American Movies & Mexican Audiences...

Last night Jen & I went to Cinemex in what I call the Home Depot Plaza (behind Home Depot at the west end of Coba) and saw The Campaign. It's funny enough, if you like Will Ferrell movies. At one point in the movie, Ferrell, who plays an infantile North Carolina fat boy-turned-Senator (think George W Bush before he found Jesus at age 40) and his naive gay opponent (think Richard Simmons' lamer brother) have some drinks together and Ferrell, in party mode, cries out, "We are going to Cancun...!!"

The trash-talking scene in The Candidate

Looking for Market 28? This AIN'T It!

Jen & I live 5 minutes from Market 28, Cancun's main market. It's a great place to shop (Market 21 is slightly cheaper, but much smaller). Tourists flock to this place to buy everything from shot glasses & T-shirts to silver rings & porcelain pottery (photos below).

Almost every day we pass along a road called Tankah, that runs south from Market 28. And almost every day, when we return, we pass a large shop called Plaza 28. And almost every day, when we do, we see a group of white-clad men standing nearby, shouting something about Market 28 at passing tourists.

Buying Water - Agua Men-a-Poo!

I've blogged before about the water here in Cancun. We still buy most of ours in 20L bottles ($2), from one of the army of men who ride, drive, or otherwise roll through every area selling it. You'll be sitting at home, or lying in a hammock writing a blog post, and hear "Agua! Agua! Agua!"

 

Mexico's Day of the Revolution

Statues of revolutionaries at the National Museum of the Revolution

November 20th (tomorrow) is Mexico’s Día de la Revolución (Day of the Revolution). It’s not Independence Day, and it’s not Cinco de Mayo (which celebrates the Mexican victory over the French during the battle of Puebla in a war that Mexico eventually lost).

More Ants! (Best Story So Far)

I've blogged before about ants. A lot.

I've blogged about ants at Xcaret, ants in our cereal, ants in our hostel, ants on our pizza, ants in our fan...

Some of those stories are worth reading, but yesterday we had an ant experience like no other...

I was sitting in our living room, merrily adding anecdotes to our website (anecdotage.com - home to thousands of funny anecdotes), when suddenly I heard a scream. It was Jen and there was a problem: ants in the bedroom.

Actually, that wasn't really the problem. We've had ants in the bedroom before. Big ants, medium-sized ants, and little ants. But this time, the problem was wee, teeny, tiny ants. And they weren't in the bedroom per se...

Paletas: Amazing Mexican Popsicles!

Paletas - so good they'll make your vision blurry!

One of our favorite things in here is so-called Paletas -- Mexican ice pops! 

These popsicles are amazing, and Mexicans love them too. In fact, one city in Michoacan even raised a statue of a paleta at the entrance to the town!


I had managed to forget about paletas (they are verrrry addictive) until I came across a story in the LA Times about how they are becoming more popular with Latin Americans in the US, and who can blame them...

"Chock-full of chunks of fresh fruit and available in a hypnotizing array of colors and clear, not-too-sweet flavors -- conjure images of hot afternoons in the park, time spent on a bench under a shady tree, clear blue skies dotted with red, white and green balloons..."

Damn you LA Times!

Jen & I are going home for Christmas soon & won't be able to get any of these in Canada. 

Maybe we need to buy a cooler so we can bring some back with us :)

I did an interview for blogexpat! You can check it out here :)

Sexy Mexican Women!

I'm busy with our newly launched website anecdotage.com (30,000 funny anecdotes about celebrities) but I'm still trying to post something every day...

Pressed for time, what's a busy blogger to do? Simple answer: post something about sex! What sells better than sex, sex, and more sex?

In that spirit, I just googled "sexy mexican women." I always knew Mexican women were sexy but I'm still amazed by what I found...

In addition to the obvious pictures of sexy Mexican celebrities like Salma Hayek...

Zapped!

Jen & I love the house we're renting, but there are a few things we'd fix if we ever bought the place.

One evening when our friend Jesse was visiting recently, we went out on the patio to play with our dog Diablo in front of the house, just to the right, behind the fence, in this photo...

Public Hygiene in Cancun... Ewww!

Jen's been nursing a cold for more than a week & I've still got the cough I blogged about (here) more than a month ago. We expected to be sick more often here, and we have been, but we expected to encounter digestive issues, not respiratory infections. It's hard to believe...

At least it was until recently.

I won't go so far as to say that Mexicans are less hygienic than other North Americans (hey, my dad once saw a skanky woman drop her pants and urinate in a busy gas station parking lot in the middle of the day), but Jen & I have now seen a few things which help to explain how we keep getting sick.

Here's my top 3...

Beep! Beep! Honking in Cancun...

Near Plaza Las Americas in Cancun

Jen, and I ride our bicycles almost everywhere here. Though guidebooks often warn tourists not to ride bikes and scooters, I often marvel at the decency of the average Mexican driver. Their reputation seemed undeserved.

More Funny Spanish - Calzones!

Living in Cancun, I often find myself trying to communicate with Mexicans who speak very little English. Because I speak very little Spanish, I often have to try to guess what the Spanish equivalent of a word might be.

While shopping the other day I saw a sign that made me laugh. It also reminded me that attempting to communicate the way I do can be a tricky proposition.

The sign said simply... "Calzones (Boxers)."

Mmmm - calzones...

Cheap Night Out in Cancun

Just a quick post to illustrate how you can live in Cancun for a few dollars a day.


Jen & I went to the casino for brunch. Cost: 75 pesos each, which we won back with our free credits (as we often do).

 

Later we hit McDonald's for dinner. Tuesday is Big Mac day. Cost: 44 pesos each.


Then we saw the new Bond movie (Skyfall) tonight. Tuesday is 2-for-1 night at Cinemex. Cost: 25 pesos each.

 

We also stopped at Elite Cyclery to get my rear derailleur cable (and some cable housing) replaced. Cost 50 pesos.

So, to sum up, I fixed my bike & got dinner & a movie for about $10, 
roughly half what I would have paid for the repair alone at home...

Cancun.. I'm lovin' it.

Fire Ants at Xcaret?

Jen & I just returned from a road trip south of Cancun. Among our stops was a visit to Xcaret (which was fun but, we, felt, vastly overpriced compared to the other theme parks in the area). 

The first thing we did was the "guided jungle tour," a 1 hour tour through a few dozen metres of jungle, culminating in stops at a chicle tree (where we chewed real chicle) and a large orchid greenhouse & edible fungus farm.

At one point, I looked down & noticed a funny looking grey insect at my hand & asked the guide what it was. "Ant," she said. Then I asked her if there were any dangerous ants, like fire or bullet ants, in the area. No, she said.

Hahahaha. Jen & I have both received pretty painful bites from ants here &/or in Belize so I
didn't believe her for a second...

Dolphin Sex... That's Not His Hand!

A pair of dolphins mating, while a friend swims nearby without a hint of embarrassment

Jen & I just returned from a road trip south of Cancun. Among our stops was a visit to Dolphin Discovery. While Jen was swimming with the dolphins, I was videotaping the festivities and watching a trainer teach a youngster to fetch balls and hoops.

Jen & I both learned all sorts of interesting facts about these amazing creatures. But I just found some interesting facts (here) that they neglected to cover!

Mexicans in the United States

So many of the people we meet here claim to have lived in the United States that I was beginning to wonder if some of them were lying. Then I read this in a recent article in the Economist about business in Mexico: 

Mexico is unusual in that it not only has a globalised elite but also a globalised peasantry. The rich study in the United States; the poor mop floors there. Both groups benefit their homeland. The elite pick up skills and contacts at American universities, which help Mexican firms do business with their giant neighbour. Migrant mop-wielders send money home to poor Mexican villages. The scale of border-straddling is colossal. One Mexican in ten lives in the United States—some 12m people. Add in the descendants of Mexicans born in the United States and the number is 33m. This creates a market for Mexican products: Corona is the most popular imported beer north of the border.

Renting a Car in Cancun - Cheated by Alamo!

Alamo - Return Unhappy?*

Jen & I just spent a few days south of Cancun in the Riviera Maya. We rented a car from Alamo & had a slight problem. Here's the letter Jen wrote (& sent to the local office and the American HQ). I've added some comments in square brackets & I'll post an update if/when the issue is resolved:

OMG! That Seagull Has a Sea Turtle!

Every autumn, mother sea turtles visit Cancun's beaches to lay their eggs in the sand. The eggs hatch and each baby turtle flips and flops its way down the beach and scrambles into the water, where he or she is swept into the safety of the ocean. In theory...

To assist these adorable little creatures, many resorts in the Hotel Zone (including the Royal Sands & the Moon Palace Resort) collect turtles on the beaches at night (if you see flashlights or vehicles on the beach at night that could be why) & allow their guests to release them in the evenings. [Jen blogged about this here.]

Snorkeling with Turtles? Bring some Cabbage!

During our trip to Belize, Jen & I snorkeled with some turtles. It was amazing swimming a foot away from these magnificent (if funny-looking) creatures! 

More recently, I saw an article (posted below) in The Economist about loggerhead turtles loving the smell of rotting cabbages (because planktonic algae often release a substance that degrades into a rotting-cabbage chemical when they are eaten).

I think we actually had some rotting cabbage in the fridge at home. If we ever go back, I think I'll bring some with us.

Green turtle

Sharks in Cancun II - Creepy Shark Encounters!

I recently posted another entry about sharks in Cancun. It's easily my most popular post & it's not bad, but when I wrote it I hadn't met Dan Garcia...

Black tip sharks in a feeding frenzy!

Día de la Raza (Columbus Day) in Mexico

Today marks the 520th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas!

Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate this anniversary (which occurred on October 12, 1492) as an official holiday. The event is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States, and as Día de la Raza in many countries in Latin America.

Big Score at the Dubai Palace Casino!

I've blogged before about the Dubai Palace Casino here in Cancun.

Every M/T/W they have a promotion: buy 5000 "vouchers" (for 500 pesos) and receive 2000 free! You must play through the vouchers, converting them into credits, before you can cash out. 
Considering that (so far, on average), we are winning back well over 75%, that seems like a pretty good deal, though I personally haven't done very well on the few occasions I've done this.

Anyway, Jen and I went last night, after she saw a post on Dubai's facebook page announcing that for the next hour, anyone who bought 500 pesos in credits would receive X free credits, where X was a random, surprise amount. This made the deal potentially even better. We planned to ask some of our friends (who go there every day) how many freebies we were likely to get and decide on the spot.

Top 5 Reasons to Shop at Walmart in Cancun

I'm not a huge fan but I find myself shopping at Walmart for the same reason most people do. It's hard to argue with the convenience (yes, there's a McDonald's in our local store) and those "everyday low prices."

So here goes my...

TOP FIVE REASONS TO SHOP AT WALMART IN CANCUN

Is it Safe for Tourists to Visit Mexico?

I just did an interview for blogexpat.com (yay! -- I'll add a proper link when it's published). They asked me to name a myth about Mexico & I recalled a funny story that I forgot to blog about..  

Funny Mexican Phone Call Blooper

I just did an interview for blogexpat.com (yay! -- I'll add a proper link when it's published). They asked me how I communicate with home & I recalled a funny story that I forgot to blog about...

Google, Google, Google! Google video chat is reliable & free. I also use Google to make local calls. It’s about 50% cheaper than Skype.

Is Spanish less efficient than English?

In my quest to broaden my knowledge of Spanish I've been reading Webster's Worldwide English-Spanish Dictionary. I know that sounds a little odd, but this dictionary is riddled with examples of word usage, each translated into Spanish.

Now THIS is what I should be reading!

Ants Ants Ants... Damn Ants in my Cereal!

I know I've posted about ants before but when you're sitting at your PC wondering what to write about... and you realize that you're eating your breakfast cereal with your hands, one bran flake at a time, because the tiny ants that plague your kitchen somehow wiggled through the tiny cracks in the rolled up cereal bag and crept into your cereal... well, what choice do you have, really?

From now on we're fumigating (or at least spraying some OFF around the kitchen) once a week & keeping our cereal in the refrigerator!

I know the ants were here first & we're just visiting "their" jungle, but if Jen & I ever go insane, that could be the reason.

Lookout! Flying grass & dust!

For 2 hours this morning, workmen were tending to the park outside our house. They pruned some trees and collected garbage, but most of the work seemed to comprise cutting the grass right outside our house.

At the beginning of hour #2, I went out to see what was going on. Though our house has nice big front windows, I coudn't see through them on account of the flying grass & dust, & because we had to keep them closed: Jen, who is still sitting here with a mask on, has asthma. She was not amused.

Cloud-Seeding Could Help Tame Hurricanes

It's still hurricane season here in Cancun. We had a near miss a few weeks ago...

Sure, hurricanes may not take many lives anymore, but the big ones still do billions of dollars worth of property damage and devastate marine ecosystems. The reefs around here always seem to be recovering from the last big one.

Catching Colds in Cancun

I'm battling a pretty nasty cold. I also had a bad cold a few months ago. So, to recap: I've had two of the worst colds of my life in the past 6 months.

That would not normally seem that strange. But I've been living in Cancun for six months. And it's been spring and summer here! It has rarely dropped below 80 degress and ~80% humidity.

The all-too-common cold virus

Low Taxi Prices in Cancun

Whenever Jen & I go shopping in Cancun, I marvel that you can take a taxi to & from the supermarket here for less than the cost of a large box of cereal or a couple of loaves of bread. Imagine taking a taxi in New York or Toronto (our home town) & paying the driver with a loaf of Wonder bread. Ya, I Wonder what would happen...

Taxis in Cancun - they are everywhere!

Our Internet Fiasco

It's hard to believe that my last post was two weeks ago (I'm writing from Starbucks again, whose wifi is about 93% reliable). But then it's hard to believe that we still don't have internet access at home!

We moved into a new place 3 weeks ago, 1 week after telling our new housemate that we absolutely 100% needed internet access before we moved in. No problem, he said. He would arrange it. Sure enough, it wasn't ready on moving day. Oh well, we thought, how long could it take.

The next day, that housemate had a dispute with our other housemate (his friend) and decided to move (that's a whole other story).

Anyway, no problem. Housemate #2 assured us that he would take care of things (as we are not on the lease, only sub-letting). Nevermind that the existing contract was in the name of Housemate #1. Hmmm.

Internet in Cancun

I haven't posted for a while because we moved again & don't have internet access yet (I'm writing from Starbucks, which, like most things in Mexico, is 25-50% cheaper here than in Canada). And, being from Toronto, I'm used to dealing with terrible internet service: thanks to Rogers' monopoly, Ontario boasts some of the world's most expensive telecoms prices (with some of the worst customer service). At home, we pay about $50/month for internet alone. Here in Cancun, it's about $20/month for a bundle featuring internet, cable TV, AND wireless service!

Royal Mayan (Cancun) Review

A few weeks ago my parents came to visit Jen & I in Cancun. They stayed at the Royal Mayan Resort (in the hotel Zone at km 17.5).

Hotel Zone Olympic Games

With the Olympic games in full swing, I thought I should post something about the "Olympic games" that Jen & I & a friend (hi Jesse!) recently played with a group of tourists in the Hotel Zone.

It all started after we happened upon a beach volleyball game near the Sunset Royal Cancun Resort (Boulevard Kukulkan Km 10).

More Silly Spanish...

Yesterday Jen & I visited the beautiful Mayan Hotel Xbalamque (on Yaxchilan just north of the blue school, the first school in Cancun). 

We spent some time lounging by the pool, which is open to the public with the purchase of some food/drinks.

The pool was busier than I've ever seen it, mainly because July is high season here, with many Mexican families visiting Cancun for their summer holiday. Kids were splashing (and shooting other guests with water guns) and Jen was reading Spanish for Dummies.

At one point, she was studying Simple verb conjugations (I am, you are, etc). She remarked thay "soy" means "I am." I replied that, because of his nickname, my parents' dog Max would say, in Spanish, "soy 'Bean.'"

A bit later, she was contemplating a new Spanish word -- "retrasso" -- which means tardy (i think). I noted that it should be easy to remember, because only a retarded ass (excuse me for being politically incorrect) would be late.

Of course, I can't remember for sure how to spell the word or exactly what it means, proving that I am in fact a retrasso.

OK, gotta run. Gonna be late...

Hotel Xbalamque Resort and Spa Cancun Review

Yesterday Jen & I visited the beautiful Hotel Xbalamque Resort and Spa Cancun (on Yaxchilan just north of the blue school, the first school in Cancun).

Blogger Sucks!

I titled this post "Blogger Sucks!" so it will be indexed by google & added to the "About 58,000 results" for a search on "Blogger Sucks". Maybe it'll be the post that nudges it up to 59,000 results...

Anyway here's my rant:

I've been using Blogger for a few weeks now... & I'm kind of not impressed. I chose it because it's easy to use & easy to integrate adsense. I thought it was a mature platform & assumed that, because it's a google product, it would be well-designed. Hahahaha. Ha.

Here's a short list of things I find annoying. Are you listening, Google?

Barking Dogs in Cancun

If you visit Cancun & don't stay in the hotel zone, you'd better bring some earplugs or get used to the sound of barking dogs. They are everywhere here. Stray dogs wander the streets and parks at night, but the problem is mostly the domesticated dogs and their inconsiderate owners. Apparently there are laws about making noise here, but like most laws in Mexico, they were made to be broken. Calling the police is probably useless (or worse). We haven't tried it yet, but we will, as soon as our Spanish improves.

Most people who have dogs here keep them outside, as guard dogs. And noise after midnight seems to be accepted here. A friend who runs a hotel in the neighborhood worries that the loud music from a nearby surf bar is bothering his guests, but he hasn't formally complained to anyone. We have tried to buy an anti-bark (shock) collar for Diablo & haven't been able to find one here, in a city of almost a million people (& what seems like as many dogs)!

Fun with Spanish & "Pseudo Spanish"!

I woke up this morning to the sound of our puppy Diablo barking at some other dogs. I went back to sleep. But as I was dozing, I thought I was dreaming about the Spanish...


R-eh, S-ey, Teh...


I resurfaced from my "dream" & realized that Jen was in bed beside me, reading the alphabet in her new Spanish book.


Spanish is certainly in my thoughts. I'm enchanted & amused by this magical language. And I've learned enough now that I'm at the point where I can sort of guesstimate what makes an English word Spanish. Here's my recipe:

Diablo at the beach!

I took our puppy Diablo to the beach on Sunday... (sorry I don't have any action photos)

We walked through the Parque de las Palapas & along Tulum Avenue for a while, waiting for nature to call. Of course, thanks to Murphy's Law, it didn't.

Diablo & Mr. Murphy don't get along, esp. in the bathroom dept. (Did you read this post?)

DIablo incident #11276 - poop in the park

So I took our puppy Diablo (whom I've started calling D) to the Parque de las Palapas recently. Actually we go every day, but we had a little incident recently...

Parque de las Palapas

Cancun Water is Deadly, But What About Ice?

Everyone in Cancun knows you shouldn't drink the water. Well, almost everyone.

Eager to save some money, I googled around & learned that you can chlorinate the water & you should be fine. So, when I first arrived, I just added aquatabs to a gallon of water & drank that. (You can even add chlorine bleach: just add a few drops / L like it says right on the bottle!). The water tasted kinda gross but one week later I was still alive. No problem, right? 

Hahahahaha!

Beards in Cancun

You know it's time to shave again when your facial hair is growing its own facial hair. And starting to itch. I'd say I've gone native, but the fact is: beards are not popular here.

And I understand why. To me they just look funny on Mexicans (& maybe that's a compliment). I really can't think of a single Mexican I've seen who I thought would look better with a beard. Think about it. Can you, for example, imagine a Mexican Santa?

Santa Adolpho Ignatio Claus?

Sharks in Cancun?

Search google for Cancun shark attacks & you get a lot of results. A scary lot.

On TripAdvisor's Cancun travel forum, travelers are asking questions and offering advice on topics like "SHARKS??? Any need to worry?".

Well, that depends...

The Skinny on Skinny-Dipping in Cancun

Some of our friends from Hostel Kankun are celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary today! Congratulations Sue & Bob! Actually, I'm calling them Sue & Bob to protect their privacy. You see, as they do every year, they will cap off their celebration by skinny-dipping together at midnight!

A Surprise Visitor...

Today we had a surprise visitor, who dropped by for a chat. The conversation began with Jen exclaiming, "Oh my god! Jay! What is that!" Then, I looked over and saw what looked like a fast moving earthworm cruising along our floor.

I trapped the impostor in a plastic cup (where he is currently resting, curled up on my desk) & took this photo for your enjoyment..

Boy or girl, I'm calling it 'Millie'!

A Wild & Crazy (Hat) Guy!

While Jen & I were cycling along Yaxchilan Avenue (near Uxmal) one day, Jen pointed out a funky mural on a wall beside a restaurant (Los Perricos). We stopped to take a photo...

 

Love thy neighbor, and recycle!

Cancun Toilet Pet Peeves!

Ever since I took my first photograph of a foreign toilet, I thought my curiosity about foreign toilets was strange, until I heard about another tourist who collects toilet paper from every bathroom he visits.

Pay toilet near Coco Bongo in the Hotel Zone

World Cup All-Star Soccer Match -- Mexico vs USA!

Earlier today, America (or should I say Lionel Messi) hammered Mexico in some kind of World Cup All-Stars match here in Cancun. After seeing posters all over town, Jen & I decided we'd try to see the game at the Esadio do Futbol, which lies just a 15 minute bike ride SW of us (on Kabah).

First we visited a ticket agent, who told us that official tickets were at least 1300 pesos, but that the prices were set so poorly that they had sent 90% of theirs back unsold. He advised us to visit the stadium before game time & see of they had reduced their prices.

We did. They hadn't.

Scalpers near the ticket booths, inside the security zone

 

Cycling (& Bike Repairs) in Cancun

Shortly before coming to Mexico, it occurred to me that I should bring my bicycle. It is a full suspension Trek VRX 300 (perfect for Cancun's beat-up streets & jungle terrain).

All geared up for Isla Blanca...

Achoo, Achoo, Achoo...

So the other day, Jen & I were sitting around & I heard an electronic voice saying something like, "Achoo, achoo, achoo..." It really sounded like someone sneezing.

It wasn't. It was just Jen learning Spanish numbers! "Ocho" = the number 8.

Here's the link if anyone is interested.

BTW: the smart phone translation apps are really pretty handy. I'm using the Talking Multi-Language Translator & Dictionary. You speak (or type) to it in English (or Spanish) & it spits out the equivalent in Spanish (or English). It's not perfect, but it's a great way to learn Spanish.

One day in the pet store, an employee used an app to explain something about our pet turtle. But he was typing for an eternity. I wanted to grab his phone, download this app & get him to speak instead, but, of course, I didn't know how to explain...

How do you say "Catch-22" in Spanish??

About Me.. A Slightly Embarrassing Editing Blooper

After I started my blog, Jen suggested that I put more information in my "About" section. Readers might like to know more about me. And strangers who made a "personal" connection would be more likely to come back & read more.

More about me? I like imagination.. & cheese!

New Home for a Grumpy Turtle :)

While shopping yesterday, Jen & I found a new home for our pet turtle!



Grumpy enjoying his new pool

Hostel Kankun & the Smoking Incident

I've written elsewhere about Hostel Kankun & our biggest run-in with the guy who runs it. But I've never written about the Smoking Incident... until now.

Getting Around (& Lost) in Cancun

Cancun is a young city (you can read about its interesting history in a future post). When they laid it out, they did not exactly opt for a NSEW grid.



A typical Cancun neighborhood (near the central bus station)

We Moved into a New Apartment!

After impulsively buying a new puppy, Ramon, our landlord at Hostel Kankun told us we could keep him there, no problem. Unfortunately, over the next couple of weeks, Diablo had a few "accidents" on the hostel roof, on the hostel stairs, in the hostel halls, & in the hostel "lobby." A few times, Ramon found Diablo deposits before we did, because the cleaning staff "accidentally" let him out of our area without telling us.

 

So... last Tuesday night, we came home and, after Jen went ahead while I locked up our bikes, Ramon told me he didn't want "the dog" living in the hostel anymore. "Starting tomorrow." I was shocked. "Ok," was all I could think to say. Later I went down to his office & asked him why. 

Mailing to & from Cancun

Did you ever about the efficiency of the Mexican postal service? Neither did I really (tho I'd have guessed it was run by guys like Cheech & Chong), until I moved to Cancun. Below, I'll describe my limited experiences with the Correos de Mexico...




Te Llega means "We arrived".. Not so fast, Pancho...

Puppies and Fleas and Worms... Oh My!

I've written before about the low prices here in Cancun. This generally also applies to medical expenses (though you should have travel insurance) and veterinary care.

After we brought our new puppy (Diablo) home (see this post for more on that), a couple of days passed uneventfully, by which I mean "as uneventfully as possible for the owners of a new puppy."

Naming Diablo

I've written elsewhere about our border collie puppy Diablo. But I want to dedicate a post to the subject of choosing Diablo's name.

Discovering... Diablo!

"Dogs were very highly regarded in ancient Mexico, but only as a menu item ..."
-- from Carl Franz & Lorena Havens' The People's Guide to Mexico

After flying a large inflatable kite on the beach near Marina Chac Chi one day, I cleaned the kite off in the water & looked for a clean place to roll up my kite. Luckily, there is a large abandoned hotel next door.

Marina Chac Chi Review

Marina Chac Chi is one of my favorite places to visit in Cancun's Hotel Zone.


Hotel Zone KM 3.2
Next to Q-Bay Hotel, Ocean Side
Cancun 77500, Mexico
Tel: 52(998)8495414


Reviews of its tours and fishing are fairly good. And the Marina has a decent pool which visitors can use with the purchase of food/drinks. I was told that there is a minimum order of 100 pesos, but even if you order a single beer, no one will ask you to leave. When it is busy or there is a party going on (which there often is), this is a great place to hang out. 

Big List of Youtube Videos with Spanish Subtitles

I really enjoy watching English programs with Spanish subtitles. It's a great way to learn the language. 

So, collected below is a growing list of Youtube (& other online) videos with Spanish subtitles. I'll add more as I find them.

Enjoy!

Inside The Actors Studio - Danny De Vito
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cgSI0q_yUY&feature=relmfu

Inside The Actors Studio - James Cameron
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8yJ4T-XuRY&feature=relmfu

Inside The Actors Studio - Goldie Hawn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLimfWaxjmA&feature=relmfu

What's so funny about being Mexican?

While looking for an example of a funny Mexican election song this morning, I came across a funny post on yahoo:

"What is a Funny Mexican songs?" - Yahoo! Answers
answers.yahoo.com › ... › Music › Rap and Hip-Hop
4 answers - 23 May 2011

The top answer made me laugh out loud: "Being Mexican is funny enough, you don't need a song to go with it."

How true...

Yep. This incident inspired me to document some of the funny Mexicans that Jen & I have encountered here. It's such a big country, & so many Mexicans are funny in so many ways, that I'm pretty sure this will be the first in a long series... 

How noisy is Cancun?

This morning, I awoke early & went up to our hostel's rooftop patio to watch the sunrise. It was a lovely, peaceful moment, interrupted only by the arrival of another guest, who had been roused by the sound of music blaring from around a corner. It was 7:00 am.

Shortly after returning to our room, I heard more noise outside: this time it was the sound of a bugle call coming from a school about a block away...

The Bleeding Fan...

After moving into our hostel in Cancun, Jen & I were relieved to find that our room was equipped with a fairly powerful fan. It gets hot here & we have no air conditioning, but we find that, with a fan on 24-7, we don't really need A/C.

We don't really need a clothes dryer either.

Drying clothes, hostel style.

This handy, unassuming little appliance has also been the source of much amusement...

More Funny Spanish Language Bloopers

I've written elsewhere about the bloopers I've made while learning Spanish. But I thought I'd post a few funny Spanish bloopers that have happened to other people...


1) Fighting over a bill


Tried to say: We will pay for you (pagamos)                                
Actually said: We will fight you (pegamos)


2) Lord died for a good cause...


Tried to say: The Lord died for your sins (pecados)                     
Actually said: The Lord died for your fish (pescados)


3) I have 4 sisters...


Tried to say: I have 4 sisters and I'm the oldest (meyor)

Actually said:  I have 4 children and I am the best (mejor) 


4) Be careful what you ask for....


Tried to say: I ask (yo pido)                                                             
Actually said: I fart (yo pedo)

The Art of Interpreting Cancun Beach Flags

There are few lifeguards on Cancun beaches. They do, however, post a lot of flags, indicating the danger levels:

Red........ Don't swim.
Yellow.... Be careful.
Green.... No problemo!

Funny thing is, I'm not sure I've ever seen a green flag. I've heard people talk about seeing green flags, in much the same way that people report sightings of the Loch Ness Monster. In particular, green flags have been reported near Club Med (where the beach is sheltered by a natural reef), but it seems that yellow is basically the default color. This makes for an interesting situation.