But sometimes it pays to wait. For it seems, that in the case of Playa del Carmen’s beach, man’s modern engineering may not be able to overcome Mother Nature.

During a stroll of the beach earlier this week, a mere two years following the rebuild, the beach at Playa del Carmen has become a “two level” affair. As some has been washed back to sea, it has created an upper shelf and a lower shelf of beach, divided by a six or seven foot high wall of sand. Reminiscent of Great Britain’s famous White Cliffs of Dover, we could call this the “White Cliffs of Playa del Carmen”, which would be humorous were it not so sad. Some enterprising hotels and restaurants have gone to shoveling sand stairways and ramps to help ease transition between the two levels.
Yet, for some unknown reason, the large area of sandy beach, located between Calle 2 and the Ferry Terminal, appears to have grown in size since last year and remains natural and flat, similar to the southern corner of Bahia Fatima here in Puerto Aventuras. However, that section of Playa del Carmen’s beach remained void of college breaker’s on the day I was there. Apparently easy access to refreshment is a bigger draw than being on a perfectly groomed beach?

Plan for Omni Beach gathers more dust than support

Posted 12/28/11 by Pelican Paulie
  A bona fide plan to replenish and preserve the Omni Beach sand asset does exist. What is evidently lacking is political will and compromise between the Colonos and the Fideicomiso. the federal and state governments and, of course, the abundance of time and money.
According to Colonos GM Armando Rincon, a plan at the behest of the Fideicomiso was put forward several years ago by Oceanus Search & Recovery to replenish and then preserve the sand asset. Oceanus would employ 710 pyramids in several rows, 12 feet long at the base and seven feet high, along the breakwater, somewhat in the fashion used by Villa del Mar to preserve the sand fronting its property next to the Omni, but on a much larger scale, as shown in the above photo.
There are multiple stories making the rounds as to why this hasn’t happened, some falling deeply into the realm of rumor. What is evidently fact is that when the idea was proposed by the Fideicomiso, the Colonos balked because of  the then $1 million USD price tag and lack of a compromise to create a decent public way to water for free and “guaranteed” access for Colonos stakeholders whose properties do not front the beach but would help pay for the project.
The issue of access flared again last year, said Rincon, when the dive shop through which the public must currently transit to gain access to the federal beach property, went on vacation and closed its doors. denying any access other than paying for it via a beach or health club membership, hotel reservation or day pass.

It has also been said that because the private Puerto Aventuras community itself has limited public access, the state and federal governments are not inclined to help fund such a project for the benefit of the few and the exclusion of the many.
A majority of people here appear to concur that the human capacity to engineer a guaranteed solution to the sand syndrome draws a snicker from Mother Nature, who reminds us that “mother knows best” in her habit of not guaranteeing anything.
It is said the jetties here flanking the marina channels may have shifted the natural ebb and flow in the bay. The buildup of sand near the south channel jetties is perceived as evidence and that Puerto Aventuras wouldn’t have to go far to find extra sand.
Rincon said the political situation could change when the Phase 4 development by the Fideicomiso becomes more advanced. As to funding, the issue continues to be debated on the street and in public forums in broad terms suggesting the community will become what its stakeholders are willing to support. The Fideicomiso did not respond by deadline to an e-mailed request for comment.
A new year brings new hope, another step in time as manana approaches…

CONSUL TO EXPLAIN NEW FOREIGN-PLATED CAR RULES
Interested parties should mark calendar for Feb. 7

Posted 12/24/11 by Juanito
U.S. Consular Agent, Samantha Mason, will present another in her series of informational seminars in Puerto Aventuras on February 7, 2012. Her meetings have become an annual event much to the delight of area residents.
This year’s program will be held in the Colonos Meeting Room, with doors opening at 9:00 O’clock and presentation to begin at 9:30. Topics to be discussed include a detailed explanation of the many changes made to laws regulating U.S. plated cars in Mexico, including the 2012 reintroduction of an annual import sticker. Yes, it will cost you more for the coming year.
Those who own foreign plated cars, or are considering bringing one into Mexico, are encouraged to attend this meeting. Other topics on the agenda include a detailed explanation of services offered by the U.S. Consulate Office in Playa del Carmen, the suggested protocol to use when stopped by police, how to pay your traffic ticket and what to do if you become the victim of a crime.  No reservation is required to attend and the meeting is open to all interested parties.

Briefly Noted…

Compiled from staff, contributor and press reports
A RECORD HOMICIDE rate  of 64 , most allegedly involving executions by criminal groups in Q. Roo, was being reported for 2011, many of those deaths in the Cancun area…MEANWHILE, the growth in crime is being met by an exodus of Cancun small businesses tired of extortion and being fearful of the violent crime spree, reports Senator Jose Luis Garcia Zalvidia, who also notes crime spreading south to the Riviera Maya. Meanwhile, fewer foreigners are moving to live in Cancun, he reports… THE CALICA MARITIME TERMINAL is getting infrastructure improvement as work continued last week on a road widening and paving project adjacent to Highway 307 …DROP IN REAL ESTATE  industry is forcing many workers in the sector to find other employment, reports Ministry of Social Welfare and Labor delegate Rogelio Marquez Valdivia as a statistical drop of 70 percent in sales and rentals was reported. Q. Roo fares better than other parts of the country experiencing an 80 percent plunge in activity… A MEDICAL CITY with internationally accredited hospitals is being eyed for either Cancun or the Riviera Maya  if the funding can be organized. Some 60 acres of hospitals are envisioned between Puerto Morelos and Cancun, the same area where, supposedly, Dragon Mart is preparing to bring a huge mall. Whether these dreams blossom into reality remains to be seen… A TOURIST CALL CENTER casting broad information in Spanish, English,  French and Italian is expected to open in Q. Roo the second week of January. The number reported for Mexico is 01800…

CAFE OLE CHRISTMAS EVE TURKEY- 200 PESOS –Click food/dining
THREE-DAY FORECAST – See weather station in right column
SMILE IN THE NEW YEAR – Click on service providers
SPECIAL PARTY FOR SPECIAL KIDS – See story below
NEW FOREIGN CAR RULES – See story below

 

Yule party lifts curtain on special PA people

For them, giving of self is a dedicated event

The Pelican was invited to a party for “special” people. It was held Wednesday evening (Dec. 21,2011) in a tiny, older but neat and charming rented 4-room school house with an ample gated courtyard with one working light on 90th St., in old Playa del Carmen’s teeming North End. The guest list of celebs was impressive: St. Joseph, Mary the Blessed Virgin, angels and Santa being among them.
The “special” people are mostly children, 13 of them, with brain damage from various congenital or accidental causes. They acted the part of St. Joseph, Mary, and the angels for their own special “posada” that depicts the Holy Family’s search for lodgings as the birth of Christ nears, all of this done by candle light and the spirited singing of Joseph’s request for a room, and the innkeepers’ rejections.
There were also extra-special people there representing Puerto Aventuras, among them Gaylita Dunaway, owner of Cafe Ole; Hal Harper, man about town and PA ice-fishing guru; and snowbirds Rob and Sharalee Solosth, Tim and Jacki Berreth and Anne Silver (there in spirit), who generously give of their time and assets to provide these children with extra love and hope via the the school’s equine therapy program conducted in nearby PA horse stables. The Berreths also volunteer for the same program in their state of Washington when they are not in PA.

“The first time I got on a horse and a mother lifted up her child to me, I cried,” recalled Dunaway, “and I thanked her for trusting me with her child.” That was four years ago. Now Dunaway happily gives more than 10 hours weekly to the training program all year long, as does Harper.
“In the summer, when it’s really hot, three hours leading a horse is tiring. I get home and have to sit on the steps for a while before climbing to the second floor,” says Harper. “but it’s the best job I’ve ever had,” he says convincingly.
Then there were the extra-extra-special people, the moms and dads of these children – the moms in particular who are fending with the complexities of special children and life in general without a partner in some cases– and still showing a strength and a love only a mother can conjure up for a vulnerable, high-maintenance child.

There was something quite telling at this party: Most of the children balked at showering the unarmed pinata (stuffed with 11 pounds of candy brought by the Berreths) with hard and repeated blows with a stick – it seemed to betray their tender, fragile beings – while adults attacked with a barrage of solid strikes that eventually tore the pinata apart. Who is teaching whom the civilized way of life?
There is more to this story than a Christmas party imparts, and there are more special people whose individual struggles are in themselves singular dramas of survival. These will unfold from time to time in the Pelican.
Santa (with the help of the elf Gaylita who scoured stores for gifts) was the last guest to arrive at this party, adding to the already copious merriment of special people who both give and get from each other all year long.

Yule Grinch roils Soriana snowbirds

Posted 11/21/11 by Pelican Paulie
     Several snowbirds who had been saving points on their Soriana shopping cards for holiday season spending were roiled this week upon learning that their points were, let’s say “pointless” because their cards and thus their points were no longer valid.
Yet cashiers have kept asking for and using the cards and adding points knowing they weren’t valid? What’s that all about?

Not content with being rebuffed at the checkout counter, they appealed to the customer service desk only to be told the cards had expired. So the snowbirds asked for a new card to carry over the points.
“You know how it is” observed one snowbird, “There were huddles by staff, then finally a decision to send us to another desk.”
There they were greeted by a woman in a white shirt who told them they would be issued new cards upon presentation of their passports, proof of residency and FM2 visas.
One of the snowbirds had FM3 identification with photo, but was told that wasn’t good enough. The snowbirds left without resolving the situation to their satisfaction. As far as they know, they lost all their accumulated points (one of them had 600) and can no longer get cards.
When one of the snowbirds told the white-shirted woman she would henceforth shop at Chedraui’s, the woman merely shrugged, like, so go ahead.
This biased treatment is tantamount to a sort of commercial “profiling” that does not take into account that some older snowbirds cut coupons back home but give generously of their time and assets to assist in the poblados. In that vein, the snowbirds are now wanting to give their expired cards to local residents in hopes they can use the points.
That’s because now playing on this same stage is the recent news that more than 10 percent of poor families in Quintana Roo cannot fill their dinner plates because of rising food costs and low wages.
If this is a move by Soriana to deny the comparatively affluent snowbirds so that discounts can continue for the indigenous shoppers, then it should have been clearly explained when this new program supposedly began last June, observed one of the snowbirds. It is not so much what has been done, but the insensitive way in which it was done, said one snowbird.
The incident added a fleeting sour taste to the sweet season.

 New rules govern foreign cars here

People bringing cars or other recreational vehicles and boats from the U.S. and other nations are now subject to new rules and fees. Regulations are of such length that the best way to convey them to our readers is to provide links to the information needed as noted in links below.
You will be dealing with a government sanctioned agency known as “Banjercito” a national credit society authorized by the government. In brief, the import will require deposits of from $200 to $400 “collected in Mexican pesos” and based on the model year of the vehicle. More information on the substantial rules is contained in the links below that were provided by the U.S. consular agency in Playa del Carmen. the consul notes that “As of June 11, 2011, there have been some significant changes to the laws regulating your U.S. plated car in Mexico. Everyone who has, or is considering bringing a car from the USA is encouraged to visit these sites for the latest update on requirements.”
https://www.banjercito.com.mx/iitv/sitio/html/cte_cst_info2biitv_ing.php
Input from other Americans who have posted information on this subject and on the general topic of life in Mexico can be found at:
http://yucalandia.wordpress.com/driving-in-mexico-issues-fun/importing-driving-a-car-in-mexico/
http://yucalandia.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/new-requirements-for-bringing-foreign-plated-cars-into-mexico-banjercito/
http://rollybrook.com/car-in-México.htm
http://rollybrook.com/vehicle_permits.htm
http://rollybrook.com/Page%20Directory.htm [14]http://nancyandbarry.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/nationalizing-a-vehicle-in-mxico/

Theft underscores need for caution

There was a theft from a home on Bahia Chemuyil last week that serves as a reminder from Colonos General Manager Armando Rincon to take precautions by locking cars and using “the stick in the window” to prevent theft.
In this case, a window was apparently left opened while the owners were elsewhere, making it easy for thieves to enter and leave with a large TV, two laptops and some luggage. The holidays often bring with them an uptick in petty crimes by people looking for presents they can’t otherwise afford.
There will also be a renewed effort on the part of Colonos to enforce leash laws after a worker was bitten on the arm recently and several tourists complained about being frightened by dogs running loose.

 BRIEFLY NOTED…

THE SIGN AT HAL’S consignment shop on the road to Dreams says it is going out of business at the end of the month. Rumor is somebody is considering taking over the consignment business at a retail space just outside the main gate. If not, one can always advertise wares in the Pelican Free Press… AN EVIDENT FLAP between some real estate personalities in the area generated a story in the local press claiming that the  attorney general and other officials were being asked to investigate. This could not be corroborated in the absence of complaints by any victims of the alleged improprieties…NASSAU IN THE BAHAMAS bested Cozumel on the number of cruise ship arrivals in 2011, albeit Cozumel expects a 20 percent increase in 2012…CAREER CHANGERS –The technological institute in Cancun says enrollment in technical courses is giving way to accounting and administration courses because there aren’t enough engineering jobs for graduates…THERE ARE CONCERNS in the tourism industry over what effect the national 2012 elections in Mexico and the U.S. will have on the industry…THE FOURTH AND FINAL  dolphin birth here for this year occurred Monday at about 2 p.m. All moms and pups reported doing fine…

 

Phrase a week… By Gloria Contreras, state certified interpreter
You are unhappy. almost angry, with the work of a craftsman. You can tell him so and to please fix it. “Este trabajo esta muy mal hecho. Por favor, arregle lo.”
(Ms. Contreras teaches Spanish classes from 3 to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Tiramisu Restaurant and all are welcomed to attend. The fee is $150 pesos. Please call her first to make arrangements at 984-108-3517.  Holiday break, lessons resume Jan. 9)

 

 

Religious services…

Sta. Teresita del nino Jesus Y la Santa Paz (Roman
Catholic), at the poblado; classes: Mondays through Sundays, 7 p.m.
(Spanish);Contact church office: 984-206-6245 (4-8 p.m.-
Spanish)
Corpus Christi Parrish (Roman Catholic);
Calle 110  entre 25, Playa del Carmen (near Soriana); Mass: Saturdays,
9 a.m. (English); office: 803-0600; Rev. James Hogan.
Chabad
Lubavitch Jewish Center, Avenida 10 entre Calle 6 , Playa Del Carmen; service: Sundays, 9 a.m.;
tel. 984-876-5571; Contact: Rabbi Mendel Goldberg.
Lighthouse Church English Speaking Christian church, non-denominational, Meets
at 10:00 a.m. Sundays; more information at 984-120-4169; located on Highway 307
in Tulum 1.2 miles south of San Francisco store, past the Mormon church, on the
right next to the fruit stand.

The  End

LATE BREAKING – A six-hour power outage befell the whole of Puerto Aventuras beginning at 2:30 a.m.Thursday (Dec. 15). As of press time the cause was unknown. Fortunately, hotels on auxiliary power were able to feed residents who found themselves without power and simultaneously hungry. Power was restored at about 8:30 a.m. However, power remained out south of Puerto Aventuras as linemen replaced old wooden poles with cement, came later reports. It would be considerate if CFE would alert communities to this type of planned work in advance.  

 

DOG NEED TRAINING? – Click on “service provider” page
TASTE OF THE ORIENT  – Click on “food/dining” page
BEACHSIDE PALAPA WAITING – Find it on the “for sale” page
CLICK SPONSOR ICONS for more information about their services

 

Objections force another assembly in March

  Two percent fee reduction shelved for now 

 Posted 12/12/11 by Pelican Paulie
      An aggressive plea by hoteliers for reduced Colonos costs has jeopardized a proposed 2 percent decrease in 2012  fees and also forced the need for another general assembly in March to adopt a budget. What it means to fee-paying home and condo owners is that the rate for 2012 will remain, for the moment at least, the same as for 2011.
And despite some contentious moments during the 5-hour convention, there are no major changes or significant fiscal demands to report to stakeholders who did not attend but whose concerns and causes were well represented by their active neighbors in the audience and the Colonos and vigilance boards.
About 40 investors in the PA lifestyle attended the assembly last Saturday in the Dreams Hotel – not hardly enough to overcome the wealth of votes held by the hoteliers and their sympathizers– as debate over the budget proposed by the Colonos board collided with a steely resistance from the hotels. Their spokesmen – only two – wanted more recognition of their problems in determining the fee structure, particularly as it pertains to what they feel are overbearing rubbish collection charges, a complex political/municipal issue with a history.
                                                          Other issues surface
     While finances occupied most of the morning session, other issues such as building code changes, lack of code enforcement and an ongoing disagreement over Plano 3 single-family home construction were aired as the meeting morphed from morning into a heavenly afternoon.
The day’s events must now be crunched significantly in summarizing the proceedings:
This year’s financial statement was approved but not before retired businessman Timothy Howard questioned the source of a surplus and other speakers took turns trying to explain it, including Colonos and vigilance board members. Howard later said the statement could be improved and hoped he would be around sooner next year to offer assistance, since he has significant experience preparing and reading financial reports. And oddly enough, the ubiquitous rubbish issue evidently had a hand in the surplus because the municipality took over the work from the Colonos, resulting in Colonos savings from layoffs.
Next year’s budget with 2 percent decrease was not approved because the proposal did not meet hotel demands for more significant reduction. Many speakers entered an ensuing verbal fray including Liliana Viola; former Colonos board member and condo administrator Oscar Calderon; condo administrators Carlos Suarez and Lothar Batt;

businessman Martin Wohnlich and others including Gilbert Chaine of the vigilance panel, Colonos board members Jorge Kaufer, Daniele Gracis and President Beatriz Marron Vales, who was graceful in allowing some problems had been encountered with the financial presentation and hoped to improve that next time. However, she remained steadfast for the budget as it was presented despite the fact that a third-party personnel problem delayed the statement’s delivery to allow businesses enough time to study it prior to the meeting.
With defeat of the measure, it was agreed to hold another assembly in March to adopt a budget either by changing the fee structure giving the hotels a break at the expense of other settlers, cutting corners or getting enough voters agreeable to a 2 percent reduction – the first in five years – to show up and vote.
                                                          Board fights cuts
Marron Vales and the board members were adamant about cutting services that would set the community back. “What grass do we cut? Where do we let the grass grow? Which lights do we turn off?” she asked. “The budget was a lot of hard work,” added Kaufer.  “It would be irresponsible not to pass it.”
And with tongue-in-cheek, Marron Vales said she had sent a long list of needs to Santa, inferring that short of getting infrastructure maintenance for free, the Colonos and its settlers and businesses have to fund it.
As the miasmic thrusts and parries increased in tempo and degree , a calm voice in the audience called for a vote to cool the emerging vitriol (albeit none of the speakers wanted conflict, they said). The budget failed because the hotels obviously had more apportioned votes.
In other business, landowner Angelo Mouzouropoulos reiterated his desire published earlier in the Pelican Free Press to alert landowners in Plano 3 of a problem constructing single family homes without first acquiring mandated environmental reports, which earlier buyers evidently assumed had been obtained by the developer.
Several owners who decided to build anyway reportedly ran into difficulty with the government, some subjected to stop-work orders, fines and other “added costs”…which prompted a public remark by Liliana Viola that people here “should never pay bribes.”
Mouzouropoulos urged owners to contact the Fideicomiso and ask the right questions

before building to avoid problems. There was no rebuttal to his comments.
Real estate agent Sally Evans asked if he was suggesting landowners in Plano 3, of which she is one, should get together to discuss this. Mouzouropoulos said that would be an excellent idea.
On a similar but other front, Wohnlich asked also if the Colonos could do anything about homes being built on Bahia Yanten without regard to zoning setbacks, permeable ground and height restrictions. The answer was, essentially, no, leaving the audience to wonder where the enforcement arm of the building code is hiding.
There was also a slide presentation by Christina Alexander, founder of the non-profit Anat Kah community fund, listing the health and education programs it already has working in the Poblado, its plans for the future, and its need for tax deductible donations. She said an anonymous donor has pledged a 2:1 match of donations during December.
                                             Infrastructure work noted
The Colonos board gave an accounting of its infrastructure maintenance for the year including road repairs, gardening, recycling operations, light replacement and revetment installation on eight islands in Kantenha Bay north of the lagoon bridge. Voices proclaimed Puerto Aventuras as the safest community on the Mayan Riviera with only 26 minor thefts reported for the year.
Serving on the Colonos board also are Hector Pavon; secretary, Tim Day, treasurer, (resigned); Ivonne Almeida and Roman Rivera Torres. On the vigilance committee are Gilbert Chaine, president; John Bush and Deborah van der Haar, all of whom received a round of enthusiastic applause for their volunteer efforts on behalf of settlers.
In the end, as attendees exited the beachside salon into the sun’s warming rays, smiling and shaking hands or hugging goodbyes, the notion that Puerto Aventuras remains a paradise was palpable.
And like the world, Paradise also is run by the people who show up…with lots of votes.

 

Phrase a week… By Gloria Contreras, state certified interpreter

You are stopped by the police and want to say you appreciate the police’s work in protecting you. Say: “Aprecio mucho su trabajo para protegernos.”
(Ms. Contreras teaches Spanish classes from 3 to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Tiramisu Restaurant and all are welcomed to attend. The fee is $150 pesos. Reach her at 984-108-3517.)

 

Religious services…

 

Sta. Teresita del nino Jesus Y la Santa Paz (Roman
Catholic), at the poblado; classes: Mondays through Sundays, 7 p.m.
(Spanish);Contact church office: 984-206-6245 (4-8 p.m.-
Spanish)
Corpus Christi Parrish (Roman Catholic);
Calle 110A entre 25, Playa del Carmen (near Soriana); Mass: Saturdays,
9 a.m. (English); office: 803-0600; Rev. James Hogan.
Chabad
Lubavitch Jewish Center, Avenida 10 entre Calle 6 , Playa Del Carmen; service: Sundays, 9 a.m.;
tel. 984-876-5571; Contact: Rabbi Mendel Goldberg.
Lighthouse
Church English Speaking Christian church, non-denominational, Meets
t 10:00 a.m. Sundays; more information at 984-120-4169; located on Highway 307
in Tulum 1.2 miles south of San Francisco store, past the Mormon church, on the
right next to the fruit stand.

 

 

Briefly noted…

Compiled from staff, contributor and media reports
AUTO EMISSIONS TESTING in Quintana Roo reportedly approved by environmentalists could cost an average 300 pesos per car (about 300,000 of them) to assure cleaner air…COPPER STILL GOLDENas Copper the Doggie celebrated a 15th

birthday last week with around 40 guests who assembled for lunch, maybe 50 guests if you count the canines bringing good wishes too. Anyway, attendance broke records for this annual social…FORMER POLICEMAN’Sbody with nearly severed head was discovered over the weekend along Playa del Carmen’s 65 No. Avenue in the extreme North End…No clues to the homicide yet…MEXICAN AUTHORITES foiled a plot to sneak the son of Moammar Qaddafi into Mexico with false papers identifying them as Mexican. They purportedly were headed for Punta Mita near Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific Coast, which, with tongue in cheek, indicates that Mexico despite its unfortunate cartel publicity, remains a destination of choice… Q. ROO ECONOMY UP by 10 percent this year reports a Playa del Carmen delegate to the Economic Ministry, showing a healthy economic stability that could inspire even more growth…CAR BATTERY RECYCLING PLANTS in Mexico are suspected of being harmful to children who live near the plants because the plants lack sufficient controls. Some 2 million batteries are expected this coming year from the U.S. for

recycling. The lead-acid is removed in put in new batteries bound for China’s growing  car market, reported the New York Times. One U.S, recycling plant owner plans to spend $70M to upgrade its facility in Cienega de Flores, Nuevo Leon…BABY DOLPHINS ARRIVE– Three of four baby dolphins expected to be born around this time have arrived and from all reports mothers and children are doing well. Dolphin births attract the curious and the interested to the Dolphin Walk while some residents, including Doe Stowell and Darlene Schwandke, keep a watchful eye on the process. Schwandke witnessed the second “miracle” birth Tuesday at 9 p.m. while the latest birth was around 2 a.m. Thursday… PROMOTING TOURISM with cash for projects was included in an agreement between Q. Roo and the Federal government to spend on infrastructure improvements that could feed private investment. Tourism Sec. Gloria Guevara noted Mexico’s economy ranks 14th in the world and positioned as best Latin American country in which to do business…MORE FLIGHTS – Delta and United plan more flights from Los Angeles and U.S. Airways eyeing a weekly service from Logan in Boston…MINIMUM WAGE HIKE of 4.2 percent is being criticized by the Confederation of Workers and Peasants as not sufficient in view of increases in food, transportation and gasoline price hikes…TAXI DRIVERS trying to block the highway to Tulum as the result of a dispute between two taxi unions attracted scores interest from

several PA residents driving by and of  police in front of a resort between Akumal and Puerto Aventuras on Monday. Police arrived to keep the highway open. The disagreement had flared into an  attack on a playa taxi in Tulum…THERE SEEMED TO BEsome omissions on membership of the Community Park Committeen in a letter to the Pelican last week, which the Pelican is pleased to clarify. All those who have served on the committee from Day One to now are: Monica Tynan Day, Dulce Carillo (resigned), Liliana Viola, Andrew Pittman (now teaching at Texas A&M), Szusza Batt, Patricia Hernandez, Steffanie Kovalick (resigned). Meanwhile, the park panel keeps pushing along to improve the site with the help of the Colonos maintenance crew which this week painted crosswalks on the entrance road for the safety of park users. Motorists should take note and slow down before the crosswalk…

End This Post… but you can read P.A. history below

HAPPENINGS THIS WEEKEND:

ALSO HAPPENING IS the Colonos Convocation at 9:30 a.m. Saturday Dec. 10 in the Salones Playa of the Dreams Hotel. It should be an interesting meeting with several presentations, one on a land/construction issue and the other by Anat Kah, the “United Fund” of Riviera Maya.

Letters…

 

Community night launched despite a mix-up

Dear Friends of Pelican Press and Latitude 20′:   

 

 

I am writing this with tears of emotion in my eyes. During the last four years, the three active members of the Community Park Committee, we have been fighting to create a community spirit in Puerto that will ultimately create a Community Park.
This fight has been tiring at times, and lonely practically all the time. But this morning, I just realized that it was worth it.
I went this morning very ashamed of myself to apologize to Peter (from Latitude 20′ restaurant), to ask him to delay once more the Community Dinner. My personal life has been chaos the last 2 weeks, and every spare second was used to organize the launch of the classes for adults and kids at the Community Park, so honestly, it was not possible to invest a second on the organization of the Community Night.
I felt bad, because Paul (Pelican Press) has help announcing it and Peter and his team (Latitude 20´) had worked very hard on the menu, even bringing the ingredients from Puebla to make it very special.
When I arrived with my very sad face at Latitude 20´ at 8 a.m. to apologize to Peter, he welcomed me as always with a big smile, and told me: “Liliana, we have 1,500 pesos for the park that we collected in the Community Night.” I could not believe it! I said, “But Peter, I didn´t help at all, I didn´t even show up. I had reheated dinner last night as I was in Playa running some errands until very late. Peter told me: “Liliana, we are a team, when one member is busy the rest keep the show on”. I gave him a hug and run away from the place before he could notice the tears in my eyes. It has been the first time that a non-member of the Community Park Committee has taken on himself one full task for the park, beginning to end.
He didn´t work single handed, all of you, the writers and readers of the Pelican Press helped it happen.So, I can only say THANK YOU. Thank you for showing up, thank you for helping, thank you for being part of our Community Park.
As I suspect that most of the attendance to the dinner was above 40 years old, the money gathered will be spent in the Adults Zone of the park. In the next issue we will report in what was actually spent.
Please, come to the Information Palapa in the park, to learn the latest things that we are working on.Thank you again, and hoping to see you all in our January Community Dinner.

Gratefully,
Liliana Viola,
Community Park Committee.

Chaotic benevolence brings joy to 1,300 kids;

PTO AVENTURAS PROVIDES SANTA, TOYS, CASH, VOLUNTEERS

From staff and contributors   

It was a sea of children with cherubim faces scrubbed and polished and joyful and expectant and in awe of none other than Santa Claus, also known as Santa Flaco, in this case. It was  a slim Tim Day from Puerto Aventuras whose good humor put him under white beard and red suit minus the girth to dispense holiday and toys to big-eyed girls and boys from eight PA and Playa area elementary schools (children aged 6-9) on Dec. 1.
The scene at Centro Maya in Playa del Carmen might have been described as chaotic benevolence as clutches of volunteers,  moved tables and chairs to and fro, then fro and to. Others frantically worried about having sufficient toys while teen-aged volunteers  and adults jointly piled presents high in supermarket baskets and otherwise coordinated a meltdown of the North Pole into sunny Mexico.
The brown-eyed, bright-toothed children as usual captured the hearts of onlookers as they exited buses, formed lines with hands on the shoulders in front of them, and smiled their way into the food court remodeled for the ‘Macroposada 2011’ Christmas party with stage and auditorium seating.
For Juanito, one of 13 volunteers from PA and ace contributor to The Pelican Free Press, the event was a “good time  had by all”.
Juanito, who  coincidently was celebrating his 69th birthday on the same day said… “I can’t imagine a more rewarding thing to do on my birthday than spend multiple hours with these delightful children. Although trying to accommodate 1,300 kids can be a bit of a workout, they were all so polite, well behaved and appreciative, that I was repeatedly dazzled by the specialness of the day.   

“So many smiling faces, all spick and span wearing their individual school uniforms, and being lead by some of the most smiling and caring teachers you’d find anywhere. It seems I couldn’t stop taking pictures. What a wonderful way to start the Christmas Season! All involved should be congratulated.”
That sentiment was echoed by Dulce Carillo of PA, who was toy coordinator and Monica Tynan Day who rounded up 11 volunteers besides herself and Mrs. Carillo to assure an adequate contingent from Puerto Aventuras   would assist the becalmed teenagers of the Sonar Despiert AC (daydream) organization in this year’s fifth Macroposada.
Numerous corporate and individual sponsors including Calica, Soriana, Centro Maya and the municipality, which provided transportation, police and chairs, also contributed toys and food generously while clowns, puppy dogs, performing macaws, dancers and tumblers captured the children’s attention between games that kept the students busy all morning.
Mrs. Tynan-Day reports that 17 toys were provided by 14 Puerto Aventuras families and cash gifts totaling 3,750 pesos from seven families with 1,750 from one family alone.  “The sponsoring organization said that our toys for some of these children would truly be their only  Christmas gift.” This is not surprising since the state has reported an uptick of families in Q. Roo that do not even have access to basic foods for their table.
Volunteering for the event along with Mrs. Carillo and Tynan-Day were John and Darlene Schwandke, Chris Landahl, Kay Strange, Inger Bjerre, Betsy Amy-Vogt,  Pauline Harper, Christin Herregers Dhondt, Dorothy Poritz Gauvin, Sofia Izurieta Jorio and Abby Segrove Sra.

 

Poblado street cleanup draws more than 200  helpers

More than 200 neighbors on both sides of the highway joined a successful streets cleanup in the Poblado last Saturday. The turnout was surprising considering the event was planned on short notice.
The volunteers joined 20 employees of Calica and 30 municipal employees in collecting “a lot of trash” said coordinator Dulce Carillo. She said there will be another cleanup event in January in an effort to foster pride in the poblado community.
She said it is part of a broader educational and training outreach to instill a practice of recycling as part of developing a better and more healthful community.

Matching funds offered in Anat Kah holiday drive

A local anonymous donor has offered to match 2:1 all tax-deductible donations being made to Anat Kah, this area’s answer to a united fund, during December, reports Christine Alexander, a fund director.
“For every peso donated this month, Anat Kah will receive three,” Alexander said. Gifts support a number of local programs including “after-school programs, youth leadership training, English classes for youth and adults, community health initiatives and training women for income opportunities. Every peso will count,” she said.
Tax-deductible gifts can be made through Anat Kah’s “Friends of” funds link or by direct deposit in Anat Kah’s account at Scotia Bank Inverlat  #23700178527 CLABE 044694237001785271.

Religious services…

Sta. Teresita del nino Jesus Y la Santa Paz (Roman Catholic), at the poblado; classes: Mondays through Sundays, 7 p.m. (Spanish);Contact church office: 984-206-6245 (4-8 p.m.- Spanish)
Corpus Christi Parrish (Roman Catholic); Calle 110A entre 25, Playa del Carmen (near Soriana); Mass: Saturdays, 9 a.m. (English); office: 803-0600; Rev. James Hogan.
Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center, Avenida 10 entre Calle 6 , Playa Del Carmen; service: Sundays, 9 a.m.; tel. 984-876-5571; Contact: Rabbi Mendel Goldberg.
Lighthouse Church English Speaking Christian church, non-denominational, Meets t 10:00 a.m. Sundays; more information at 984-120-4169; located on Highway 307 in Tulum 1.2 miles south of San Francisco store, past the Mormon church, on the right next to the fruit stand.

Phrase a week… By Gloria Contreras, state certified interpreter

Your bike (or scooter or car) suddenly breaks and you need to know where to have it fixed. You can ask: “Donde puedo arreglar (reparar) mi bicicleta (or)  (moto, coche)”
(Ms. Contreras teaches Spanish classes from 3 to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Tiramisu Restaurant and all are welcomed to attend. The fee is $150 pesos. Reach her at 984-108-3517.)

BRIEFLY NOTED…

Compiled from staff, contributor and media reports
PRICES HERE TODAY are gone tomorrow: costs are escalating in the private and public sectors in the area despite all the publicity about pre-holiday bargains. Property taxes have inched upwards a few clicks while the usual 25 percent discount for early payers has tumbled to 15 percent. In the private sector, an indicator is that scooters in the local supermercado selling just a month ago for 14,999 pesos are up to 16,999…EXTRA LOUD MUSIC until 2:20 a.m. at 50 Bahia Xaac disturbed nearby residents trying to sleep as inebriated revelers refused requests from neighbors and Security agents to observe the Colonos anti-noise rule. Municipal police had to be called by Security…MORE FREQUENT monkey sightings are being reported by residents who live on Bahia Chemuyil, the golf course periphery, the community park, Bahias Xaac and Soliman… CHINESE FOOD is coming to a retail space in the Chedraui building across the highway…MEANWHILE PA residents are raving about the newer, larger Chedraui in Tulum…THE FIRST birthday party for a member of the Community Park kids’ group was held last week…U.S.A. AGENTS from DEA are helping Mexico cartels launder drug profits in hopes of tracing the money to the insulated kingpins, says the New York Times. Critics say the practice has not slowed the flow of drugs and may actually be helping the cartels…

End       Post

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PA’s virtues as premier diving destination promoted

     Area residents may not realize it, but “Dive Aventuras” at the Omni Beach Club and Hotel is not just a premier scuba diving vacation and training school, but a considerable marketing machine with a worldwide reach that helps PA businesses survive. For the uninitiated, scuba is the acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.

Owned and operated by Nils and Debbie van der Haar, originally of Netherlands and Argentina respectively, and Mike and Karen Doody  both originally of the U.S., all of them accomplished diving instructors, the enterprise attracts many divers to PA, the cenotes and reefs, a reality that translates into business for restaurants, shops, hotels, transportation and unit rentals.
In addition, “Dive Aventuras” is an active member of the PA and Riviera communities. The company participates generously in the sponsorship of local athletic, cultural and other charitable activities that strengthen the community’s social fabric.
It is also a provider of jobs with 15 current employees, while its basic classes in diving conducted at one of the sun-drenched Omni pools on the Caribbean seafront provide interesting moments for passersby on their way to the beach or other Omni facilities.
“Our diving competition is not local,” said Mrs. Doody. “It is the entire Caribbean, places like Grand Cayman.” When she and her husband purchase kiosk space at five or six scuba diving shows a year all over the U.S., they promote not only this area’s “world class” cenote system and reefs but multiple businesses here as well.
The volunteer Pelican Free Press welcomes “Dive Aventuras” as a sponsor. To learn more about “Dive Aventuras”, click on the icon in the column at left. You may be surprised at how comprehensive its services to divers are.

PAY PROPERTY TAX HERE AND SAVE 15 %

Representatives of the municipal treasury department will be accepting 2012 property tax payments from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Monday Dec. 5 through Friday, Dec. 9. in the Colonos Office salon above the Oxxo store. The municipality accepts credit and debit cards, checks and cash. Save 15 percent by paying early. People making more than five property payments are asked to contact Eddy Gonzalez beforehand at eddy.gonzalez@solidaridad.gob.mx so paperwork can be prepared in advance to avoid unnecessary delays.

 

Pirating phone lines! Say, isn’t that stealing?

Diversions bring call for locks, security

Posted 11/30/2011 by Pelican Paulie
Sneaking through an open window of somebody’s apartment and taking their telephone set is a criminal offense. It is called stealing. But what do you call it when someone deprives you of communication by diverting your phone service cable to their own use? That’s called stealing too and as such is a criminal and civil offense that deprives you of what is yours.    

A Condo Torre Esmeralda owner recently arrived for a six-month stay only to learn that the phone and Internet services he had been paying for during his 6-month absence had been diverted to someone else’s use by parties unknown.
The resident called TelMex, believing it was a TelMex glitch but learned in the process that it was a local problem, meaning that someone had manipulated the condo cable box situated on common property to divert the service. Upon his return, the owner had to pay $500 pesos to investigate and solve the mystery, not to mention considerable inconvenience for the roughly 10 days he was with0ut service.
In that effort, condo administrators Carlos Suarez and Lothar Batt found the problem and suspect that a former condo employee familiar with the phone cable system may have been hired to switch wires at the behest of another resident or property manager perhaps to appease a renter that could not get a phone line.
     Comments invited: Do you think the condo association is also at fault for not locking and protecting the phone wires box located in a common area to prevent thievery and vandalism? As it is, a vandal with a screwdriver could yank every phone wire into the building in a matter of minutes and deprive all tenants of phone and Internet service.
Discussing this with residents reveals a common belief that this type of theft is not so unusual, including electric and gas line diversions and illegal connections. In this latest case, the resident has requested Condo Torre Esmeralda administrators lock the phone boxes or install a locked gate to prevent continued theft of services. Administrators said they intend to do just that.

 

Phrase a week… By Gloria Contreras, state certified interpreter

If you want a full tank of gas and an check of fluids at the Pemex Station, just say “Tanque lleno por favor y cheque los nivales.”
(Ms. Contreras teaches Spanish classes from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Tiramisu Restaurant and all are welcomed to attend. The fee is $150 pesos. Reach her at 984-108-3517.)

 

New restaurant opens on Dolphin Walk

A “Hippo” has been added to Puerto Aventuras’ menagerie of performing dolphins, comical seals and plump manatees (sea cows).

But unlike the herbivorous African hippo, the “Hippo Marina Lounge” that opened for breakfast on Sunday and dinner this weekend is carnivorous too as it also thrives on serving ham and bacon with  breakfast and other meats the rest of the day to compliment the veggies and carbs.
The eatery, like the Sushi-Mi restaurant nearby that opened earlier this year, are the two most recent additions to the Dolphin Walk and is one of the few with considerable indoor eating space among its permitted 110 seats in and out.
Resident John Timmerman, of London, Ontario and La Jolla, California,  who said he was formerly in the finance and insurance field, is the owner while management duties are shared by Filipe Rosado, manager, and  Marcus Weiler, who has been a player in the Canadian restaurant scene.
The outdoor tables were full last Sunday, opening day for breakfast, as veggie-filled omelets, eggs benedict embellished with asides of fruit and asparagus, and French toast with maple syrup graced the granite-top tables.

Timmerman said he will be employing from 12 to 15 people – six in the kitchen alone – with perks that include family health plans including eye and dental care. He has been a property owner here for six years and recently purchased the restaurant portion of the building. “I live upstairs,” he said and would not want a “karaoke” bar below him.
The restaurant also includes a taco bar facing the street with products and prices “competitive with the Poblado.” Timmerman said he wants to accommodate the local population that is employed in the resort area and all other residents as well. There has been considerable remodeling with a new bar, kitchen, tiled rest rooms and floors of hard pine from Belize in a walk-through design linking the street and Dolphin Walk.
As of Sunday, menus were still being prepared and printed. Scheduled hours will be from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Oh yes. And the “Hippo” name? Just a Shakespearean (What’s in a name?) whimsy. “I have a cookie jar at home shaped like a hippo,” said Timmerman.

THE CENTRO SCENE…

 

Posted 11/30/2011 by Juanito
It seems like spring in Centro Comercial Marina. As the “snowbirds” return, new things begin popping up, just like springtime. It’s wonderful to see a new coat of paint at the Kiosko Plaza. This year the paint even found its way to the rooftop. How glorious she now looks with her crown of globes glowing in the night. Check it out next time on your evening stroll… FOR THOSE WHO DIDN’T KNOW… there are public restrooms located just behind the bandstand. They are clean, well lit, and open everyday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m… A FRESH COAT OF PAINT is currently being added to the street side of all buildings within the Centro Comercial complex. This includes repairs to window sills, overhangs, roof tiles and electrical feeds as needed. Cables and wires that are no longer in service are being removed and those that remain are being consolidated so as to remove an eyesore that has accumulated over time. To keep cost manageable, the administration decided to spread the painting project over a two year period. Painting on the marina side will take place next season. These buildings are among the oldest in Puerto Aventuras. I recently watched a home video recorded on VHS by Don Lerch in 1989. He had purchased a condo in Chac Hal Al as a pre-sale. In the video, you see only three buildings in

Chac and they are under construction! The ocean entry to the marina was different, there was more wave action coming into Fatima Bay. The beach in front of the Omni (known then as the “Beach Club”) appeared to be the size of a football field. Most of the buildings in the shopping center are still under construction (you can hear hammers hitting nails throughout the video), but there is a waiter waving to us from a “Carlos and Charlies” restaurant that was located near what is now Joel’s Pub… ANOTHER JEWELRY STORE… is rumored to be coming soon. Remodeling work is underway in a space located to the right of Restaurante Mikimali. Not sure we really need another jewelry store, but I’ve yet to see the completed project, and at least the space will be filled. “MARINA CHIC”… is the name of a new upscale Dress and Jewelry Shop located next to Aquanauts Dive Shop. It is the brainchild of brothers Fabrizio and Giovanni Nocerino from Italy. The brothers take turns running the shop and are a delight to visit with… IN THE SPOTLIGHT is the way some of the trees and shrubs of the shopping center must feel. New spotlights are being added to the garden islands in front of Paparazzi Pizza, Reiki Bakery and Mari Carmen’s Remax office. Garden areas along the walkway leading to the main stairway, between Flamingo’s Dress Shop and the Museum are also receiving new decorative lighting. Maybe they’ll encourage nighttime stroller’s to hold hands a little tighter and whisper sweet nothings to the ear?… GO BACK TO CAPISTRANO is what many would like to tell the hundreds of birds who’ve decided to nest in the trees near the Oxxo store. Such a clatter as they return each evening at sunset. You might want to wear a hat if you’re headed off to the store… WHO’S THE FATHER you may wonder? We have four pregnant dolphins in the pens along the bridge between Sabor’s (I wonder if they’ll reopen this season?) and Dolphin Discovery, the most pregnant of which could deliver any day. She is huge! Swimming on her back, she seems proud to show you her belly and likes to “chatter and whistle” with visitors who stop to say hello. Some complain about the brightness of the spotlights shining down on those pools, but dolphin handler’s say they’re necessary to monitor the birth of the babies. No news yet on whether we should buy pink or blue blankets. “Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.” ~Danny Kaye

Condo clippings…

Compiled from staff and contributor reports
CONDO TORRE ESMERALDA – Several improvements are greeting returning snowbirds this month including a new ladder in the swimming pool, a repaired pool pump, an aluminum cover at the rubbish bin and a slip-proof step at the elevator landings.
Administrators Carlos Suarez and Lothar Batt said the pool ladder was installed upon request from a number of owners to accommodate people having difficulty exiting the pool because of age-related impediments.

The rubbish bin cover was installed for general neatness and cleanliness and to discourage congregation of assorted critters and feral cats that awaken owners at night with their antics. So far, the bin is achieving its goals and is a welcome improvement.
The administration is beginning to prepare fiscal reports and a preliminary agenda for the Jan. 20, 2012, annual meeting at 9 a.m. in the Colonos salon. It is not too early for owners who wish to make suggestions or request insertion of an agenda item to forward these to administrators atadmin@torreesmeralda.com
Among special items intended for insertion by the administration is the completion of understandings concerning the construction of several balconies last year and whether owners wish to have the building painted. Administrators say estimated cost is about $12,000 USD for a professional job by a large company. There are sufficient funds in the 18-month special assessment account voted last February to cover the cost. But owners need to vote on the expenditure. Paint swatches have been added on a 3d floor wall in Building ‘A’ so owners can vote on their choice of a color.
As a matter of courtesy, it might be a good idea for owners having work that requires heavy, sustained pounding in their units to notify neighbors a few days ahead so they can plan a day at the beach or shopping.

Contributed by La Sirena
CONDOS QUINTA DEL SOL I and II – Quinta del Sol-2’s annual board meeting to elect new officers will be held on December 29th at the Colons Office.  The current president and vice president will step down after two years and only the treasurer Jim Caddey will stay on.  Two candidates willing to step in are Jeanine Pedersen for president and Bill Weaver for vice president. Both are the newest residents in the building.
A vote was up before the homeowners last July to tear out the swimming pool and build a new one. The current president and vice president, along with a resident attorney who often advises the board,  all voted in favor.  All remaining owners voted no. Many strong opinions were voiced in email correspondence.  Had it passed it would have depleted cash reserves entirely, which is why the treasurer recommended the negative vote.
QDS-2 still has two existing “deadbeats” who refuse to pay homeowner dues.  The new board will be gearing up to take a fresh new look at the problem with a new lawyer early on in the year.

     Quinta del Sol-1 will also elect a new board during the Christmas week.  An unusually high number  of their beach-front units are reportedly for sale. One of the units has been the object of attempts to gain title  from the courts to apparently sell the unit to collect overdue maintenance fees.  A retired Florida couple had purchased it during construction, furnished it, came very few times and then disappeared without ever paying dues.  QDS+1 hopes to recover the back dues and then give the owners the remaining money.

Religious services….
Contributed by MTD
     In an effort to work towards more informative websites, below is contact and service information for three places of worship.  There is a religious ministry in Paaamul that some PA residents attend also (perhaps Marie-Carmen @ Remax can help).  Basic listings would  be helpful, especially with holidays, regardless of religious leanings.  All offer services, classes and support groups for children and adults.

Sta. Teresita del nino Jesus Y la Santa Paz (Roman Catholic)
At the poblado; classes: Mondays through Sundays, 7 p.m. (Spanish)
Contact church office: 984-206-6245 (4-8 p.m.- Spanish)

Corpus Christi Parrish (Roman Catholic)
Calle 110A  entre 25, Playa del Carmen (near Soriana)
Mass: Saturdays, 9 a.m. (English); office: 803-0600; Rev. James Hogan

Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center
Avenida 10 entre Calle 6 , Playa Del Carmen
Service: Sundays, 9 a.m.; tel. 984-876-5571
Contact: Rabbi Mendel Goldberg

Briefly noted…

Compiled from staff, contributor and media reports
WORD’S OUTthat the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. brought a 75 percent weekend hotel

occupancy rate in Cancun, while increased activity was also noted along the Riviera Maya …PLASTIC MAN – Q. Roo, that’s us, folks – consumes half the 325 tons of plastic  waste collected on the Yucatan Peninsula. Can’t wait to learn how the Roo rates on liquor bottles and cans…BANK IN CHEDRAUI - It appears the Bank Azteca is opening a small branch in Chedraui’s Market here  in the next few days …INFRASTRUCTUREimprovements are being added with federal money in Puerto Morelos to attract more tourism along with a program of increased marketing to help small hotels along the Mayan Riviera…THE PRESIDENT of a beachfront condo association has reported to Security that while he and his wife were on the beach in the Omni area, credit cards were lifted from his wallet nearby. He sent a letter warning co-owners to be vigilant…

The End