Spring Break Akumal, Mexico 2011

On March 20, 2011 Gary and I flew out of XNA to Cancun to go to Akumal, Mexico to visit some good friends, Jamie and Yolonda. Akumal is located just one hour and ten minutes south of Cancun on the Mexican Caribbean coastline of the Yucatan peninsula.

Jamie and Yolonda have a condo where they live six months of the year.

Gary already enjoying the nice sunshine and breeze at the condo.

Gary and Jamie having early morning coffee and visiting.

Betsy up early and having morning coffee.



Gary and Jamie deciding on the plans for the day. Probably checking the waves to see if they can go deep sea fishing.



Gary and Jamie on boat leaving to go deep sea fishing. Picture was taken from the condo patio.

Just enjoying the morning.

 

One morning Gary and I strolled the beach. This is not far from the condo. Yolonda said they have a lot of weddings here.

You can have a massage right on the beach. Just a minute walk from the condo.

 Picture taken while walking along the beach. The white tent with thatched roof is where you can get a massage.

PUERTO AVENTURAS

Puerto Aventuras on the Riviera Maya. Puerto Aventuras is a private gated community located about 10 minutes north of Akumal.

Yolonda, Gary and Jamie at one of the outside restaurants at Puerto Aventuras.

Gary and Betsy enjoying a Bloody Mary.

 Yolonda and Betsy at Puerto Aventuras.

 You can swim with the dolphins. We did not.

Notice what is hanging from this yacht. There were three of "them" hanging.

TULUM BEACH

Tulum Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The turquoise water leaves you feeling like you are in paradise. This is Jamie and Yolonda's favorite beach; however, I thought the beach in front of their condo was just as beautiful.

You can buy a bike heading to the beach!

Entrance to Tulum Beach.

This girl was climbing a tree trying to gather coconuts. We had to be careful and never sit under a coconut palmtree. More people are killed in this area from falling coconuts than sharks (at least that is what Jamie told us!) The coconut palm grows along the coasts of Mexico.

Gary and Jamie strolled along Tulum Beach. Gary has a minor in History and he wanted to see the Tulum ruins. Tulum means "Wall" and the city was christened thus because it is a walled city. Jamied pointed to the ruin in the picture below and told Gary "there they are."

 

 

Mango's, coco's, papaya's. Whatever you want. That's Yolonda and me in the background sunning.

Gary and Betsy. There was a topless girl on this beach. Sorry, no pictures. However, if you REALLY want a picture I think Jamie has a few.

 

The only chair you will remember for the rest of your life.

Jamie and Yolonda.

How can you go to the beach and not shop? Guylene is very popular on this beach and elsewhere. Her web site is http://www.lamourdeguylene.com/ Her family is in Haiti and she is from New York. She uses a collection of jewels, wood, seeds, ceramics, bamboo, semi precious stones ranging from Agate, Obsidian and Amethyst stones from all over the world.

I bought a necklace and matching earrings. This is a mother of pearl leaves with cat eye beads and seed pearls. The earrings are mother of pearl leaf with cat eye and ceramics.

I'm wearing the earrings and necklace.

SHOPPING IN TULUM

This picture isn't really shopping but I thought the grocery store was unique. Very open, wouldn't you say? That's Jamie in the white t-shirt and ball cap. He is buying water. However, he ended up leaving without buying any. The locals kept walking in front of him so he left.

Gary and Jamie looking at something interesting.

 

Betsy doing some serious shopping.

Gary and Betsy deciding on a hammock.

The shops were colorful and pretty.

SCUBA DIVING PRACTICE ROUND 

Gary and Jamie had reservations to go scuba diving the next day. It's been a few years since Gary has gone scuba diving so he arranged to have a practice round.

 Gary getting ready to head in the cenote for a practice round of scuba diving. Cenotes are surface connections to subterranean water bodies. They are typically found in the Yucatan Peninsula. The term is derived from a word used by the low-land Yucatec Maya to refer to any location where groundwater is accessible.

 Cenotes are often very clear and contain very little suspended particulate matter. Cenotes are areas where sections of cave roof have collapsed revealing an underlying cave system.

 

AKUMAL RESTAURANT AND SALSA DANCING 

 

It's very windy. My hair seems to be the only thing blowing in the wind!

Gary salsa dancing. 

Betsy salsa dancing.



 RANDOM STREET AND HOUSE PICTURES 

BAHIA PRINCIPE GOLF COURSE AND

WHERE JAMIE AND YOLONDA ARE BUILDING A HOME

I saved the best toward the end. The Riviera Maya Golf Club at Bahia Principe is where Jamie and Yolonda play golf. They are also building a house there. The Riviera Maya Golf Club was built in 2010. It spans 223 acres and is set within 717 acres of tropical rainforest. This course was designed by Robert Trent Jones II. The course consists of 3 championship 9 holes courses, plus an executive 9 holes par 27 course and practice area.

The entrance to the golf course and residences is breathtaking. Yolonda is sending me her pictures and her pictures of the entrance are a lot better than mine. This is a gated community but everyone seems to know "Mr. James Bond."

We were at the course by 6:00 a.m. one morning. Jamie playing golf as the sun is rising.

Stopping after a few rounds for coffee and muffins.

Barely awake. While riding on the cart parrots were flying around. An iguana was hidden by the rocks.

 

Jamie and Yolonda are building a home here on the course. All the homes, according to the covenants, must have a similar style. This is the style of the home they are building. 

A different view of a home similar to theirs.

And another view. I love the landscaping.

Another home on the golf course. This home has a guard. I saw several guards out front of some of the homes.

A home on the golf course.

This is a home on the golf course. The license plate of the Suburban says "Texas."

Another big home on the course.  

AKUMAL RESTAURANT

SPEAR FISHING FOR FOOD

Termite nest. We saw this while driving down a road.

The shops were very colorful and pretty. 

SCUBA DIVING PRACTICE ROUND

Gary and Jamie had reservations to go scuba diving the next day. It's been a few years since Gary has gone scuba diving so he arranged to have a practice round.

Gary getting ready to head in the cenote for a practice round of scuba diving. Cenotes are surface connections to subterranean water bodies. They are typically found in the Yucatan Peninsula. The term is derived from a word used by the low-land Yucatec Maya to refer to any location where groundwater is accessible.



Cenotes are often very clear and contain very little suspended particulate matter. Cenotes are areas where sections of cave roof have collapsed revealing an underlying cave system.



AKUMAL RESTAURANT AND SALSA DANCING



What a great spring break! It was over before we knew it. How relaxing....waking up every morning to the ocean breeze. Coffee on the beach to start the day. No worries at all. We are so grateful to Jamie and Yolonda for inviting us to come see their place and especially the golf course. Everything was breathtaking, beautiful, serene, peaceful, and friendly.

Once while on the highway Jamie honked at a local on the side of the road. The man turned around, smiling and waving. You know what would happen if you did that in the states! You would see a frown, a four letter word mouthed, and a wave with one finger!

Well, guess what! We found a RV park right on the beach! It is called Paa Mul. We stopped and checked it out. Beautiful. While driving through the RV park all we saw were American RV's. They were from Oregon, Wisconsin, Colorado, Texas, Florida, etc. They had their own little American village. Paamul Beach is located north of Puerto Aventuras and "is a haven for the recreational vehicle crowd."