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| news | January | |||||
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Hello Cozumel and Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are ready to join me in helping all of us in our Island paradise have a long awaited prosperous New Year.
My family and I are back on the Island and I am ready to resume my duties to provide you, my readers, and friends with the information you need. My New Year's resolution is two-fold; to reach out to the Newcomers by reprinting instructions on applying for Mexican Insurance, Senior Discount, Park Cards, anything I have researched in the past two years that can assist in making your life on the Island easier.
Secondly, I plan to be more active in our local community events, patronize your businesses more, network with existing groups and friends to enable me to keep you better informed.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you that
contributed to this column in my one year absence. Get ready Cozumel,
I'm Back!!!
The CRIC would like volunteers to help one child, probably weekly, in the early evening hours. The location is at the end of Avenida 30, to the south. There are two big buildings, hacienda-style, newly painted white on the right. From the easy parking lot, you see the DIF on the left and on the right is the CRIC, with small acrylic signs. The room is air conditioned.
Your volunteer work could be a mentorship or develop into a friendship. Even if your Spanish is non-existent or good, a lot of computer work can be done by imitation. Using your hands and feet can help you communicate and the children can help you with your Spanish. Call Gabriella in the late afternoon for information: 857 2490 or 857 2492.
DIVE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS GATHER UNDER ONE ROOF
Networking, Education, Branding and Sales All Part of DEMA Show 2009 Program
The DEMA Show 2009, the largest trade- show in the diving
and water sports industries took place in Orlando, Florida from November
4-7 at the Orange County Convention Center. More than 575 Exhibitors
showcased their products and services at this year's show, and over
9,000 industry professionals registered, including buyers, travel buyers,
instructors, and other diving professionals.
Since I was two hours from Orlando, Florida, I was able
attend the DEMA show with Rafael Aguirre. Cozumel, Cancun, Isla de
Mujeres, and Holbox had prime real estate at the DEMA show, yet it was
the poorest presentation in the place.
The aisle Mexico occupied consisted of a few hotels and
Dive Paradise advertising their packages. It was apparent that the
Government of all other exhibitors contributed to their well thought out
displays. I will write more on that topic at a later time.
I have information for anyone interested in whale
watching in Holbox (by plane or boat). They offer excellent packages. It
sounds like something we can get together and do in a group.
I gathered many pamphlets!
I gathered as much information as I could carry. I have
virtually all of the Caribbean Dive destination information as well as
some from the other end of the world like Japan and Indonesia. Anyone
interested, please get in touch with me.
While everything new in diving equipment was fascinating
to me, what I liked the best is someone finally invented a wheeled caddy
for Dive tanks. Yes, it was I woman and I had the pleasure of thanking
her in person. My inability to carry the tank has kept me from doing
shore dives. Her creation is compact and lightweight, perfect for
traveling. I have the brochure if anyone is interested. There is a
discount for quantity purchases.
The Road Trip Home We made it to the Island Friday, December 11th. It was a long 12 day road trip full of “Only could happen to Aurita" events. My plan when we left at 4 a.m. the morning of the 30th was to drive all day and night, directly to New Orleans. The van stalled before we were even out of the State of Florida. I had a horrible back ache and pulled into a rest stop that boasted 24 hour security to buy a bottle of water. As I was climbing out of the Van my foot pushed on the floor mat that had slipped over the gas pedal, the engine roared and backfired, scaring my 3 passengers to death a mere hour and a half into the trip. I left the Van running, got my water, and announced that all was well, let's roll!
Upon putting the Van in gear it died and continued to do
so for the next 20 minutes. I tried my best to keep my passengers calm
as I looked around for assistance. A few suspicious looking vehicles
came and went, I did not approach them for help, nor did anyone offer. I
decided after walking around without seeing a soul, if there was 24 hour
security, it was with a video camera. I spotted a call box, carefully
read the instructions and pushed the appropriate button designating we
needed service. A half hour later a fellow showed up in a huge tow truck
with the looks of one of the Villains in the Movie Deliverance. He was
hostile, demanded to know if I had pushed the button, he asked where was
the call box located, and what my problem was. I told him what had
happened, asked if he had Sea Foam or any Gas additive, as I was certain
I had bad gas in the van. He informed me, again not nicely, that he
didn't carry anything, all he could do was tow, to try the brake and
give it gas before putting it into gear.
I returned to the van angry, and with the chorus of the 3
nervous passengers all talking to me at once cranked her up, put my foot
on the brake , gave her gas, shoved her into gear and she started
puttering forward slowly but surely. I crept out of the rest stop
picking up speed as we went and praying no traffic was coming as we
entered the freeway at a roaring 20 miles per hour. The Van kept going
and soon we were at the speed limit. I did not dare stop for hours. With
everyone on pins and needles, we made an unscheduled hotel stop for that
evening.
The cold spell hit us along the way (along with a rain
storm) so the 2 days we were going to vacation in New Orleans turned
into 2 days of entrapment at the hotel (that lied about the room being
handicapped accessible). The only food available was room service and
that was expensive and bad for Charlie and Mom.
We had no more problems with the van and made good time
to Brownsville Texas. We stopped at the Visitor's Center to get the
address of our Mexican Insurance Company and we were advised to check
into a hotel; then go into Mexico that evening to take care of all the
documentation and return to Brownsville for the night. They explained it
would be very busy the next morning and doing this would enable us to
start the drive bright and early into Matamoros without the 3 hour delay
in immigration.
At the Mexican border, we could not get a visa for the
van in my name because the KIA is already here under my name (one per
person). We got away with Charlie no longer having a driver's license,
but because we did not have a credit or debit card in his name they hit
us up for a $200 “cash only” deposit. We have to return to the border
after we renew our FM3 and renew the vehicle permit to get deposit back.
We made great time that first day and stayed in Tampico
at a reasonable Holiday Inn Express we recognized from a previous trip.
It is right on the outskirts, nothing fancy but clean and good food.
The very next morning the transmission went on the van.
Horrible, you might say....but it was lucky. We pulled into another
hotel down the street called the Bonitto Inn. The receptionist consulted
with the maids, and they called a mechanic. He kept the van overnight
and fixed it. He brought it back late that night but was worried about a
noise it was making and asked if he could work on it the following
morning (at no additional charge), he was worried about us making it all
the way. It took him until the next day to fix the problem. It was
around $7,200 pesos. (He showed me all the receipts for the parts and
only charged $2000 pesos for labor.) He was wonderful!
Had this happened in the States, I'd be stranded without
enough money to finish the trip. If it had happened the next day, the
four of us would probably be dead as we would have been driving up and
down steep mountains with dangerous curves.
We drove 4 hours that afternoon and stopped for the night
in Tuxpan. It is a beautiful little city right on the water. I spotted a
Best Western for $699 pesos right on the Malecon. They had first floor
handicap accommodations the 4 of us squeezed into. They had a little
restaurant with room service, good inexpensive food and a few tables
outside on the sidewalk. Charlie and I were able to sit outside and
drink coffee into the night and watch the traffic and the people, but
most important to Charlie, the water and boats just across the street.
It was our first taste of paradise in a year and thinking about it now,
the first time Charlie and I have been alone and relaxed in a long time.
The trip was not without other "bumps in the road" but we
made it safe and sound with help from virtually everyone we met. Even
the Federales refused to inspect me this trip. They'd ask where I was
coming from and where I was headed. I'd tell them I went to the U.S. to
pick up my Mother and bring her back to Cozumel to live with my husband
and I. (I explained Sharon as Charlie's sister). They all responded with
proceed, God Bless you, and have a safe trip! (One even called me
"Mamita" lovingly).
Our only encounter with Police was as we were leaving
Tampico. My husband Charlie, retired Law Enforcement, spotted a police
car going in the opposite direction and said, “Get ready; he is going to
turn around and stop us.” Sure enough! He greeted us and asked Sharon
for her Driver's license. I do not know why, but she had the purse
buried in the back of the Van and promptly went to retrieve it, climbing
over Charlie and Mom to get to the back. We engaged in the same
conversation I had with the soldiers and I offered to show my Vehicle
permit, Import tax receipt, and car insurance. He told me, “No, not
necessary, tell her to stop looking for her license, have a good day and
a safe trip, God Bless you!”
Our next scheduled stop was in Alvarado, a fishing town
about an hour south of Vera Cruz. We have stopped there on 3 other road
trips, for the love of the excellent food and friendship offered by our
friend Rogelio Ruiz Ramon at his restaurant El Mirador. It is located
right on the main Federal highway on Paso Del Toro-Alvarado. We stay at
his In-Laws “Motel Miami” across the street for a whopping $350 pesos
per night. The rooms have clean double beds and are handicap accessible
(as are all inexpensive hotels in Mexico).
The next evening found us at Villahermosa in rush hour
traffic, fighting desperately to get out of town. I made a first time
mistake of scheduling the night in this city that must boast of Millions
of residents. It was wall to wall people on every inch of sidewalk,
bumper to bumper cars, we spotted plenty of hotels, but no parking
anywhere in sight and no way to access them in the congested traffic. It
took us over an hour to get back to the highways that lead to the only
bridge out of town. I assured Charlie and my Mom we would stop at the
very first hotel we found.
I did not break my promise; unfortunately it was over
five hours before we found one. We had no choice but to break my rule of
no night time driving, by far the most stressful segment of our
adventure. Everyone was exhausted and hungry when we arrived in a town
called Escarcega. The next morning, when we saw how close we were to Chetumal, there was no stopping us. We filled up the tank, grabbed junk food to go and Sharon broke speeding records. Charlie kept an eye out for the law and I kept an eye out for craters and critters, nothing was going to keep us from getting to that 1:30 Ferry home!
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Beginning Tuesday morning right through our arrival in Cozumel Friday, we were blessed to witness the most amazing testimony of faith and dedication I have ever seen in my life.
Right after leaving Tampico, we spotted a youth running relay style with an Olympic style torch in honor of Mexico's Patron Saint, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Ahead of the runner was a slow moving vehicle carrying youths either waiting their turn to run (or resting after their turn).
All the Vehicles we saw were beautifully decorated and had a Banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The running teams all had bright matching shirts.
They were present every day, on every road we traveled, on Autopistas (highways), mountain roads, dangerous curves, through every town and in every State. They ran in the rain, in the sunshine, in the fog, in the day and into the night. We were terrified for their safety, yet amazed. I could not help but think of their presence as a blessing, they seemed to be Angels guiding us safely home.
Businesses
AXA Health Insurance
Bancomer English Division
The CARIBBEAN BOL
La Casa de Marlín Fishing Charters
Costa Brava Restaurant
CUSTOM JACUZZIS
MARY KAY SKINCARE PRODUCTS
Salsa Lessons at Playa Azul
CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS MEETINGS IN ENGLISH
Chiropractor
C.D. Nora Hernández Lavie'
Gardener
Electrical Air conditioning and pluming Domingo Vega
Chulum 987- 871- 0530
Official Translator
English Language Church
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| news | January | |||||