March 4-10, 2014
www.theplayatimes.com
WEEK COMES TO A CLOSE
COMMUNITY
CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL
Photo: blog.sandos.com
Weekly, Year 01, Number 23, 10,000 Copies,16 Pages
MAYAN FORUM
T
his week brings both the 2014 Cozumel and Playa del Carmen carnivals to an end. The carnivals have brought a week of vibrant sound, color and costume and culminated in a ‘Mardi Gra’ or ‘Fat Tuesday’ ambience to both towns. Dance troops, exotic floats, Carnival kings and queens of all ages and abilities celebrated this year. The streets have been alive with
lights, glitter and drumming and even pets got in on this year’s carnival, all to celebrate the beginning of Lent. The famous Cozumel event was first celebrated in 1908 and is now considered the best Carnival in the Mexican Caribbean. However, the relatively new carnival scene is emerging here in Playa del Carmen and this year’s theme to celebrate was “With a New Heart”. More than a thousand dancers cavorted in their vibrant colorful costumes, moving along the main avenues of Playa del Carmen on Saturday. The parade reached its climax at the town square where delighted locals and tourists joined in the carnival atmosphere. The stars were Playa del Carmen’s carnival king and the queen, Maximiliano Interión and Karla Margarita Miranda, but also shining that night were the children’s and special need king and queen categories, Richard Campos and Renata Franco and Silverio Cohuo and Clara Flores, respectively. All of them looked liked royalty in their bright extravagant costumes and crowns decorated with feather plumes and glistening sequins.
NEW SPECIES FOUND Dr. Jill Yager talks about her discovery of a unique species found only in the cenotes of Quintana Roo. PAGE 12
DINING OUT
BY GEMA GARCÌA
DISCOVER MEXICO
The National Tourism Forum in Merida met to discuss ways to unite the Mayan states within Mexico. PAGE 4
CHEF OF THE WEEK
We talk to Greek restaurant 'Milos' chef, Apostolis Blougouras, about the inspiration behind this menu. PAGE 9