Where We've stayed, Food and Water in El Placer and Quintana Roo

We have traveled to the Mahahual area now for four years. When we first came in November 2007, we had intended to stay at Mayan Beach Garden, but Hurricane Dean had struck the area dead-on in August causing severe damage to some of their buildings and they weren’t open. We stayed at Carol and Alan’s very eco-built Balamku, farther south, between Mahahual and Xcalat. We ate breakfast there and ate at Traveler’s Inn near there for dinner with our own fruit, etc. for lunch.

In 2008 we stayed at Mayan Beach Garden, newly reopened and repaired. We opted for the 3 meal a day option and thoroughly enjoyed the food, sort of a Mayan and Mexican fusion.
 Hammocks, outdoor patios...

Mayan Sopes 

In 2009 we again came by bus and stayed with our daughter Gayle and family at Kitty and Beau Speed’s “Las Brisas” home in the beach level. It worked out perfectly…a kitchen, living/dining room, two bathrooms and three bedrooms. 　

　

                                           

That year, Jim and I also stayed a week at Mayan Beach Garden, again with their meal plan.

Now in 2011, Jim and I rented the upstairs of Casa Guerin (Now Maya Cocal) for one week. We were pleased with this one bedroom, one bathroom, living/dining room and many outdoor patios. One we especially loved looking out west toward the Mangrove and dirt coastal road.

　

Then we moved for two weeks with Gayle and family again when they arrived, to Casa Maria with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, large living room, super equipped kitchen, many amenities of TV, snorkle gear, kayaks, etc. and a very special caretaker, Carlos.

Mike, Gayle, Calin and Marley on the top patio of Casa Maria during a beautiful sunset.

Soft sand  and a sunny day........

So the question may arise, where do we purchase our FOOD ?

When we first land in Cancun in the afternoon, we usually stay overnight at a nearby hotel, and in the morning “hit” Cancun’s Costco and next door Mega, a huge grocery store with items of fish, meat, fruit, bread etc. laid out for individual choice. There are also many choices of boxed and canned items and  “recados“ (premade herb/spice combinations). It’s like a Super Walmart with even better fresh items. Sam’s, Home Depot and an actual Walmart also are close by.  So what we don’t want to buy in huge quantity, etc. we buy at Mega.

Playa del Carmen also has a similar stores but no Costco.

Tulum has a San Francisco de Asis grocery store at the crossroad to Coba and a Bancomer Bank next door. But you do need to give them a paper copy, that they keep, of your passport, something about drug money laundering problem.

Always, after the first week or so, we realize what we’re running low with. This year Gaye and Mike came one week after we arrived and could restock us at Costco’s before they drove down from a list I emailed them. As Chetumal is more than two hours away, we tend to pay a bit more and shop at Mahahual. This town has three long “streets”. The Malecon along the water which is for foot traffic only. The first street away from the beach is one way going south and is called Huachinango. Near the soccer field and internet cafes is a fruteria run by a Mayan woman.

Coming out, going north on the one-way third street away from the water is “El Primo’s”. You can buy eggs, corn tortillas made on-site (I usually just order a ½ a kilo.), cold cereal (expensive), mayonnaise, cans of items, etc. Also in Mahahual is a fish co-op to buy fresh fish and lobster and a polleria where you can buy a chicken with its head and feet still on, but otherwise cleaned. They come from an area near Merida. We have yet to discover a good place to get red meat. The locals don't eat much of it.

In “New Mahahual” over by the Costa Maya Port, there are two more small grocery stores. (One is Bodegas Baroudi).

If you want really good pineapple, you need to be on the four lane Highway #307 and go a few km south of the Mahahual cut-off to Pedro Antonio de los Santos. Near all the topes are whole pineapples, cut up pieces in plastic, mango cut up, etc. Pineapples are 20-30 pesos each depending on size. We really enjoyed the slices with a slight chili and smokey seasoning.

                                            Our WATER

 

At the Dallas Airport I fill our two Nalgene bottles with water. That is enough to get us from the airport to the hotel and until the morning of the following day if need be. At Mega in Cancun we buy a couple of sealed water bottles for emergency purposes for our entire stay and keep them in the car. At all the houses we rent and also at Mayan Beach Garden we are supplied with 20 liter bottles of water inverted over an attractive holder and faucet. When we leave the houses we fill our private water bottles each time. (In our hometown of Chelan, Washington, we have many Mexicans who pick and process the fruit in the area. At Walmark there I see them wheeling their carts filled with identical large bottles of water. Our tap water in Chelan is perhaps among the best and clearest in the nation. Culture and habit seem to urge these Mexicans to continue their cultural habit of bottled water there, also.)  In the 4 trips we taken to Mexico since 2007, we haven’t gotten sick either from the water, nor the food. And we do eat at outdoor kiosks frequently.

Chacchoben, Pedro Antonio de los Santos, Los Limones y Topes

February 12, 2011

We left in our two cars and parked outside John and Kathy Day’s house in Rio Indio for a few minutes to use their internet hook-up. (The signal which should bounce to Mayan Beach Garden hasn’t been working for a week.) Casa Maria’s is not working and when the cruise ships comes to Mahahual and overload their internet cafes with Skype, even email becomes impossible there.
We continued down the Rio Indio Beach road, then the Jungle Road, and finally the road from Mahahual to the large 4 lane Highway #307 (50 km). On this large highway cars tend to speed. To keep the velocity lower at nearby towns, “Topes” have been installed.

They also serve the function of allowing the people in the area to sell you produce when you slow down. The pineapples at San Pedro are a delight, either whole for about 20 to 30 pesos or a plastic bag of pineapple already cut and sometimes seasoned with hot pepper…very clean and tasty.

On the turn off road, we passed many cattle of the sturdy long horn Brahmin kind, many goats, and ranches. The cattle are allowed to graze loose right next to the highway, but occasionally you’ll see a cowboy on horseback with them. With the hot, humid climate of the Yucatan, this humpbacked Brahmin variety originally from India does very well. Although lean, the meat is tougher and not quite as tasty as the North American cattle.

We drove into the Pyramid site of Chacchoban and found we were the only ones around. Soon appear a man to sell us tickets for 4.10 pesos per adult, and off we went with Calin leading the way and being our scout.


No mosquitoes, no other people and we alone to explorer the large site. Strangler figs were in the forest along with beautiful palms with fronds starting at the ground at ascending up to 15’. We were given permission to climb most any of the pyramids, etc. because we were the only ones around.
　
There was a very slight jungle rain, and new discoveries around every turn of the paths. The site has been protected for many years by a farm family, but started its reconstruction in the early 1980’s. The two sons, David and Ivan manage the site now. (Both were busy with other duties this Saturday.) But we also felt privileged to be there with no tourists around. We loved the Mayan site.

We then drove to Los Limones looking for some sun tan oil which was not availably in either “farmacia.”

We stopped at an outdoor “Pollo Asado” location along the 4 lane highway. The Senora had three different kinds of meat fillings for tacos and a choice of tortillas or nice bread buns.

We ate under a Palapa whose roof allowed two Zapote Trees to poke through. These trees were formally used for “chicle” chewing gum, and now for “Chico Zapotes”, a very sweet fruit you can use a spoon to scoop out and we all have learned to love. The chewing gum industry now uses a chemical formula for chicle. Japan is the only country that still chooses to use the actual “chicle” from trees. The Senor graciously brought out a tall ladder and picked us some these “Chico Zapotes”. He also taught us that there are many different kinds of Chicle Trees, each having particular functions and size of fruit. What an extraordinary experience. Again we were the only ones there.

We drove to the outskirts of Mahahual for Barbecue chicken to take home. It cost 110 pesos per very large chicken with a bag of sauce, cut up onion, a bag of pepper seasoning, cabbage and rice. The chicken wasn’t to be done for a ½ hour so we stopped at Fernando’s Agave restaurant in town and then returned. Calin and Marley each had a huge Mango drink.
On the way back, outside the Day’s house on the dirt road, hundred miles away from Amazon Seattle, I downloaded The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, into my Kindle.
Life can be awesome.
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

Super Sunday

Today we left Casa Maria and went to Mayan Beach Garden for the Super Bowl and to have a buffet of Cochinito Pibil, etc.  (Pulled pork Mayan style). What fun to share the game and great good.  Even Calin and Marley enjoyed it.

Feb. 2, 3, 2011 Moved to Casa Maria

February 2^th, 2011

Off to visit Natalie Dale who was at Kathy and John Day’s house…a beautiful house up for sale as they would like to build a smaller one, etc.

We drove on to Casa que Canta (home of Joe and Maureen LaBore in photo below). An incredibly beautifully designed home by Shiva, the architect. The caretakers were friendly. The owners were staying at the Dragonfly in south Mahahual.

February 3, 2011
We made the move from Casa Guerin to Casa Maria (see photo below)tranporting our groceries and luggage, in the rental car.  Mike, Gayle, Calin and Marley (their two active children ages 2 and 4) arrived on Thursday in time to do some swimming before dark.

They all love the beach, sand, water, etc.
　
　
　

TOUCAN Sunday and Mahahual

1/30/2011 TOUCAN Sunday

I looked outside toward the mangroves and in the backyard on the driveway is the first Toucan in the wild that I have ever seen. The Toucan flew up into the tree and stayed awhile. Lovely. Beach walk, visiting with neighbors, meeting the dogs of the area.

1/31/2011 Mahahual and Mayan Beach Garden
We drove the beach road to Rio Indio looking at the various homes…many new. In the evening we were able to meet several of the owners as we assembled at Mayan Beach Gardens to hear acoustic guitars, singing, ½ off beer, a great buffet with chicken pozole, etc.
In the town of Mahahual, SO many changes in a year. We met our friend taxi driver Felipe, saw the many new condos and hotels, saw the southern part that has become very sophisticated with Matan Ka’an hotel, plus many others going up. We bought a large grouper (mero) from Antonio and also a couple of lobster tails. He’s a wholesaler and his fish are being shipped out the following morning.

Fabulous lunch at AGAVE Restaurant. Francisco and Carlos showered us with attention (no cruise ships in) and a couple of complimentary drinks with Tequila…we especially liked the Kaluah, tequila and coffee mixture for after lunch of burrito and shrimp. We had mentioned we knew Karla, and Wayne who had been to his daughter Andrea’s birthday party the previous day. The tequila they serve is from a large wooden keg…coming from Jalisco. It is “reposado” tequila having aged at least 2-11 months….very smooth.
The dead mangrove section at the entry to Mahaual  still exits, but so many new structures are going up, I was able to ignore that area a bit. We saw three iguanas near the Pemex station. We bought tortillas, fish, lotion, charcoal, etc. and returned back to El Placer.
　
　
　
　
　

January 26^th, 2011

Flight from Seattle via Dallas Fort Worth to Cancun. All the flights to New York from Cancun had been cancelled due to the snowstorm in NY and the passengers were on their own to pass the night…not much help given to them because it was not due to the airlines, etc. Getting to the Marriott Courtyard was a long ordeal because of the lines of people. Once there, because we already had a reservation, we were quickly given a room.
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January 27^th, 2010
When you rent a car in Mexico, you need to be careful. It’s possible that the auto rental company could try to charge you for damage to the car that had occurred to it before you, or for missing objects, like floor rugs, or car jack, etc. We had assembled a list for Jim to go through carefully while I was to take pictures of all the dings, etc. The representative Fernando picked us up at 9:00 AM and took us to their office near the airport- (Easy Way RentACar.)

Once there, I felt rather silly taking pictures of the outside of the car. It was bought by the company only the day before and has absolutely no dings or problems. Jim had his list to check, windshield wipers, AC working, extra tire, etc. and soon stopped as everything was new. We were given extra papers for going into Belize if we wanted to, emergency numbers to call, etc. and soon we were driving away in a new Nissan Tsuru GSII. Very nice and easy.

Then off to find Costco. The tourist map we were given at the hotel had Sam’s, Costco, Walmart, Home Deport, etc. so we found everywhere very easily. It took some time for the Home Depot man to take apart the “carretina”, (the wheel barrow) so it would fit in the back seat…with all the groceries and tools (rake, hoe, and long handled pruners.)

We stopped at Tulum to change our American money to Mexican at Bancomer next to the San Francisco de Asis Market. After waiting in a line, we were told we had to have a copy of our passport to hand to them. Well, could they make a copy there?…Nope…no copier…so we went into town to an internet place, got the copy and then stood in line again. It was after 4:00 PM when we finished exchanging money.
The road 307 South from Cancun is just great, very little traffic and straight….4 lanes before Tulum and wide 2 lanes after Tulum. Jim sped along at 110 KM per hour sometimes. We arrived to the turn of from the Mahahual road to the north El Placer road just as it was getting very dark. We had driven the road several times before so we anticipated no problem. What we weren’t told is that that the access road to Rio Indio is the one to take now because the beach road has been newly graded. The later access road to El Placer is down to one lane due to jungle growth. AND.for some unfathomable reason, “they” have installed THREE El PLACER signs along the road. We’d see a sign and think…ok, turn-off near. We’d look, then think we missed it and turn around and search again….just signs…no roads, until the final one that now is one lane.We had hoped to get our rental house key and instructions before dark, unload, and leisurely go to Mayan Beach Gardens for drinks and camaraderie before dinner at about 6:00 PM. We were still trying to find the el Placer road in the total darkness after 7:00 PM. We finally arrived near 7:30 PM; got our keys quickly, and went to dinner without unloading. They hadn’t even started yet, so we enjoyed fabulous butones, jicama, pineapple salad, chicken , cilantro potatoes, AND a small bowl of delicious apple crisp.

Then off to unload the car, lock up and flop into bed…dark, dark, but I could hear those wonderful waves during the night….


January 28^th, 2011

Awoke to the beautiful, sunny Caribbean. Ah…a bit of wind, breakfast, and a walk to our new property close by. Quite a bit of new jungle growth in one year, but we found it easily. Surprise though, we did encounter 4 people walking on the long beach stretch…rather unusual. Most often we are the only ones…ah solitude. This first day we had to get adjusted…Yes…walking the beach, eating, reading, napping. We were walking the dirt automobile road, and our friend Marcia drove by. We were looking at a large 55 meter lot that was newly bulldozed, had a new palapa entrance and a new fence. She said it just sprang up this past weekend, and was hoping it wasn’t going to be a Beach Club. We walked down to Casa Maria and met the caretaker, Carlos and we admired the house.

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January 29, 2011
Off to Mayan Beach Gardens. Talked with Marcia and Kim, then used their Internet hook-up. The tower for el Placer Internet hasn’t been replaced so they are using Hughes Satellite. In the afternoon we hiked the back road to our lot. Jim put together the wheelbarrow and I started looking for live coconuts to plant (have to hear the liquid inside). Dave, the caretaker for Taj Majahual came along with the three dogs, then Gabe and we met Cindy for the first time. We gained lots of news, ideas, regulations, etc.

People here are very helpful.

Costa Maya Mexican Trip Jan/Mar 2011

My husband Jim and I are spending the last few days before our trip getting our Lake Chelan Llamas Ranch ready for our absence. Llamas will need extra hay, all water pipes drained, solar electric system partially closed down, luggage packed, boats ready, etc.

We'll leave for Seattle, see the grandkids, return Muddy, the dog, and fly to Cancun on January 26th. We plan to stay one night at the Merriott near the airport, rent a car in the (morning and drive to Mahahual and El Placer the next day.