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Villas of the Month
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Up & Down the Coast |
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Welcome to the monthly newsletter from Sac-Be.com, your
source for news, maps and travel information for the Riviera Maya and Costa Maya. If you
have a news item, an event you'd like to promote, an article of interest or a comment to make
please email us at info@sac-be.com. Enjoy!
Breaking News! - Las Villas Akumal on Jade beach: a
turtle nested on the beach last night (5/6) at about 9:30. The 2009
turtle season has begun.
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Akumal Gets Ready to Turn 50!
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We are looking for people who want to share their part in Akumal History. If
you have photos, stories or memories you want to share please contact us. If
you don't have them digitally and don't have time to scan them Laura Bush has
offered to display and protect your photo albums in the temporary museum that
will be set up at Lol Ha. Contact Laura to learn more.
Stories, Memories, Photos and more...
Jorge Luis Basave Remembers
Akumal through aerials and shots of Emily.
Please join in and send us your stories and photos. Some may be selected for
an upcoming publication.
Akumal Businesses your help is needed.
Sponsor a Pirate...We have an exciting Treasure
Hunt planned for the children
and by Sponsoring a Pirate you can help turn this fun activity into a
fundraiser for the kids. We also still need volunteers, supplies and prizes.
A volleyball tournament
is in the works for Sunday May 31st... if you want to join in the fun please
contact Marcy Essey or
Monica Estrada.
Dive Festival added to
Akumal 50th Anniversary Celebration - Divers plunge into the festivities on
May 30th as part of a three day celebration to commemorate 50 years since Pablo
Bush Romero first arrived in Akumal, Mexico, on an expedition to the Matanceros
shipwreck. Check the dive festival details!
And be sure to get to Akumal on May 30th!
And more is being added each day... So check back to learn more. The activities
begin on Friday at the CEA Center with a premier of the new Documentary, Rescue
of the Mantancero, followed by a party with dancing
to a salsa band and Bandikoro at Plaza Ukana. Saturday is the Dive Festival and an evening of
celebrating starting with Happy Hour at LolHa, BBQ Dinner on the Beach and more
dancing to Jurassic. Many remember dancing the night away to this band at CEA's
4th Annual Festival this last February. Sunday is the Fishing Tournament,
Children's Treasure Hunt, Sand Sculpturing and Volleyball Tournament. There
is something for everyone and more activities still in the works.
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Profiles & Highlights
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Meet Martha Alicia Chavez, the #1 female author in Mexico
article by Sandy Bartosh
On a chilly January night in 2000, a very busy mother and psychotherapist,
Martha Alicia Chavez had a dream. In this dream, she was on a beautiful
beach somewhere in the world writing a book. Upon awakening, she realized
that this dream could become a reality and she started organizing her life.
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Meet Painter, Raul Aparicio Reyes
Many of us who live in, or visit Akumal maybe be familiar with this great
artist and not even know it. He is Nayeli Aparicio's father, his work can
be found in MexicArte shop, the pink store at the Akumal arch.
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Tid Bits
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Margarita contest winner is: Myrna Sparks! Congratulations and thanks
so much. Enjoy!
What is apparent to us is our readers love their margaritas. Thank you all for
such a great number of new subscribers. We are new and we need all the help we
can get. And please, if you change your email let us know – we have emails
returned each month because the address is no longer any good.
Lucy Too – now open in the Akumal Pueblo with a new menu, wine and
beer. Lucy's Kitchen is still serving great homemade ice cream.
We're Listening
We continue to listen to your ideas and suggestion and have been busy making
several improvements to our Sac-Be.com site this month. We thank you for your
input and encourage more people to share your thoughts and ideas with us. We
truly want this to be a website that helps you as the readers, advertisers –
friends and businesses. Our latest changes are to our Wedding and Special
Events section. We have spiced it up and hopefully it will be easier to
navigate and more useful.
Another change we made was to add a section called
CAUSES in our Culture and Events Section. One thing that makes this area so
special are the people and the wonderful work they do and organizations they
support, from Animal Protection to Libraries and Scholarship funds, we felt these
great causes deserved their own section.
For First Time Visitors we have also changed that section to be more of a site
map to help navigate people to find what they are looking for on our site.
Hopefully it will be a useful tool for first timers and old-timers alike.
In the works: is a Real Estate section. With US market in flux and millions
of people looking for investments, vacation homes and retirement spots we knew
this would be a viable and important section. We will be working with some of
the best local agents to get this section going.
And now, besides our blog there
is a new way to become interactive with Sac-Be
go on facebook and become a fan!
We thank all of our supporters
and contributors who have
helped us with our improvements. And we especially thank our loyal advertisers!
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Dive Tip of the Month
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Tip - If you have trouble clearing your ears, it sounds silly, but
you may succeed if you just relax…really! When scuba diving, we have a
regulator in our moth, and when we are nervous, most of us tend to bite extra
hard on the mouth piece. Tense muscles in your jaw compress the airway that
moves air from your sinuses to your inner ear when you equalize. In short, if
you relax your jaw, often by wiggling it, your ears will equalize easier.
Make every dive count when you Dive
with Natalie and Ivan.
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Of Special Interest
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My Change of Pace -
Read a first hand account of Natalie Blankenship's experiences in Akumal.
Natalie is a Journalism Major, and has really captured the essence of Akumal.
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Giggling Between Topes - By Mari Pintkowski -
When I think of the time we have spent in the Tulum area of Mexico, after
making our move from Vail, Colorado, five years ago, I can finally giggle
about some of the topes (bumps in the road) we encounter along the way.
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Accommodations |
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Sac-be offers free listing of properties along the Riviera Maya.
If you would like to have your rental property listed please complete the form on our
owner's page. Or, if you are interested in
learning more about other advertising opportunities please contact us.
The following vacation rental properties were recently listed:
Playa del Carmen
Capri II -
New condo located on 10th Ave. between 38th and 40th. Very short walk to the
beach. Large pool in garden setting.
Tulum
Xamach Dos -
remote and secluded beachfront resort in the heart of the Sian Ka'an Reserve.
With 4 cabanas and a beautiful restaurant, Xamach Dos is perfect for people
wanting to get away from it all.
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May 2009 - #16 |
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Community News |
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Akumal |
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Hekab Be Biblioteca Update -
In accordance with the Mexican Secretary of Health's most recent decision to
keep all preschool, primary and secondary schools closed until Monday May 11th,
the library will also maintain a reduced schedule until then. We will be open
Mon-Sat morning from 9-11 a.m., for receiving donations and book loans only.
All other regularly scheduled activities will be suspended until next week.
What is Montessori Preschool? Part Ten
by Eleanor Zucker
- In the Montessori setting the arts are not considered to be a separate subject
distinct from other types of learning. Rather, art and music are considered an
integral part of personal expression and as such, complement and increase
children’s desire to explore and learn
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Updates on Causes |
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New Organization - Patty Karsten has started Dream for Mayan Children Foundation.
Spay and Neuter Clinics are in the works starting in May for Playa, Akumal,
and Chemuyil. The necklaces donated from Nancy Poor which are available at
Turtle Bay Cafe have raised $14,000 pesos and that along with a few other
larger donations are making these clinics possible.
Peanut
Pet Shelter in Playa is moving to a new location. Please take a moment
to check it out.
Coco Cat Rescue is busy as can be. They have helped Peanut Pet Shelter by
taking over the responsibilities of the cat population in Playa.
And there has been lots of new stuff happening recently
Along with some photos of kittens up for adoption... small enough to fit in your carry-on!
Help get an adopted dog from Merida to Florida - A couple who came to visit Merida, and brought a dog to AFAD, now have decided
that they really want that dog to come live with them. They live in Orlando,
and will drive to Miami or wherever to meet someone who could bring the dog
with them from Merida to Florida. They will pay for the expense of bringing
the dog (crate, etc.).
Does anyone know anyone who might be willing to help by bringing the dog with
them on a flight? Not sure about the size of the dog, but pretty sure the dog
would be crated and sent in the luggage compartment... just needs to be associated
with someone on the plane. Please email Sac-Be.com.
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From Around the Yucatan |
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Laguna Bacalar Flyover -
Scott Wallace and his wife and business partner Peggy Londahl have operated
their web business from the shores of Laguna Bacalar for the past 6 years.
Scott was recently able to accompany the project team from the Amigos de Sian
Ka'an non-profit and the Austrian Geological Survey on a flyover of Laguna
Bacalar for the purpose of discovering what lies under the ground there. While
the data gathered on that trip is being analyzed as part of an ongoing
environmental assessment, Scott writes about all that he saw and learned on
the trip in Yucatan Living.
The aquifer under the peninsula is, perhaps, the largest underground freshwater
reservoir on the planet, but more needs to be understood about how it came to
be, what keeps it alive, and what will keep it healthy as it is tapped for
future expansion of rapidly growing tourism and local populations.To help us
all keep up with life at the laguna, as well as updates on environmental
efforts in the area, be sure to read Scott's blog, Bacalar Mosaico.
We want to recommend you check out Khaki Scott's
article in Yucatan Living regarding facts and information on the flu!
It is a well researched, well written article.
Also from Khaki and Yucatan Living: History Channel has a new documentary in
the works. On the list to be filmed are Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Kabah, and Labna,
as well as Tulum, Coba, Palenque, Bonampak and Tikal. The documentary is
expected to be shown on the History Channel in September. Topics covered by
the documentary will include astronomy, medicine, architecture and gastronomy.
The main goal of the project is to show that the Mayan culture still lives and
is still viable and relevant in the 21st century. We think it’s about time to
put to rest the myth of the disappearing Mayan Civilization.
Finally, excavation begins on a new Mayan site, reported to be a
Great Mayan City,
this month. Check out our blog to read more about it.
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Calendar of Events |
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Happy Mother's Day – May 10th!
Happy Memorial Day – Thanks to those who have served!
Sunday Art shows 12 – 6 -
Come join in the fun. Looking for artists to participate and shoppers to come
find the special piece of art for which you've been looking.
May 23rd -
World Turtle Day
May 29 – 31 Akumal's 50th Celebration, see left column for more information.
June 7 at 6 pm - Coco's will be holding a pot luck fundraiser at Mom's Hotel
and Bar at 30th & 4th, southeast corner, in Playa del Carmen.
June 8th is World Oceans Day – do something nice to protect our great bodies of water.
October 24 – November 4 Women In Wellness
– Local's are welcome to join
in the fun. Blanca Sanchez-Navarro, Chef Gynna, Boutique Ixchel, WaterART,
International and more are joining Just Imagine Vacations, Inc to make this a
great retreat.
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