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October 23-29, 2013
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México’s immigration law explained By Solomon Freimuth
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n May of 2011 the Mexican Government published the ‘Ley de Migración’, which was Mexico’s biggest immigration reform since the previous immigration law of 1974. The new law did away with the old immigration forms, which most foreigners who have thought about living in Mexico know as the ‘FM3’ or ‘FM2’. When the new law was published, the big talk amongst many expats living in Mexico was about the new, easier ways that foreigners were going to be able to live permanently in Mexico. Many were excited about the mixing of the old ‘FM3’ and ‘FM2’ into one Temporary Resident card and the ability for foreigners to get Permanent residence in Mexico after living here for just 4 years as a Temporary Resident. At the time that the law was published it gave the executive branch of the Mexican government 180 working days to publish the specific guidelines and rules that were to guide the actual application of the law, but as sometimes is the case with government the ‘Reglamento’, or Regulations, took a little longer than was expected and the new immigration law was not actually implemented until November of 2012. Now coming up to the first anniversary of the application of the new immigration law, many potential residents are still in the
dark about the actual immigration rules. The new rules simplified the old rules somewhat, but can still be complex. The new types of residence that a foreigner can gain in Mexico are Temporary Resident and Permanent Resident status. Temporary Resident cards are given for 1-4 years, depending on the criteria of the local National Immigration Institute, and can be renewed for up to a total of 4 years. After having the Temporary Resident card for 4 years, it becomes compulsory for foreigners to change to Permanent Resident status. Permanent Resident cards are, as the law is cu-
rrently written, permanent. Foreigners who are interested in becoming Temporary or Permanent Residents must apply for residence at a Mexican Consulate outside of Mexico, usually having to provide 6-12 months worth of bank statements, proof of no criminal history and their valid passport. Some consulates ask for other documents as well, so it is a good idea to call the consulate for requirements and an appointment in advance. The law states that the consulates are able to grant both Temporary and Permanent Residence, but many consulates are not currently issuing Permanent
Resident visas to applicants. There are various different hypotheses that allow foreigners to qualify to be residents in Mexico, but in general Mexico wants to know that the foreigners can provide for themselves while in the country: this means that foreigners have to prove income of at least $2000 USD per month for the last six months, demonstrate an average balance of $100,000 USD in a bank account during the previous year or show that they have made a significant investment in Mexico via stock certificates, public deeds or notarized sale contracts. Once the consulate has is-
sued the residence visa, the foreigner then has 180 days to enter Mexico and then 30 days after entering to go to the National Immigration Institute to apply for their residence card. The process to issue the residence card with the Immigration Institute usually takes 4-6 weeks. The major benefits of having residence in Mexico, apart from having a neat government issued identification card, are the following: 1. Every five years residents in Mexico are able to claim income tax exemptions on the sale of their primary residence. 2. Residents can stay in Mexico for as long as their resident cards are valid, whereas people entering Mexico as tourists are only authorized to stay for 180 days at a time. 3. Foreigners are able to take advantage of certain government benefits; such as government health care and senior discount programs. 4. Many restaurants, theme parks and other establishments offer local discounts to foreigners with Mexican residence. Temporary Residents are also able to bring with them to Mexico their worldly possessions, including household items, clothing, computers and even their vehicle without paying import duty or tax on the items, but they must promise to return the items to their country of origin when the foreigner’s Temporary Residence expires.
The Golf Seaside Rotary Golf Classic Tournament begins Everything is ready for the Golf Seaside Rotary Golf Classic Tournament on 26th October at the Grand Coral Hotel, sponsor and host of the charity fundraising event. Among the prizes to be won are week long Terrace VIP passes to the OHL Mayakoba Classic, weekends for two
at the Valentin Imperial Resort, a weekend for four (two adults and two children) at the RIU Peninsula Cancun and $5,000 MXP cash “Closest to the Pin” prize donated by the Tequila Barrel. See Page 4
24hr Taxi Services Throughout Playa del Carmen and Cancun areas (984)877-3858 (984)877-3859 (984)877-3860
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October 23-29 2013
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DIRECTORY Solomon Freimuth Managing Director solomon@theplayatimes.com Omar Tornel Managing Editor omar@theplayatimes.com Gema García Chief Reporter gema@theplayatimes.com Rocio Chávez Marketing Director rocio@theplayatimes.com Mario Jiménez Distribution Director distribucion@theplayatimes.com
Contact Us At: www.theplayatimes.com info@theplayatimes.com theplayatimes @theplayatimes 984-147-6515
THE PLAYA TIMES PLAYA DEL CARMEN’S COMMUNITY PAPER
Periódico Semanal. Editor responsable: Solomon Michael Freimuth. Número de Certificado de Reserva otorgado por el Instituto Nacional de Derechos de Autor: (PENDIENTE). Número de Certificado de Licitud de Título: (en trámite). Número de Certificado de Licitud de Contenido: (en trámite). Domicilio de la publicación: 10 Ave. Nte. Mza. 62 Lt. 2 D-12, Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen, Solidaridad, Quintana Roo C.P 77710. Imprenta: Diario El Quintanarroense, S.A. de C.V. Av. 115 Nte. Mz. 189 Lote 11 entre calle 12 y 14, Col. Ejidal, Playa del Carmen, Q. Roo. Distribuidor: Meridian Media S.A. de C.V., 10 Ave. Nte. Mza. 62 Lt. 2 D-12, Col. Centro, Playa del Carmen, Solidaridad, Quintana Roo C.P 77710.
Our Board of Governor's
Arielle Thomas
Rusell Granger
David Sánchez
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s the tourist season ebbs a little and many may be breathing a sigh of relief, we at The Playa Times have not been resting on our laurels! We are pleased to welcome new regular contributors Barna Takats, our resident Steve Irwin on page 9, and Webb
EDITORIAL
Editorial
Elkins our answer to Hugh Johnson, page 12. This week we also introduce the new regular feature ‘Dining Out’, which will include restaurant tips and recommendations straight from the horse’s mouth – you! So please let us in on your favorite haunts, see page 12.
We would also like to thank Paula Liebe and Honza Miejnek for making our first ‘Find Me a Home‘ feature a success, helping us resolve some of the issues regarding homeless animals in Playa del Carmen. Don’t forget to look at this week’s candidate looking for their forever home,
and read how our first adoptee finally found love on page 14. It is great to see that the community of Playa del Carmen wants to share their interests and loves with us all. The Playa Times Editorial Team
SUPPORTING CARACOL MARINO ART SCHOOL By Gema García
For six years the Caracol Marino art school, in the Luis Donaldo Colosio district, has been teaching dance, acting, handicrafts, English language and Mexican history lessons to underprivileged local children. This great achievement motivated The Playa Times to donate its recyclable material to Caracol Marino students for use in their handicraft projects. The director of the centre Sra. Hena Moreno, who graduated in Literature and Theatre, appreciated the donation and said that it will be of great use to the children as they use recycled paper, cardboard and plastic for their crafts, especially for making traditional piñatas. The director explained that currently they do not receive any financial assistance from the government, so they depend entirely on private companies and altruistic donations. “It is not easy to maintain the center because we need employees for it to operate, besides paying house, water and electricity taxes. We have some voluntary
teachers that work unpaid, so everyone that wants to support us will be welcome”, said Sra. Moreno. Caracol Marino school has a dozen permanent students from Monday to Friday, attending from 4pm. They eat together and do their homework assisted by teachers, as well as taking art lessons. The centre also processes scholarships with private institutions to give underprivileged children
a chance of a better education. Hena Moreno Corso added, “We are located in the Colosio district because it is an area where there are many unattended children home alone, whilst their parents go work in order to feed their families. We think that this lack of supervision can end in vandalism and truancy as they are spending more time on the streets, where they may be influenced by the wrong people”.
Moreno invited the whole community to support the Caracol Marino project, “Recently a foreign woman visited and offered us free English lessons and the children received classes for six months. Without a doubt there are many here committed to helping us and we greatly need these kind of people”. Every third Sunday of the month Caracol Marino School celebrates ‘Tianguis del Trueque’ (The Barter Market) where people bring organic products and homemade foods in order to exchange them for different things. The initiative was created by a group of people interested in organic products and that were concerned by the high prices in stores, so they decided to collaborate with Caracol Marino in order to trade their products. Sra. Roxana Escualo who is part of the ‘Tianguis del Trueque’ project invited everyone to join in and exchange things at the market. She said that by promoting this barter system we contribute to making a community less dependent on money.
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LOCAL NEWS
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Puerto Aventuras the story of a worker's camp By Gema García
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ith 10,000 inhabitants, Puerto Aventuras is a symbol of the enormous urban growth that has taken place in the Riviera Maya. Just 20 years ago Puerto Aventuras was a workman’s camp, where a mixture of people from all over Mexico gathered attracted by the opportunities offered in the growing construction sector. Many of them saw a chance for a better life. Fidel Luis Parra, the president of the Civic Council of Puerto Aventuras, who has been living in the town for more than 24 years, told The Playa Times how the area evolved. “It all began as a camp. I came together with 600 other people and we were supposed to stay for six months, which has now become more than 24 years. 70 workers of that group decided to make this area their permanent home. Most of them now have families and homes here. Today, their children work at the hotels that their parents built”. One interesting fact is that the average age of Puerto Aventuras’ inhabitants is 26 years old. The reason being that the average age of the workers in hotel industry is normally under 35. Its population varies throughout the year coming, with seasonal workers returning to their hometowns when their work is over. Fidel remembers past years and tells us “After becoming a camp in the 80’s, similar to Chemuyil and Akumal, Puer-
I came together with 600 other people and we were supposed to stay for six months, which has now become more than 24 years” Fidel Luis Parra President of the Civic Council of Puerto Aventuras
to Aventuras began to grow as workers also brought their families to the town. By 1990 the town had 5,000 inhabitants who built the downtown area and advanced little by little into the jungle to become the place that we have today which also includes residential developments”. Workers in Puerto Aventuras mostly come from Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz, Merida and many small villages in Quintana Roo, often working during the week and returning home on the weekends. “In Puerto Aventuras there are many cultures because people from all over Mexico keep arriving. We also have expats who decide to stay on the other side of the Federal Highway, in the beach zone. That accumulation of cultu-
re causes Puerto Aventuras to keep forging its identity. Workers usually prefer to isolate themselves and enjoy their families on their days off instead of living together with the main population. The identity of Puerto Aventuras will continue to change as time goes on because it is still a very young town”, said Fidel Parra. In order to express gratitude to the workers that helped build the Riviera Maya, a monument will be erected in their honor so the work of the “unknown heroes”, as don Fidel calls them, will be acknowledged. “Each brick of the town, that everybody enjoys today, passed through the hands of these Puerto Aventuras workmen, so we think it is important to recognize the work they did, which represents begin-
ning of this town”. Today, Puerto Aventuras has residential developments such as Puerto Maya, Solidaridad and the downtown districts. Showing the everyday effort of a population that work daily to feed their families. Parents have now kindergartens, where they can take their children whilst working, as well as elementary and high schools. Visitors to Puerto Aventuras may enjoy the crystalline waters of the cenotes as well as the facilities that have been created for everybody to enjoy. Fidel Parra finally invited people to visit Puerto Aventuras where they can live together with people and cultures from all parts of Mexico and know a little bit more of its history and feel the spirit of its tireless people.
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LOCAL NEWS
By Bob Hyde
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Rotary Club of Playa del Carmen Seaside’s first annual Seaside Rotary Golf Classic will tee off with an 8 am shotgun start at the Grand Coral Golf Club on Saturday, October 26th. Grand Coral Golf Director and Head Professional Glenn Doyle and his staff have worked tirelessly to help ensure that the English speaking Rotary Club’s first major fundraiser is a big success. As the host sponsor, Grand Coral has provided charity friendly prices, much needed guidance, and donated valuable prizes to help attract golfers to the event. Golfers will have an opportunity to show off their skills and win prizes on several holes, and win many more prizes during a raffle that will take place during an awards luncheon following the tournament: Each of four par 3 holes will offer a ‘Closest to the Pin’ contest. The four winners will then face off in the ‘Tequila Barrel Closest to the Pin Shootout’, with all four participants winning valuable prizes based on the results. The par 3 fifth hole will feature a ‘Beat the Pro’ contest in which players test their skill again a ‘pro’ - who is a rising young Mexican junior golfer. The eighteenth hole will feature a longest drive contest, with the top three golfers each winning a prize. There are over fifty prizes available to participants through the generosity of prize donors and sponsors. Major donated prizes include; week long ‘Terrace’ VIP passes to the OHL Mayakoba Classic, weekend stays for two at the Valentin Imperial Resort, golf foursomes at the Grand Coral Golf Club, a weekend for four (two adults and two children) at the RIU Peninsula Cancun and $5,000 MXP cash “Closest to the Pin” prize donated by the Tequila Barrel. Many more prizes will be awarded during a giant raffle held at the awards luncheon following the tournament. A partial list of prizes includes gift certificates from such familiar Playa spots as Wah Wah Beach Bar, La Patrona, Current, Tequila Barrel, Dirty Martini, Buenos Aires Restaurant, La Cueva de Chango, Mom’s Bar,
First Annual Golf Tournament Tees off this Saturday
Golf Tournament Chairman David Sánchez shows how it´s done
Grand Coral Hotel, host of the event
Glen and the girls Como Como, Zenzi, Botega and CoCo’s Cocina. Additional prizes include one month of yoga at Yoga By The Sea, Spanish classes by Learn Spanish In Three Days, paintings, custom jewelry and sculptures by local artists and artisans, a cut, color and consultation by famed Playa stylist Cynthia (C.C.) Sweatt, and celebrated
GOLD SPONSORS
local author Paula Liebe has donated copies of her ‘Queen’ trilogy. Credit for the success of this first annual endeavor, the entire proceeds of which will be donated to local charities by PdC Seaside Rotary, goes to its sponsors, without whom there would be no tournament.re would be no tournament.
Bric Vacation Rentals Buy Playa Realty Calderon and Associates, Attorneys Costa Realty The Playa Times Food Sponsors Barro Negro (soon to open in the former Origenes location) La Patrona Beverage Sponsor Heineken Beverage Cart Sponsors Greater Good Solutions NAS Vacation Rentals
SILVER SPONSORS
Chez Celine PG’s Sandbox Adriana Vela of The Playa Times Dr. David Mercado, Radiologist Carrera and Associates, Accountants Wah Wah Beach Bar Tequila Barrel Senor Dan’s Margarita and Sports Bar (soon to open by the ferry terminal) Dr. Jorge Armento, Dentist Hurricane Solutions Stewart Title
The Golf Committee (J.J. Johnson and Ángel Carrera were absent for this photo)
The tournament will be held in the Texas scramble format, with trophies being awarded to members of the 3 foursomes with the lowest overall scores. But the event is planned as a ‘fun tournament’ open to the whole family, with a full day of golf, food, drink, prizes and a few surprises available to golfers at all skill levels. At time of press, entry slots were still available. For more information or to register, visit www.seasiderotarygolfclassic.com" www.seasiderotarygolfclassic.com. Specific questions can be addressed at bobrotarypdcseaside@gmail.com
theplayatimes
LOCAL NEWS By Gema García
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ne of the most iconic buildings in Playa is the City Hall, although it has not always been at its current location. In the 1990’s the headquarters was originally created to be the centre of the downtown area and the city founders’ aim was to have a place that identified the heart of Playa del Carmen. Nowadays the old City Hall’s building has become Leona Vicario Park. It was relocated because of the population growth and the old building became insufficient to deal with the increased demand by the new residents. The park is located on 15th Ave and Avenida Benito Juárez and takes up a 90 by 57 meter area. It is still used as a popular meeting point, especially in hot summer evenings due to the shade of its numerous trees. In the beginning, Parque Leona Vicario was the centre of political life as well as the cultural scene in the city. Leisure events were held here in order to entertain the growing population, especially children, some of which have since become the districts political leaders. Parque Leona Vicario and Parque Fundadores are the witnesses of Playa del Carmen’s evolution from a small fishing village to the most popular tourist destination in Mexico. Over the years the park facilities have been updated. Now hundreds of children enjoy the play area built by the local administration as well as the first basketball court in Playa del Carmen. There is also a library that houses over
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Historical Parque Leona Vicario
5,000 books. According to its managers, tourists often go there to read about Mexican history and national artists. Currently the old City Hall is the Tourist Police office, but the park is well known by the Playa del Carmen population for being a place where many street vendors sell tacos. The most popular dish in Mexican is well represented in Leona Vicario Park in many versions such as the traditional cochinita pibil, pastor and arrachera tacos. We invite residents and tourists to visit this historical place and try a little bit of local cuisine.
Helping our City's Lungs By Gema García “The best friend on earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on the earth”, said Frank Lloyd Wright, the renowned American architect and innovator of organic architecture. Nowadays deforestation is a problem that irreversibly destroys flora and fauna all around the world. It is time to recover just a bit of what has been cut down. The arborist and tree expert, Rafael Reinoso Valdez, said “we need to plant over 300 trees daily to compensate the damage man Rafael Reinoso Valdez, tree has caused”. expert The Playa Times interviewed Rafael Reinoso, who tal care and to plant public has recently begun the cam- green areas. “As long as local paign “Involved with Refores- authorities, the community tation” in collaboration with and experts remain united, we local authorities. The purpose can significantly contribute to of the campaign is to take ac- reforestation. Earth’s tempetion to promote environmen- rature is increasing because of
continuing development and excessive construction. Reforestation is a way to return what we, as humans, have taken from nature”, he explained. Reinoso said that reforestation is most urgent in Playa del Carmen due to the fast growth of the city, which involved the felling of trees in order to facilitate its construction. He mentioned that everyone, national and foreigner, could take action because we all need a cleaner and healthier city. “We tell every visitor and foreign resident that we must make a combined, common effort, considering that the city belongs to us all and we want it to be a nicer place for everyone. We invite them too to join in all the reforestation campaigns that we hold. Every Saturday we will visit several local districts and will be giving plants to people. Foreigners can collaborate with
plant donations or by seeding with us. The simplest way to help us is by planting trees at home or in your districts in order to help our city’s lungs”. Rafael recommended that plants should preferably belong to local species, such as ceibas, poplar trees, maculis and ficus, which are most able to adapt to the climate. He added that it is important to conserve these indigenous plants and guarantee a long life for them.
“According to statistics, only two trees are planted for each deforested area, so there is a lot of work to be done in order to compensate for that deforestation”. He finally said that potential contributors or anyone wanting more information on the campaign can speak to Liane Aké, the director of the Ecology department of the municipal government, located at the city hall building at 20 Ave between 8th and 10th St.
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COMMUNITY
Playa del Carmen Through the Years By Gema García
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few palapas, sandy streets and groups of fishermen could be how we reminisce about Playa del Carmen’s past. It was over 20 years ago that a few families arrived in the Riviera Maya and made this place their home. Nowadays, Playa del Carmen has the biggest demographic growth not only in Latin America, at 14%, and also of all Mexico. According to the last National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) population census of 2010, there were 149,923 residents listed. 7% came from all over the world. Just to give an example of the enormous urban growth, during 1996 Playa del Carmen’s population was 10,000 inhabitants, by 2003 it had risen to 49,000 inhabitants. Every year over 14,000 new residents arrive in Playa del Carmen, which means an average of 38 people per day during the last seven years. These figures are mostly due to the immigration of people coming from various parts of Mexico seeking work within the tourist industry. According to information from the Insitute of the National Fund for Workers Housing (Infonavit), a year ago they were receiving 10 to 20 housing applications daily at their offices. Now, on average, they deal with 100. These figures are similar throughout Quintana Roo, which has a current growth level of 4.7%, compared to 1.9% of all Mexico. THE NORTH OF QUINTANA ROO The city of Cancun, established in 1970, is not far behind. In the 1980’s, its demographic growth reached 26% per year. Today it has a growth of 5.5%, followed by Isla Mujeres, 6.1%, and Cozumel, 5.1%. However Playa del Carmen overtakes them all with 14%. In the last five years, the
population in Playa del Carmen has risen by 500%, which has transformed this quaint fishing village into the eighth municipal district of Solidaridad and the head district within Quintana Roo. The municipality of Solidaridad lies in the southeast of Mexico and south of Cancun. It belongs to the well-known tourist area known as the Riviera Maya. The main economy of this coastal zone of the Caribbean is hospitality and tourism. Playa del Carmen is one of the most surprising real estate and tourist phenomenons of the world. It has become, together with Cancun, a cosmopolitan city and the top vacation destination in Mexico. Currently the tourists that fill the 23,000 hotel rooms here are mostly from the United States, Canada and Europe. Every year over two million people arrive in the Riviera Maya. Previously Playa del Carmen was just a crossing point on the way to Cozumel, however thanks to continued commercial development, including the ever expanding Fifth Avenue, visitors now decide to stay and enjoy its beaches as well as its nightlife. TOURIST ATTRACTION American, Canadian, Latin American, European and Asian expats as well as local inhabitants coexist in the Riviera Maya creating a truly unique identity. It is a fusion of people from all over the world that arrive here on vacation and decide to stay, enchanted by the allure of its beach resorts and coastal beauty. Playa del Carmen continues to embrace everyone that arrives, whether it is for a vacation, employment opportunity, business investment or retirement. Many have chosen to make this place their permanent home, whilst others return home taking with them unforgettable memories of the whispering sea and the hot, balmy nights of the Riviera Maya.
COMMUNITY
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PLACES TO
Worship
THE CATHOLIC CHAPEL OF 5TH AVENUE AND1ST STREET SOUTH Monday to Saturday at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm English Mass on Sundays at 10:00 am “NUESTRA SEÑORA" CATHOLIC CHURCH PLAYA DEL CARMEN 15th Avenue between 12th and 14th Street, Downtown. Masses from Monday to Saturday at 8:00 am and 8:00 pm Sundays 8:00 am, 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm and 12:00 pm Mass with “mariachi” CHRISTIAN MEETINGS IN ENGLISH Sundays at 10:00 am in “City Express” hotel Federal Highway in front of “Vestir” plaza Cellphone 984 106 63 82 LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH English speaking non-denominational worships Sundays at 6:30 p.m. in Playa del Carmen, Ejido Sur. For more info call 984 120 4169 www.lighthousechurch.mx JEWISH WORSHIP Additional information at 20th Ave, between 8th and 6th St. Colonia Centro, from 8 am to 10 pm.
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theplayatimes
COMMUNITY This week we launched a contest in which the two winners had to be creative enough to submit a funny caption for this funny picture.
We voted at the office, and the two most creative captions were: We got some pretty funny and creative entries but the majority of the votes were given to Lorraine and Stephen, we want to thank the rest of the contestants for participating!
Congratulations to this week's winners! and keep checking The Playa Times's Facebook Page for more great prizes!
THE IMPORTANCE OF STERILIZATION By Gema García Stray cats on Quinta Avenue, dogs wandering around dirty, hungry and sometimes suffering illnesses, these are some of the scenes you unfortunately may see in Playa del Carmen. In order to help control this situation and give the animals a better life, some private organizations have taken action in the city. Such is the case of Coco’s Cats Rescue association where more than 10,000 dogs and cats have been sterilized since the centre opened four years ago. The aim is to reduce the animal population on the streets as well as making people aware of the importance of the sterilization of pets. Alejandra Gómez, member of Coco’s Cats Rescue’s team, mentioned that anywhere between 10 to 30 animals may be sterilized daily. They operate on both stray cats and dogs as well as on pets, whose owners cannot afford the expensive rates of private veterinary sterilization. During the time The Playa Times spent at the centers
facilities, Alejandra Gómez underlined the importance of continuing pro-animal actions. Every day the Coco’s Cats Rescue team travel the streets of Playa del Carmen in response to calls about hurt, abandoned, malnourished or abused cats and dogs that may need urgent veterinary assistance. The Playa Times saw a litter of puppies and three adult
dogs that were rescued and sterilized at the center. There was a dog in the rehabilitation area that had been dragged and caused severe skin damage over much of its abdomen. They also have a quarantine area for the arriving cats where they receive preliminary care by the veterinaries, in order to avoid possible infections to healthy animals.
Alejandra Gómez said that they gratefully appreciate any help, “We ask for cash donations, as well as animal food, or voluntary support since there are a lot of people that can help with walking the dogs. We really welcome any support”, ended Alejandra. You can contact Coco’s Cats Rescue at 984 120 0572 and at info@cocoscatrescue.org.
Alejandra Gómez, member of Coco’s Cats Rescue’s
theplayatimes
NATURAL PLAYA By Louise Webb
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t is believed that the first sea turtles roamed the earth many millions of years ago, the oldest sea turtle fossil to date was found in 1996 in South Dakota, and was dated at 70 million years old. Six of the world’s seven species of sea turtle can be found here in Mexico, all of which are endangered. The species that you are most likely to see here in the Riviera Maya are green, loggerhead or hawksbill turtles. Sea turtles cover huge distances migrating from feeding to nesting grounds. The current record is held by a leatherback turtle, which was tracked crossing the Pacific Ocean clocking a staggering 10,000 miles. Females often return to the same sandy beaches where they themselves hatched to lay their eggs. The clutch each female lays can number anywhere from 70 to 130 eggs and hatch within 60 days. Developing turtles do not have sex chromosomes so the temperature of the sand where the nest lies determines the sex of the hatchlings. Digging out of the nest is a group effort that can often take several days. As the hatchlings emerge they wait until nightfall to take the first steps of their perilous journey, when they are less likely to be seen by predators.
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MEXICO'S SEA TURTLES
When they reach the oceans the baby turtles then commence a period which marine biologists have called ‘swim frenzy’, a constant frantic paddling which lasts for 24 to 48 hours. The purpose of this compulsive non-stop s w i m ming by
the hatchling is to get them into safer water offshore, away from the shallower areas where there is a higher risk from predators. It takes up to 20 years for a turtle to reach breeding maturity and the general belief within the scientific community is that only 1% of the hatchlings survive to reach breeding age. In Mexico turtle eggs are a delicacy and also thought to increase male potency, egg
poaching in some areas is still rife. Their meat is also consumed and their shells used for ornaments or jewelry. Not only faced with these threats, turtles are also victims of global pollution. Sea turtles are often found caught up in plastic refuse or fishing nets and lines. Their nesting grounds are being developed and increasing light pollution interferes with their navigation during nesting.
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However in February of this year new Mexican laws took affect. Previously only the more important turtle nesting sites were designated sanctuaries or reserves. But under new legislation law now protects ALL nesting sites. The law also helps to protect the nesting habitat. Vegetation cannot be removed from the nesting area, helping to prevent erosion and keep the nests protected. Light pollution must be eliminated from nesting areas and only light off road vehicles may be used to patrol the beaches. Any hatchlings found must be introduced into the water immediately. The reason for this is that some unscrupulous ‘tours’ were found to be stockpiling baby turtles and keeping them until they had found sufficient tourists to charge to release them. There is still a long way to go regarding enforcing these new legislations and it should perhaps also fall to the many beach side hotels and resorts here to help protect them. Guests should be educated about the turtle’s vulnerability and advised not to shine torches or use flash photography should they come across a female laying eggs. Also now that the sea turtles are protected on land, the next step is to protect them in the oceans. Hundreds of turtles die every year accidentally caught in fishermen’s nets or hit by boat propellers. These new Mexican laws have taken a huge step toward protection for nesting turtles, now it is time to extend the sanctuary to the oceans as well.
SIAN KA'AN – "THE ORIGIN OF THE SKY" By Barna Takats Established in 1986 as a Biosphere Reserve and a granted UNESCO World Heritage status the following year, Sian Ka’an is one of the largest protected areas in Mexico. The reserve totals 520,000 hectares (about 1.28 million acres) of protected area, including an almost 120 km (75 miles) stretch of the Caribbean coast. This significant marine area includes a sizeable section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. The reserve’s inland area consists of diverse tropical forests, palm savannahs and one of the most pristine wetlands in the whole region. The lagoons of the reserve are connected by mangrove channels and are the home of many resident and migrating bird species. With its multiple habitats the Sian Ka’an boasts an incredible variety of flora and fauna, 1048 species of flora alone. The reserve is home to 103 species of mammals, including howler and spider monkeys, and five big cats, including the jaguar and the puma. Tapirs, toucans and boa constrictors are also hiding in the bush and in the forest. Flamingos, manatees, two species of crocodiles and
hundreds of other bird species inhabit the lagoons and wetlands. The sandy beaches are the nesting places for four marine turtle species and the protected section of the barrier reef is home to most of the reef fish found in the Caribbean. It is easy to understand why Sian Ka’an became a major tourist destination. Its location, just a few minutes drive south from Tulum, makes it easily accessible even from Cancun. Many people visit the reserve as part of a Jeep Safari from Tulum to Punta Allen, which is the largest (although still tiny)
village within Sian Ka’an. Since the road is not too scenic from here, the most popular excursion is a snorkel trip leaving from Punta Allen. Another way to visit the park is to choose from the countless daytrips which include a boat ride in one of the lagoons, a walk inside the park, and a very unique experience: floating down one of the mangrove channels which is really amazing! These tours usually include a visit to Muyil and to another small archeological site within the park. This gives the visitor an insight into the areas history and of the Mayan culture that really valued this land. No wonder the Mayas named it Sian Ka’an, “The origin of the sky”. For those who are interested in the reserve and want to spend more time in Sian Ka’an there are a few options. Punta Allen has simple and cheap accommodation, and on the way from Tulum at Boca Paila, CESIAK (Centro Ecologico Sian Ka’an) offers some beach side palapas and a restaurant. Here there are two operators offering boat tours to the lagoons and channels, and if you are staying in the reserve you will have the chance to go for some
quiet bird watching before the day-trippers arrive. For the true off the beaten track traveler there are two more roads on which to enter the park. Both are drivable only during the dry season and preferably with a 4x4. You find one of these on the left hand side after Muyil on the TulumFelipe Carrillo Puerto road. The other starts from the town of Felipe Carrillo itself heading northeast. Most likely you will not meet anyone on these roads, so they are both perfect for early morning bird watching. These roads cross the tropical forest and savannah parts of the reserve that are typically left out by the normal daytrips. I visited Sian Ka’an as soon as I could after my first arrival to Playa del Carmen and ever since it has been a personal getaway for me, where I can hide for a day looking for animals and admiring nature. So that is why luck is on my side, as not only do I enjoy going alone, but also sharing it with others as a nature guide. Barna Takats is originally from Hungary and grew up with a love of nature, the jungle and the oceans. He travelled and worked around the world before settling in Playa del Car-
men, where he is currently working as a dive instructor, nature guide and shark advocate. He specializes in independent eco and sustainable wildlife tours.
Barna Takats If you have any questions for Barna about the wildlife of the Yucatan Peninsula or about local eco tours, you can write to him at barna.takats@gmail. com, or call 984 157 8531.
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October 23-29 2013
theplayatimes
BODY & MIND
Bike Riding and Keeping Fit By Gema García
L
ooking back at Playa del Carmen’s beginning, people used to ride bicycles and tricycles on the sand streets. Now the population growth has contributed to the need for designated paths so people can safely cycle. The city now has five cycle paths that cover fifteen miles of the main avenues and Playacar. Some people ride their bicycle to work, others for exercise, whilst breathing in the fresh morning air. Nevertheless the advantages of riding a bicycle are countless. It is a great, and free, way to exercise outdoors and it can also be relaxing and fun. Riding a bicycle has become the most fashionable and environmentally friendly activity in Playa del Carmen. It has been proven that riding a bicycle helps with our moods and makes people less prone to depression, since it generates endorphins or ‘happy hormones’. It can also reduce the risk of suffering a heart attack by up to 50%, since heart rate increases and blood pressure decreases whilst pedaling. Thanks to physical activity, ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) levels goes down whilst ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) levels increase. Riding your bike daily strengthens your immune system, helping to fight infections and even cancers, so it is a highly recommendable exercise for everyone. Exercise creates phagocytes, the ‘bacteria eater’ cells that ingest harmful microorganisms. Playa del Carmen has exclusive cycle areas that can be used any time of the day although riding in the morning or evening
is recommended to avoid the higher temperatures. Arturo Regalado, Playa’s director of Urban Development, said that they are working to improve cycle path quality. Despite his efforts there are some areas that need to be improved. He also suggested riders respect traffic signs and regulations, such as stop signs and traffic lights in order to prevent accidents. Cycle paths in town now stretch from 10th Avenue to Playacar and from Avenida Pintores that is in the northern outskirts inside the new hotel zone; and from Avenida Juárez, which joins 10th Avenue by 1st St south and finally the cycle path alongside the Federal Highway all the way to Xplor Park. However cyclists
should be aware that this path is not lit during the evening. So now you are aware of the advantages of cycling and the extensive cycle paths in Playa now is the time to contemplate getting yourself a bicycle. There are bikes for all budgets, from the stores along 30th you can find bikes for under $100 USD to top of the range mountain bikes for $1000 USD and above in some of the specialist bikes shops. So now there is no excuse not to get on your bike!
CHIROPRACTOR
For a safe, effective chiropractor DR. RICHARD Mc CARTHY at THE NEW GYM, Playa del Carmen tel: 984 873 20 98
Arturo Regalado, Playa’s director of Urban Development
ANÚNCIATE AQUÍ CINTILLO 5X26 cm adriana@theplayatimes.com
theplayatimes
BODY & MIND
October 23-29 2013
procedure was developed in the 1930’s and was given the name of its creator, Dr. George Papanicolaou. Prevention procedures for cervical-uterine cancer consist of a basic test called cervical cytology, which is a diagnostic method that allows the direct microscopic test of the cells’ features. That method develops a cytological diagnosis of the potential cell irregularity. The diagnosis includes the changes of the non-pathologist inflammation and all the spectrum of the changes in the cells, mild, moderate and severe, as well as the cancer in situ and the invading cancer. Once the diagnosis is established, the next procedure is carrying out the appropriate treatment according to each case.
By Dr. Antonio Olivares
C
ervical-uterine cancer continues to be an important health issue throughout the world and more so in most developing countries. In Mexico, this type of cancer is the main cause of death by malignant cell growth or tumors in women from 25 to 64 years of age. In most countries, the number of invasive cancer cases increases with the age, affecting especially women from 50 to 60 years of age. Over 80 to 90% of confirmed cases in developing countries affect women over 35 years old. In Mexico we have a similar outlook, this type of cancer affects women typically from 45 to 69 years of age. In the late 1990’s, researchers studied epidemiologic evidence about the relationship between the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the development of cervical-uterine cancer. HPV infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, however in most of the cases it disappears, returns or becomes undetectable in a period from one to two years. Factors such as the age of initiating an active sex-life, number of sexual partners or precedents of sexual transmitted diseases can increase the probabilities of contracting HPV. The HPV infection exists in more of 90% of cancer cases, but not all cases of HPV infection will develop in to cancer. That leads us to suppose that there are some other factors directly or indirectly connected to the development of cancer. These risk factors are smoking, nutritional habits, immune system response, number of pregnancies, other sexually transmitted infections
Talking about
Cervical-UterineCancer or immunosuppression (especially in the case if HIV infection). PREVENTION AND DIAGNOSIS Prevention efforts against cervical-uterine cancer have focused on women most at risk of contracting the disease. Measures employed are Pap tests and treatment for precancerous cells. The Pap test
Sport Injuries and Yoga By Ricardo Ruiz Many of my students and practitioners come to my class after suffering a sports injury in their discipline and searching for relief or rehab exercises. They are normally long distance runners, cross fit trainers, football players or first timers in sport, and they all suffer the same injuries - the ones inflicted by themselves through not listening to their bodies. Let us begin with a medical definition: Sports injuries are a result of acute trauma or repetitive stress associated with athletic activities. Sports injuries can affect bones or soft tissue such as ligaments, muscles and tendons. The movements, sustained positions and flow during a yoga practice work from the inside out building strength in soft tissue areas such as ligaments and tendons and advan-
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cing to muscle strengthening. Most other training works the other way around, or do you remember any set at the gym to work out a ligament? That is the very reason why athletes do yoga; to gain flexibility and inner strength (soft tissue) thus preventing injuries in other sports; like jogging, football, triathlon, etc. and that is a great idea. But in yoga there are also movements that inflict repetitive stress in the body, and a person can become injured too; it is no lie that the possibility of hurting yourself doing yoga is lower than in other sports such as American football, triathlon competitions or rugby. But that is not the reason why yoga is helpful in this matter. Want to know why? Keep reading… I’m getting there. We have a Sanskrit term called ‘Ahimsa’. This concept of nonviolence is always present in the yoga practice and can be
applied to all other sports once you become aware of it, and what this means is listening to your body and stop any violence against it. This does not mean that you must stop the hard work and sportive development, you can train a pet to be awesome in a nonviolent way or raise an excellent child without violence being included in the process, right? So why be violent against yourself to achieve a goal? So, what we do is to pay attention and listen to all the signals our body and mind are sending us about where our limits are. Once we find them; we surpass them (breath stopping is normally the first sign of finding your limits). Trusting our body and working with it, not against it, is the best way to grow away from injury. This can be done in Yoga, any sport or activity. Now listen.
TREATMENT Cervical-uterine cancer sometimes has the ‘advantage’ of having a long period of time for its development. No types of neoplasms respond literally to the quote: “it can be healed when it is early detected”. There is a wide leeway to act against precursor irregularities when they are detected early, so it is possible to prevent and/ or heal them. In most of the cases, mild cell change should be monitored rather than treated, since it usually disappears over time. On the other hand, moderate and especially severe cell changes should be treated since a significant percentage of them evolve in to cancer. It is basic to encourage women about the importance of regular cervical examinations and cytology testing and to be advised about the appropriate treatment according to the results. In the case of primarily irregular results, there are many steps towards preventing and monitoring further developments of the illness.
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October 23-29 2013
DINING OUT
theplayatimes
DINING OUT
in Playa
By E. Flores
C
urrently Playa del Carmen has over 600 restaurants reviewed on Tripadvisor, the love it or hate it website. Tripadvisor may prove indispensable whilst trying to find a certain type of restaurant near your vacation home or when you are visiting a new town. However, the biased negativity of some of the reviewers, who thought the waiter looked at them funny or the menu didn’t have what they fancied, can easily bog you down. I recently read a review fiercely berating a restaurant in Playa written by someone who hadn’t even actually eaten there – they were complaining they couldn’t get a table! Their harsh review
however went toward the final ranking of the restaurant. So perhaps the barometer is a bit skew sometimes. Consistency with quality seems to be the biggest downer, friends have reported whilst dining out here. Or perhaps, like me, there is an apprehension to branch out to new places, “better the devil you know” sometimes! However with such a diverse and eclectic mix of cuisine here in Playa, we are sure to be missing out on some great new experiences. Here at The Playa Times we are asking you to share with us your favorite places to eat, why you love it and your favorite dish. Thus giving the newbies to the area a head start and those locals
stuck in a gastronomical rut a heads up when deciding where next to dine out. It can literally be any genre or type of restaurant and cuisine, from your favorite filet mignon, tacos al pastor, veggie options, desserts, or the perennial favorite, pizza! Obviously we cannot exclude the Playa Holy Grail, the best margarita in town, which is currently under fierce debate here at The Playa Times HQ. Please share with us your recommendations in no more than 250 words, accompanied with a photo and we will print it in our Dining Out feature. Buen Provecho! Please send to emma@theplayatimes.com
Every glass of wine is a new adventure By Webb Elkins This is the first of a monthly column called ‘Every Glass of Wine Is a New Adventure’. Each month the author will be visiting a local retailer to sample three wines and share a review. The featured wines will be similar grape varieties from three major wine producing countries. Mexico will always be included in the sampling, along with Chile, Argentina, France, Australia and Northern California. This month we are at Off the Vine (1st Ave between 26 and 28) with Ricardo Garcia Gaxiola to have a look at three very good white wines of the Chardonnay grape from Mexico, of course, Northern California and Chile. Each country does a more than respectable job of producing wines with this grape. We will taste a base line cheese with each wine, adding to the comparison. This month’s cheese is fairly strong French Brie. Although many wine experts, qualified or not, would disagree, we think that trying each one against the same cheese helps clarify the differences in each wine. The Mexican Chardonnay is from Casa Madera Monteville. This vineyard is the oldest in Mexico. It was bottled in 2012 with a minor blend of Semillon and seems to have an attractive gold color, which is a good sign of its maturity and boldness in finish. Like most of the Mexican wines mentioned in this column, it is right up there with the best of them. The bouquet is not apparent even after decanting for 15 - 20 minutes, which is usually long enough to clear out any imperfections that may exist in white wines, but this does not necessarily signal a lesser quality. The initial taste leaves a somewhat woody impression, minimizing a very limited amount of fruit created by the inclusion of Semillon but not eliminating it entirely. This Chardonnay is practically devoid of tannin, in other words, no bitter or sour tastes, and that leaves us with wood being the highlighting element of the tasting experience, but not the only one. Putting it sparingly with the Brie gives an all round but not too heavy, excellent flavorful experience. I stress sparingly as we still have two more wines to taste! No use in messing up the pallet at this point. The next Chardonnay that Ricardo opened for us is a wine from a Chilean vineyard called Chardonnay La Postolle and is blended with a small amount of Colombard, and bottled in 2012. The Colombard grape inclusion seems to add a substantial element of flavor in the flowery or frui-
ty range, but not enough to obliterate the oak barrel impression. It is a wine in very good balance, as indicated by a yellow/gold appearance and fairly strong nose of dryness in decent harmony with the fruitiness provided by the Colombard. However, for those Chardonnay drinkers that like to be hit over the head with the wood (myself included!), this wine would not suffice. The touch of fruit sees to that and so it normally goes better with a not-so-strong cheese such as the Brie we are having with this tasting. But it could also go well with a light salad entre or a mildly spiced chicken or baked fish main course. The third wine is from the Sonoma valley in Northern California. Keep in mind that after France, Sonoma and Napa counties were, and still are, leaders in the development and nurturing of the Chardonnay grape. So we are now indulging in a fairly woody, heavy straight Chardonnay from the Sonoma County's well-known vineyard for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, La Crème. The color is a solid gold, and the bouquet has the strongest wood of the three, but has very little else in my opinion. Now while this is OK with those like me who love the wood, for the most part, it cannot be considered as having any other flavor resulting from any other grape element. It is however a very well balanced wine in that it has a hard hitting taste up front and continues with an equally strong farewell, with very little apparent tannin. All that indicates a decent amount of alcohol and a sufficient time in the barrel, probably at least nine months. Most Chardonnay drinkers who like the wood taste from an extended stay in the barrel like this wine. It also goes well with a good slice of Brie, although a stronger, longer aged cheese would probably be a better accompaniment. It could also stand up to any solid red wine presented with roasted duck, beef or pork. All in all, as we will always say in this column, the best choice in wine is the one you like! Never mind what it says here, choose wines that look to be the most appealing, and try it! See if this is the adventure you want! Webb Elkins, originally from Boston, has lived and worked in four major wine counties, Argentina, France, Australia and Northern California, where he learned to love them all as well as their wines. He is now settled in Playa del Carmen for the duration and will be writing this column monthly.
ARTS & CULTURE
theplayatimes
October 23-29 2013
13
What´s On
By Gema García
The Playa Times brings you again every interesting event taking place this week, starting with fun activities for all the family. Playa del Carmen has something happening for everyone. Remember that if you want us to publish your event, you must send your information to gema@theplayatimes.com a week before to make sure that no one misses your event! Tuesday 22nd & Thursday 24th. Do not miss yoga sessions at Parque La Ceiba, on 1st St. south and 60th Ave in Colonia Ejidal at 6 pm. 80 pesos per lesson, discounts for block bookings. Wednesday 23rd. Don’t know what to eat today? Zenzi beach club offers you ‘Pasta Wednesdays’, on 10th St. and the beach from 8 am to 12 pm. You can try different pasta dishes for 85 pesos with a beautiful beach view and great atmosphere. Wednesday 23rd. Every Wednesday night at 8 pm, ride your bike to Plaza 28 de Julio, on 15th Ave and 10th St. in Colonia Centro. BICINETA organizes night rides that through the cycle paths of Playa del Carmen promoting cycling safety. Friday 25th. Attend the lecture ‘10,000 Years of Quintana Roo’s Caves’ about the recent discovery of prehistoric remains by the expert Carmen Rojas Sandoval. At the City Hall between 20th and 25th Aves and 8th and 10th St. at 6 pm. The presentation will be in Spanish. Learn about the prehistoric inhabitants of Quintana Roo. Friday 25th. Nighttime Cinema in Parque La Ceiba, on 60th Ave with 2nd
St. at 8pm. Enjoy social themed movies outdoors. 20 pesos donation, which will make next show possible. Friday 25th. Wine night at Xax-Xe restaurant on Quinta Avenida and 28th St at 8 pm. Taste fantastic wines and food and learn about paring. 300 pesos per person. Fine and pleasant atmosphere guaranteed.
OPEN HOUSE
@Oasis 12 Condos Mon-Sat from 11-3PM Ave 20 Calle 12 Tel 984-111-3164 www.area-international.com
PlayaLive
Supporting live music, musicians and events in Playa del Carmen
Trick or Treat
By Teena Clipston
Singer Silvia Mugnai
As Halloween creeps closer, it’s time for us grown-ups to start thinking about playing dress up! Le Lotus Rouge is the perfect place for adults to let go of reality and step into a fantasy world with childlike eyes and attitude. The venue is best described as an exotic carnival of art, food, drink and music. The gallery will capture your imagination and take you on a journey to all corners of the world, making this the perfect platform in which to lose yourself in the true Halloween spirit. This year, owner and artist Natacha Alban invites you to recreate yourself and dress up as your favorite actor or movie cha-
racter for the grand Halloween party on October 31st. The party begins at 9 pm and songstress Silvia Mugnai will entertain you with songs from popular movies. Mugnai is a singer originally from Mexico City who now makes Playa del Carmen her home. She studied operatic singing at The National Conservatory of Mexico with Master Thomas Friedman and Agustin Escalante. She also took a course in opera and musical comedy at the Conservatoire Maria de los Angeles in San Cugat Barcelona and Madrid. She is currently involved in the electronic music and theatrical show, ‘Opera of the Sea,’ and can also be found independently performing rock, jazz and pop.
This week, you are invited to Le Lotus Rouge to inspire and help build the seed mural, a typical tradition annual from Tepoztlán, where the community create outstanding commemorative art using seeds and beans. The legend explains that the seeds - a gift from the ancestors and the origin and purpose of life itself - in each cycle go to the underworld to germinate, give life, fruit, food and sustenance, and then the cycle repeats. On November 1st you can join Le Lotus Rouge at 7:30 pm for a celebration of the Day of the Dead and enjoy the completed mural. Le Lotus Rouge can be found on Ave. 35 and 2nd street in Colonia Centro. For more information call 984 116 7999. Teena Clipston is publisher & editor-in-chief of PlayaLive Magazine and president of PDCmusic.
October 23-29 2013
theplayatimes
LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 23RD – OCTOBER 22ND) Mars powers into your spiritual zone this week and you may feel like going on retreat. You might want to relax and get back in touch with yourself after a busy few weeks on the social scene. This might not be the best time to fall in love, so hold back if you can - at least until after this Eclipse phase has passed. SCORPIO (OCTOBER 23RD- NOVEMBER 21ST) Get ready to rock as current influences brighten up your social life. You may feel like being more proactive about making friends or joining a group or club. There's plenty of time to get into the groove because this phase lasts for a few weeks. There could be some unexpected changes on the work front that call for a decision. SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 22ND-DECEMBER 21ST) There's a chance to get cracking in your career, which might encourage you to find the job of your dreams, get that promotion, or connect with key people in the hope of getting some advice. Be proactive and you might be successful. Be careful, though, if you find yourself falling for someone. CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 22ND-JANUARY 19TH) Get ready for some adventures as Mars moves into your travel and exploration zone encouraging you to explore new horizons by journeying to a new place, or taking up a course of study. There's a cultural aspect to this too, so you could be traveling and learning at the same time. There might be some turmoil on the home front that needs careful handling. AQUARIUS (JANUARY 20TH-FEBRUARY 18TH) Get a handle on joint financial matters. Mars encourages you to be proactive about sorting out debts or other money issues. If you need help, this is the time to talk to someone or research your options. Don't commit to anything unless you're certain it's for you. Keep receipts if you're making a purchase over the weekend. PISCES (FEBRUARY 19TH-MARCH 20TH) Your love life and other relationships could get stirred up. You might find that others seem more critical of you, so use this influence to clear the air. Watch out for mixed signals that could highjack a budding romance over the weekend. ARIES (MARCH 21ST-APRIL 19TH) Work and health issues could come into focus with things being stirred up in both areas early in the week. You might be more competitive at work and eager to motivate yourself into working out and getting fit. If things get to be too much for you, you might want to look for a chance to explore new options. TAURUS (APRIL 20TH-MAY 20TH) You’ll be the one people come to for help and support if they're going through a crisis. Watch out for your dreams too, as they could have some interesting guidance for you. Romantic options may show up as Mars and might encourage you to start having fun if you've been out of the loop for a while. GEMINI (MAY 21TH-JUNE 21TH) Your social life could go through a change. Passionate opinions or fiery tempers could take their toll, or a friend might move away. As difficult as this may be, you might feel a sense of liberation and actually enjoy making new friends in the future. There's action at home since you might feel motivated to clear out clutter. CANCER (JUNE 22ND- JULY 22ND) Hold on to your hat this week because a powerful influence could shake up career and job matters and cause change out of the blue. You could feel quite emotional if news happens to be surprising or somehow shocking. Your communication zone may heat up too, so you'll be busy. It's also a good time to connect with friends and family. LEO (JULY 23RD – AUGUST 22ND) There could be powerful desires operating in your energy field, especially as Mars might encourage you to spend cash. Slow down a bit if you can, as you might have unexpected expenses to deal with as well. Romance may be a highlight of the week, particularly if you're not expecting it. VIRGO (AUGUST 23RD – SEPTEMBER 22ND) Mars moves into your sign this week, bringing you an energy boost and giving you the motivation to move ahead with important plans. In fact, it's a good time to start planning in general because a sound strategy can help you make progress more than anything else. Take action on any ongoing problems to remove lingering stress.
TAKE A BREAK LAST WEEK'S ANSWER
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ROTARY CLUB PLAYA DEL CARMEN SEASIDE (English Speaking)
Now Meets At
BUENOS AIRES RESTAURANT
CORNER OF 5TH AVENUE AND 34TH STREET TUESDAYS, 12:30 PM VISITORS ARE WELCOME FOR MORE INFO, E-MAIL KWDOUG1@YAHOO.COM
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CLASSIFIEDS
A Tail With a Happy Ending With Paula Liebe
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CURRY OMM, the only Indian restaurant in Playa offering authentic Indian food 984 873 1516 www.letseat.at/ curryomm. MAS MAIL CENTER INC MAILBOX RENTAL & COURRIER POSTAL SERVICES. LOCAL 3 HOTEL TUKAN 984 87 315 41 (Entre 14 Bis y 16 Norte)
T
he first Playa Times ‘Find Me a Home’ adoption has been a success. She has found her forever home with long time Playa residents Paula Liebe and Honza Mlejnek. A member of The Playa Times team was previously fostering her after she was found on the streets. But with one dog already the landlord said no to another. However there are two happy endings to this story. In June of this year Paula and Honza lost their black Labrador, who was sadly snatched from their home. "Last year we traveled with Puc through Belize, Guatemala and Honduras," said Honza. "He was a wonderful animal to travel with. He was a real member of our family. It’s hard knowing he's with somebody else, but all you can do is pray he is being treated well". When Paula saw her in The Playa Times she was immediately attracted to her beautiful green eyes and asked her over for a couple of days to see if it would work. Within one afternoon Honza and Paula realized that this golden colored brind-
October 23-29 2013
LETSGOPDC. Playa del Carmen Vacation Rentals, Condos and Houses. Choose from over 300 properties. www.letsgopdc.com
le was going to be the perfect new addition to the family. They named her Yanna. Paula reports, “We couldn’t live without a dog, we missed a wagging tail when we got home. Yanna is a happy dog, keen to learn, and with a courageous character, but smart enough to know when to listen”. Good luck Yanna in your new home.
FIND ME A HOME Chucho is an 8 month old male puppy, he was rescued this week with burns on 30% of his body, he’s healing nicely and waiting for a loving forever home, he has a great temper and is very sweet. Want to take him home and give him lots of love? Call Alejandra 984 112 04 77.
The weekly
dog Tip Dogs and Chocolate: How Much is Too Much? The more theobromine a cocoa product contains, the more poisonous it is to your dog. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, one ounce of milk chocolate per pound of body weight is potentially lethal. So 20 ounces of milk chocolate, 10 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, and just 2.25 ounces of baking chocolate could potentially kill a 22-pound dog. Serious toxic reactions can occur with ingestion of about 100 to 150 milligrams of theobromine per kilogram of body weight.
ALEX CORBANEZI Hair and Make up to your door, haircuts, color, treatments and makeup 9841687055 ENJOY A NIGHT out while I take care of the kids, need professional babysitter. Call +524441658800 or email gordaflowers@gmail.com MARCOS KAMALEON, custom framing with the best price and quality in Playa del Carmen. www.marcoskamaleon.com
90 MINUTES of Ayurvedic Massage,Reflexology,and Reiki. MX$500 . Oracle Card readings Mx$200. 984 115 1422 - Sharonlee paradiseonthego@ gmail.com DO YOU WANT A HONDA CAR? Andrés Villagómez 984 10 68 440 andreshondaplaya@gmail.com JOU JEWELRY SHOP. Jewelry, repairs and maintenance. Engagement solitaire and wedding rings, engraving, plating and chains. Between 10th and 6th St. at the outdoor market. Stall 21. 998 128 6848 & 998 257 4586.
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October 23-29 2013
theplayatimes
LOCAL NEWS
Breast Cancer Awareness March By Gema García
"L
et’s wear a pink garment or ribbon in order to help promote the importance of breast self-examination. Let’s confirm our commitment to women as a government”, said the mayor, while accompanying his wife Cinthya Osorio, the president of the National System for Integral Family Development (DIF), at the ‘Women with Life’ march on Thursday 17th, organized by DIF throughout the state of Quintana Roo. More than 500 women, men and children took part simultaneously in the march, led by the president of DIF, during World Breast Cancer Awareness Day. All those attending the march took part in a commemorative picture as a huge human pink ribbon. Góngora Escalante said that breast cancer awareness campaigns are essential since self-examination is the first step toward early detection, which can save women’s lives. It is vital to educate every woman in how important regular self-examination is and to seek medical advice if they notice any symptoms. Sra. Cinthya Osorio de Góngora said that DIF Quintana Roo, Minis-
try of Health and DIF Solidaridad, together with the ‘Live Intense’ association’s support, are working to prevent this disease. She explained that early diagnosis is the key to increasing survival rates. “We want to underline this fact by taking part in this breast cancer prevention and awareness commemorative march. Every woman that walks together today supports this cause as a united family, taking care of and protecting women”, said Osorio.
Mauricio Góngora Escalante speaking at the march
TPT Weather
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
84 | 66 °F Chance of T-storms 70% Chance of Precipitation
82 | 66 °F Chance of T-storms 70% Chance of Precipitation
82|68 °F Chance of T-storms 40% Chance of Precipitation
89 | 71 °F Precip: 3.25 Average: 85 | 74
91 | 69 °F Precip: 9.42 Average: 85 | 74
89 | 35 °F Precip: 0.00 Average: 85 | 74
89 | 68 °F Precip: 1.05 Average: 85 | 74