Closing night of the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival in Playa del Carmen, Mexico opened with an unexpected experimental fusion from Alex Otaola. The performance featured a unique, live soundtrack to a collage of 1950s video clips that seemed to leave the audience either loving or hating it. Jazz great Richard Bona amped up the energy when he jumped onto stage. Festival goers were on their feet, dancing in the sand before Bona earned a heartily applauded exit. As the hour reached midnight, the Yellowjackets eased into the final act with smooth jazz that soothed the soul…
Playa del Carmen was not herself this morning. Wandering along a near vacant 5th avenue with shops and restaurants boarded in preparation for the coming storm felt rather haunting. Yet, a handful of locales were open for business serving the residents and visitors who couldn’t resist getting a peek at the action. Except, there wasn’t too much action. The waves breaking onto shore were out of the norm for the tranquility of Playa del Carmen’s slice of Caribbean, but the sea appeared merely restless, not, say, furious like one might expect. Then again, there is the old adage: “the calm before the storm.” And calm, we still feel. The drawn-out anticipation for this storm-turned-hurricane-turned storm is certainly leaving residents restless. Yet, instead of the “anxious waiting” perhaps we should simply enjoy and let the winds of change breeze in at their appointed hour. May everyone stay safe and dry and in good, loving company was we weather the arrival of Rina….
Originally a tropical storm, Hurricane Rina reached high winds threatening a category 3 hurricane just a couple days before landfall in the Riviera Maya. As Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Cozumel and the rest of the Mexican Caribbean prepare for the impending storm, the latest repors show Rina is again losing strength. After hovering as a category 1 hurricane, the NHC has just announced that Rina has weakened even more:
“…NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT FINDS THAT RINA HAS WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL STORM…”
10:00 AM CDT Thu Oct 27
Location: 19.2°N 87.0°W
Max sustained: 70 mph
Moving: NNW at 6 mph
Min pressure: 989 mb
In the meantime, the Mayan Riviera continues to wait…
It’s no secret that La Piola in Playa del Carmen, Mexico offers more than 50 types of succulent pizza. The trendy Italian restaurant, which also offers a plethora of fresh pastas and an extensive wine bar, is a favorite among locals and visitors alike. The bright modern colors, the beautiful gardens and even a footbridge over a small water feature all come together to create an ideal ambiance matched with a delicious culinary experience.
The exotic basil frozen martini on the other hand is a special off-the-menu treat that is only served upon request. Next time you visit La Piola don’t forget to try this refreshing secret! Just be careful… they’re dangerously delicious!
Part of the irresistible magic of the Riviera Maya are the beautiful beasts of the air. Gulls are easily spotted soaring over the white sand beaches and turquoise waters of the Caribbean coast. The residential area of PlayaCar is a great birdwatching location, easily accessible from the infamous 5th Avenue in downtown Playa del Carmen. Strolling along the cobbled streets, those with a keen eye can spot elegant snowy egrets among the early morning due of the PlayaCar golf course. Flecks of gold can be spotted amidst the trees that fringe the sun-drenched greens as Yellow-Tailed Orioles, Yellow Throated Vireo and Yellow Throated Warblers love to call PlayaCar home. The green parrots are even harder to spot as the rest comfortably camouflaged among the vibrant neons of their surroundings. But, their unmistakable squawking usually gives away their hidden perch.
PlayaCar is home to the Aviario Xaman Ha where bird aficionados can discover varies species native to the region.
A bit north of Playa del Carmen the swampy expanse of mangroves in Puerto Morelos provide refuge for hundreds of pink flamingos and numerous species of egrets. Look for photos from a birdwatching excursion in Puerto Morelos soon!
Isla Cozumel also boasts exotic bird wildlife. Watch an informational video here.
In the meantime, can you help us identify one of the birds pictured in this post?
We have captured a Yellow-tailed Oriole a Green Parrot and…?
The crystalline sea of Playa del Carmen, Mexico is often as placid as a lake. The great expanse of turquoise and sapphire waters is as calm and inviting as a sparkling resort pool. But, when waves do break, body surfers can be spotted diving and rolling onto shore.
As the thesurfingsite.com puts it, “more of an art than a sport, body surfing is pure communion with the ocean.” We agree. Yet, here in the Riviera Maya, simply gazing out at the stunning, jewel-colored seascape is enough to draw any beach-goer into communion with the Mexican Caribbean…
Coati captured by playaloves.me photographer Laura McNamaraIt’s a raccoon. It’s an Anteater. It’s a… er, what is it? Here in the Riviera Maya, these funny little critters with surprisingly sharp teeth are commonly known as the coati. Yet, they do have many other common names including: brazilian aardvark, mexican tejón, hog-nosed coon, pizote, crackoon and snookum bear. The last one kind of makes us giggle… Scientifically, these animals are known as Nasua and Nasuella.
Native to South America, Central America, and south-western North America it’s not uncommon for to spot a coati or two on the grounds of large resorts along the Riviera Maya. We spied this pack scratching for food on the golf course in the PlayaCar residential area of Playa del Carmen, MX. As we ventured out to get a closer look, we discovered there were more than 50 hidden among the nearby patch of forest foliage. Little by little, we coaxed the coatis to come closer. It was so impressive to see these animals with sharp teeth and long claws so close! It’s not uncommon for the locals to adopt abandoned babies and coatis are known to be domesticated as pets. I would imagine this herd has has human contact before as they roam throughout a residential area.
Coati captured by playaloves.me photographer Laura McNamara
Cruise ships dot the horizon of the Riviera Maya daily as they make their rounds to the infamous cruise destination of Cozumel. More than two million tourists visited Cozumel in 2010. That figure is quite astounding when you consider that the population of the island is approximately 100,000. Most of 2010’s record-setting visitors arrived by the more than 1000 cruise ships that dock on the island each year. Cruise ships dock at one of three piers: Punta Langosta Pier, International Pier and Puerta Maya Pier. Located in the middle of downtown San Miguel de Cozumel, Punta Langosta is most central pier.
Thirty miles long and ten miles wide, Cozumel represents Mexico’s largest Caribbean island. Just six miles from the mainland, the ‘Island of the Swallows’ is also easily accessible from Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Two companies, UltraMar and Mexico Water Jets, operate ferries that run daily between Playa and Cozumel.
Quiet, sandy beaches, ancient Mayan remains and world-class scuba diving among the glorious corals reefs of the Arrecife Palancar in the island’s electric blue waters are among the top reasons why millions visit the island each year.
